Why isn’t anybody listening to Tyler Lockett?

Tyler Lockett — the route running technician and resident veteran of the Seattle Seahawks’ receiving corps — had some important words to say following the team’s latest soul crushingly abysmal performance.

While most post-game attention has gone to Pete Carroll and his “storm out/return with tail tucked” performance in his presser, Lockett’s bold assessment is far more impactful in its earnestness. If this statement is indeed accurate — and I see no reason to doubt that it is — this is perhaps the biggest bombshell to drop as the Seahawks descend the long winding staircase into the NFCellar.

Tyler Lockett is often a quiet leader; he plays with emotion, but he doesn’t let his emotions play with him; he doesn’t complain when he doesn’t get the ball; and he routinely puts on route running and pass catching clinics against whoever is unfortunate enough to line up across from him. So when he has something to say, his voice should be heard. But the problem is that nobody is listening.

Wilson Conn detailed the disagreement in the post game presser notes. As seemingly insignificant as this may seem on the surface, it points at a problem that goes so much deeper; Pete Carroll is the proverbial lost man who is afraid to ask for directions; too brash to know how lost he really is and too old fashioned to use modern technology as a guide. Ditto for Russell Wilson.

Tyler Lockett — an experienced traveler, himself, by NFL standards — offers his input and it is quickly shot down by the coach and quarterback who seem to be convinced of only two things: (1) that they don’t have the answer, but (2) the answer is definitely not what Lockett is suggesting.

And why are they so damn sure? Because Tyler Lockett’s answer suggests that there isn’t a quick fix. The answer isn’t simply to “play better” or “execute.” Therein lies the systemic dysfunction of these Seattle Seahawks: their coaching and gameplanning are simply out of sync with reality.

Michael-Shawn Dugar goes into greater detail on this and other issues in his piece on the latest loss to Arizona. What struck me the most is just how obtuse Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson have really become in defeat; they are oblivious to their own complacency. Through all of this, I can’t help but be reminded of something that I learned in a workplace related training that has stuck with me for years; to paraphrase — in a situation where things aren’t working, whoever can identify the problem without assigning blame will emerge as the leader. Carroll and Wilson are too busy either denying that there is a problem or blaming the team’s poor execution. To be fair, both acknowledge their own share of the blame, but this really does little good for anybody. Tyler Lockett, on the other hand, has a thought. And it is a good one. And if this team has any hope of salvaging itself — not from a season that is already lost, but from a future of all but certain implosion — it is going to start with listening to some of the players who have something to say.