Lockett dealt with a leg contusion and the flu in Weeks 10, 12 and 13, but what was the issue against the Rams? How was Los Angeles able to keep Wilson to 245 yards and no touchdowns and Lockett to just four receptions for 43 yards?
"I just think that we've been running the ball more," Lockett said. "We haven't been focused much on trying to air-raid the ball like we kind of did earlier on. I think a lot of teams are trying to force us to run the ball instead of trying to force the throw all the time. We've been taking what teams give us to run the ball early on."
That, right there, is alarming. Championship caliber teams should be able to dictate the tempo beyond just taking what a defense gives them, especially when trailing 21-3 in a pivotal primetime matchup. Seattle had every chance to get back into the contest. The defense cleaned things up at halftime, only giving up seven points over the final two quarters, and even scored a touchdown on Quandre Diggs' pick-six.
But the Seahawks passing game remained anemic from start to finish. It was a low point amid a four-game stretch in which Wilson hasn't topped 245 yards. And this quote from Lockett may be the most concerning of all.
"We haven't been running plays to be explosive," Lockett said. "We've been running plays to run the ball and control the clock. We haven't really been trying to go over the top like we normally have because teams have been game-planning it."
That strategy works in games like Seattle's wins against Philadelphia and Minnesota where the Seahawks defense was stout, and the running game was churning out yards with ease. But when Plan A has to go out the window, as it did in Los Angeles, you have to have a counter punch. The Seahawks simply didn't have one against the Rams.
Perspective is still important as long as Seattle can figure things out in the days leading up to its Week 15 road game against the Panthers. The reality is that the Seahawks, now 10-3, are still in a great spot to win the NFC West if they take care of their own business. That's what Wilson and Lockett chose to focus on following Sunday's eye-opening loss.
"Just let it go," Lockett said of how he plans to handle the defeat. "We've still got three more games. We're in a great position. On to Carolina. Just keep on playing, learn from it and just move on. It's nothing to just sit and nod your head and get mad about."
I'd agree. Sunday's loss wasn't one to lose sleep about. But squandering an opportunity to win the NFC West and ending up with the No. 5 seed in the postseason would be regretful, which is why the Seahawks need a sense of urgency it clearly lacked against the Rams.
