In his tenth NFL season, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has never lost three games in a row. With a two-game losing streak and a return to Santa Clara up next, it’s very possible.
Wilson told reporters on Thursday that the prospect of back-to-back-to-back losses has not yet entered his brain.
“Not thinking about losing three in a row,” Wilson said. “I just focus on the winning part of it, the process, focus on getting better, focus on what I do and how I can lead, communicate, and keep my energy and focus high, continue to work hard, get here early, and leave late, stay focused on the simple things. The simple things win, and I try to continue to do those things really well. You have to keep your mind right, you have to keep your language right, and I always tell you guys that I have to remain neutral. It’s supposed to be a challenge and I like I said, I know every year will have some challenges that we have to face, and it is what it is.”
So how will Wilson deal with the challenge that has arisen in the early stages of the 2021 season?
“You have to stay the course,” Wilson said. “So many times, people will panic and will get worried and frustrated. The best thing to do is stay the course, be honest, and figure out how we can get better, and then keep going for it. This league is challenging, every game is challenging. We play in arguably the best division in football, every week is tough. We look forward to the challenges of it all. I think the language is everything too, how we pick each other up, how we communicate with each other, and how we continue to stay focused on the task at hand. We have been playing some really good football and there are some things that we can get better at, that’s the truth. It’s not anything more complicated than that, but now it’s taking those things that we can get better at and week to week improve on those things. There’s a lot of good stuff that when teams lose, you don’t want to get distracted on that stuff in the sense of all of the good stuff that you are doing. You want to be able to focus on that and doing that really well but at the same time, balance your mind and emotions to be able to stay the course and stay focused on the task at hand of how we can improve. I think that beautiful balance is really key.”
It’s easy to say “stay the course.” It’s harder to actually change the course, especially after the Seahawks have blown double-digit leads in two straight games. Last year, the Seahawks started 5-0. This year, the Seahawks are looking at a 1-3 start if they can’t beat the 49ers in their own building. That would make it much harder for Wilson to add to a legacy that he recently said he hopes will be “legendary” and “iconic.”