Seahawks QB Wilson tries to recover from 2 bad games

RENTON, Wash. — Despite accounting for 86 percent of the Seattle Seahawks’ offense this season, quarterback Russell Wilson has struggled significantly over the last two games.

The Seahawks managed only 149 yards of offense against the Los Angeles Rams and 136 yards against the Dallas Cowboys. While he’s not responsible for all of Seattle’s issues, Wilson’s struggles have torpedoed the team’s ability to move the football.

Wilson has accounted for 4,312 of Seattle’s 4,990 offensive yards this season. He’s thrown for 3,762 yards in 15 games and leads the team in rushing as well with 550 yards.

A 30-yard touchdown run by J.D. McKissic in Week 4 is the only touchdown of the year Wilson didn’t personally have a hand in as a passer or runner.

But outside of a stellar game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Wilson hasn’t been at his peak form for over a month. He completed just 46.7 percent of his passes against the Rams, which is just the eighth time in his career he’s completed less than 50 percent of his passes.

His 93 yards passing against Dallas on Sunday was the first time he’d failed to throw for 100 yards in his career.

“I don’t think he has played as consistent as he has maybe in weeks earlier,” offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. “There is different reasons for that. Like I said, it really takes everybody. You can’t do it by yourself. … He is looking at the same stuff we’re looking at. We are coaching him on those same things and everybody is trying to get better every week.”

Wilson has been tentative to throw to receivers at times, relying too much on his athleticism to extend plays in hopes of finding a better option.

It’s led to some really bad plays, in particular a 22-yard sack last week in Dallas and a 16-yard “fumble” against the Rams where he threw the ball backward trying to avoid a sack from Aaron Donald.

“I am always looking for more consistency,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “He knows it. He wants to get right too.”

With Seattle’s defense permanently down three former Pro-Bowl pieces and a running game still scuffling, Wilson has to be the engine to carry the offense if the team wants to succeed.

The margin for error is gone and any mistakes Wilson make are amplified. Getting Wilson back on track will be vitally important for Seattle to make any run in the postseason should they sneak into the playoffs this weekend.

SERIES HISTORY: 38th regular-season meeting. Series tied, 18-18-1. The Cardinals have won three of the last four games played in Seattle. The road team is 7-1-1 over the last nine meetings between the teams.

NOTES, QUOTES

–Cornerback Byron Maxwell recorded the 11th forced fumble of his career with a punch at a ball carried by Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Maxwell has become very adept at stripping opponents of the football. It’s a skill he’s developed through the years and is somewhat rare for a cornerback to possess.

“(Punching at the ball) is a very difficult choice,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “It is why guys don’t try it more, because they want to secure the tackle. There is a real knack to it. There is a timing and a feel for it.”

Maxwell would try to work on punching the ball free in practice with little luck until former assistant coach Rocky Seto showed him film of Charles Tillman.

During his time with the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers, Tillman was the best defensive back in football at forcing fumbles.

“Rocky Seto saw that I was trying to emulate him,” Maxwell said. “He would coach me up on it, helping me, ‘This is where you want to punch at it, and this is how you get it out.'”

He’s forced multiple fumbles in each of his last three seasons, including four last year with the Miami Dolphins.

Maxwell returned to the Seahawks in November after Richard Sherman was lost for the season to a torn Achilles. He quickly assumed a starting role and has helped steady a secondary that was being compromised due to injuries.

–Fullback Tre Madden returned to practice with the Seahawks on Wednesday.

Madden has been on injured reserve since Nov. 7 and is the first of two possible players designated to return from injured reserve by the Seahawks this season. Running backs Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise, and tackle Rees Odhiambo could potentially return in the playoffs should Seattle’s season continue long enough.

Madden injured his calf against the Washington Redskins on Nov. 5 and was placed on injured reserve two days later. Seattle has gone without a designated fullback on their roster ever since.

NOTES: DT Nazair Jones did not practice on Wednesday as he had a setback in his recovery from a high-ankle sprain. It makes his potential return for the final game of the regular season somewhat unlikely. He’s missed the last four games due to the injury. … LB Bobby Wagner did not practice as he continues to rest an injured hamstring. Head coach Pete Carroll said Wagner is in better shape this week than he’s been in some time. … DE Michael Bennett did not practice with a knee injury that’s been bothering him for weeks. … LG Luke Joeckel did not practice due to a foot injury sustained last Sunday against the Cowboys. Head coach Pete Carroll said Joeckel is expecting to be able to play on Sunday. … TE Jimmy Graham did not practice due to an ankle injury that has kept him on the injury report for weeks. It hasn’t kept him from playing. … DT Jarran Reed was limited in practice due to a back injury. … LB D.J. Alexander was limited in practice. He missed last week’s game due to a concussion.