Cowboys vs. Seahawks: Russell Wilson Is Gaining Confidence

The Dallas Cowboys versus Seattle Seahawks game turned out to be better than advertised for the fans in the Pacific Northwest. 

The Seahawks did make some mistakes, and Russell Wilson was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination.    

However, that does not change the fact that Wilson and the 'Hawks looked awfully good against the Dallas Cowboys.  Anytime you beat a highly heralded team by a score of 27-7, you are doing something right. 

Is Wilson playing like a rookie? Does anyone even know what that means anymore after the success of Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III? In Wilson, I see a lot of things, but most importantly I see confidence.

Russell Wilson’s numbers from the Cowboys game are not going to blow anyone away.  When you are 15-of-20 for 151 yards, no one is going to talk about the eye-popping stats. 

Still, the rookie QB did throw for a touchdown, and perhaps more importantly he did not throw any interceptions or cough up any fumbles.  There is something to be said about avoiding turnovers, even if the yardage stats are not jaw-dropping.

I do not think it is appropriate to start throwing around the term “game manager,” because that is a very difficult term to define.  Every good quarterback manages the game to a certain extent. 

To me, Wilson is following the blueprint for success in today’s NFL.  Success is not always about the home-run ball.  Instead, the savvy quarterback works his way methodically down the field.  It may not always be exciting, but it gets the job done.

Obviously, Wilson did not win this game by himself.  Credit the offensive line for buying him time and opening holes for Marshawn Lynch.  Give credit to the defense for harassing Tony Romo all day and preventing the Dallas offense from getting into any sort of rhythm.  In addition, the special teams play put Dallas into an immediate hole, and that allowed Seattle to work from a position of strength.

Wilson is fun to watch.  He just seems to have a feel for how the play is unfolding.  Sure, he got sacked a couple of times, but even good quarterbacks have a hard time staying upright for the entire game.  However, he also escaped a number of times, as his senses seemed particularly attuned to when the pocket was collapsing.  That is good to see.

The opponents do not get any easier with the Green Bay Packers coming to town.  The Cowboys game is just the first big battle in a long, difficult season.  Seattle is going to have their hands full with Aaron Rodgers and company, but Russell Wilson showed me a lot against the Cowboys. 

I see Russell Wilson gaining confidence.  He has the look of a quarterback that believes he can win every game.   

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