Seahawks history against backup QBs
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Seahawks history against backup QBs
Seaside Joe 1313: The last 5 years of facing backup quarterbacks
So far in 2022, the Seattle Seahawks have faced Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo, Marcus Mariota, and Jared Goff. Technically, Trey Lance started in Week 2, but Garoppolo look over mid-game and played most of the snaps for the 49ers, leading witnessing San Francisco’s defense lead the team to victory over Seattle.
In Week 5, the Seahawks will be facing off against another backup quarterback now that Jameis Winston has been ruled out, giving Andy Dalton his second Saints start in as many weeks. Dalton lost to the Vikings in Week 4 in London, but performed adequately, which tends to be his max output.
After losing to Colt McCoy and Nick Foles in 2021, it feels like the Seahawks always struggle against backup quarterbacks. Is that true?
2021 “Backup” QBs
Week 11 - Cardinals at Seahawks (23-13 LOSS)
Colt McCoy, 35/44, 328y, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 16 - Bears at Seahawks (25-24 LOSS)
Nick Foles, 24/35, 250y, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 17 - Lions at Seahawks (51-29 WIN)
Tim Boyle, 22/37, 262y, 2 TD, 3 INT
Bonus: Week 4 (Trey Lance), Week 12 (Taylor Heinicke), Week 14 (Davis Mills)
I think in the sense of true backups getting starts against Seattle, the Seahawks went 1-2 in 2021. They also lost to Heinicke, who took over for Ryan Fitzpatrick after Week 1 and beat Mills, who took over for Tyrod Taylor beginning in Week 3. Seattle also saw Lance take over for Garoppolo in Week 4, with Lance performing much better than Jimmy but losing.
Let me know if I’m missing anyone.
2020 “Backup” QBs
Week 13 - Giants at Seahawks (17-12 LOSS)
Colt McCoy, 13/22, 105y, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 15 - Washington vs Seahawks (20-15 WIN)
Dwayne Haskins, 38/55, 295y, 1 TD, 2 INT
Week 17 - 49ers vs Seahawks (26-23 WIN)
C.J. Beathard, 25/37, 273y, 1 TD, 0 INT
Bonus: Week 8 (Nick Mullens)
Seattle faced three different 49ers QBs in 2020, going 2-0 against them. Mullens took over midway through Seattle’s Week 8 win, 37-27. Haskins started 2020 as the starter, was benched, and came back again to start late in the year. That was the season that briefly saw Alex Smith’s return. So two of the Seahawks’ three losses on this ledger so far came against McCoy.
2019 “Backup” QBs
Week 3 - Saints at Seahawks (33-27 LOSS)
Teddy Bridgewater, 19/27, 177y, 2 TD, 0 INT
Week 8 - Falcons vs Seahawks (27-20 WIN)
Matt Schaub, 39/52, 460y, 1 TD, 1 INT
Bonus: Week 2 (Mason Rudolph), Week 15 (Kyle Allen)
Bridgewater went 5-0 in his brief stint in place of Drew Brees in 2019. Rudolph replaced Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh’s Week 2 win over the Seahawks that year. Matt Schaub’s only appearance of 2019, the last game of his career, saw him throw 52 pass attempts and gain 460 yards in a loss. Kyle Allen had already started 12 games for the Panthers as the backup going into his matchup against Seattle; Allen threw three picks in the loss and was not playing the next week.
2018 “Backup” QBs
Week 13 - 49ers at Seahawks (43-16 WIN)
Nick Mullens, 30/48, 414y, 2 TD, 1 INT
Week 15 - 49ers vs Seahawks (26-23 LOSS)
Nick Mullens, 20/29, 265y, 1 TD, 0 INT
I don’t really think there are any other good cases of a “backup” QB from the 2018 season other than Mullens. The Seahawks did get to win two games against Josh Rosen, however. I should note that I’m using a criteria of a QB throwing at least 10 pass attempts.
2017 “Backup” QBs
Week 2 - 49ers at Seahawks (12-9 WIN)
Brian Hoyer, 15/27, 99y, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 4 - Colts at Seahawks (46-18 WIN)
Jacoby Brissett, 16/29, 157y, 1 TD, 1 INT
Week 10 - Cardinals vs Seahawks (22-16 WIN)
Drew Stanton, 24/47, 273y, 1 TD, 0 INT
Week 12 - 49ers vs Seahawks (24-13 WIN)
C.J. Beathard, 22/38, 201y, 0 TD, 1 INT
Week 17 - Cardinals at Seahawks (26-24 LOSS)
Drew Stanton, 15/34, 145y, 1 TD, 1 INT
Wait, you’re telling me that the 49ers started their season with Brian Hoyer as the starter? That would be as crazy as starting your season with Geno Smith! Hoyer didn’t last long and these games helped compel the 49ers to trade for Garoppolo, which just led to way more games by SF backup QBs.
Stanton came in as the backup twice during the 2017 season, leading to the Rosen pick in 2018, which led to the Kyler Murray pick in 2019. Eight of the 15 games on this list were against NFC West opponents, but never against the Rams.
Technically, Brissett started the whole 2017 campaign but only because of late word that Andrew Luck would not be playing that year.
Any Andy Dalton predictions for Sunday? Let me know in the comments!
Seahawks history against backup QBs
I seem to remember a playoff game against the Rams where they played a backup... and the Rams won.
What kind of weapons will Dalton have? Thomas is out (I think) and Kamara is on the limp. Geno is clicking on the offense right now and I do expect the Seahawks to outscore the Saints, but mainly because of the injuries they have on offense may allow our D to 'get right'.