O'HARA'S SCOUTING REPORT: Seattle Seahawks

No matter how some numbers might show that the Seattle Seahawks aren’t as formidable entering the playoffs as they have been in previous seasons, quarterback Russell Wilson likes how the bottom line reads on the 2016 season. By the standards for most teams, the Seahawks added to an impressive balance sheet with their performance by winning the NFC West with a 10-5-1 record. It’s their fifth straight season in the playoffs, with double-digit wins all five years and a third division title. They have home-field advantage in Saturday night’s Wild Card game against the Detroit Lions.Those factors had Wilson in an optimistic mood when he spoke to reporters after the Seahawks’ season-ending victory over the 49ers. “Another 10-win season – that’s obviously huge when you think about 10 wins every year, or more,” Wilson said. “That’s not easy to do in the NFL. I think it comes down to hard work. I think it comes down to hard work – players playing for one another. “It’s going to be a great time. It’s a new season, starting 0-0. We’re excited about the opportunity to come back home in front of the 12s (the fans). We can’t wait for the opportunity to play a playoff game at home.” But the standards and expectations are higher for some teams than they are for others, and the Seahawks are one of those teams whose level of success is measured against how it has performed in previous seasons. Injuries, the retirement of running back Marshawn Lynch, and inconsistent play on the offensive line all have made an impact on the Seahawks. Here are some factors that make the Seahawks of 2016 different going into the playoffs from previous seasons: NFC West race: There really wasn’t one. Seattle was the only team in the division with a winning record. Second-place Arizona was three games behind at 7-8-1. The Rams (4-12) and 49ers (2-14) were six games behind. “That’s the first time that’s happened,” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said in a conference-call interview Tuesday. “We’ve always taken it down to the last week. “We’ve had some end-of-the-seasons that kind of looked just like this one. We’re ready to play. We don’t care what happened before. “It’s a one-game shot and we go for it, and try to take a championship performance into this season.” Injuries: They lost All-Pro safety Earl Thomas and Tyler Lockett, a valuable receiver and return specialist, with broken legs in the last month of the season. Thomas went out in the Seahawks’ 40-7 win over the Carolina Panthers in Game 12. Without Thomas, the Seahawks have given up 98 points in the last four games.Carroll isn’t soft-pedaling how difficult it is to replace a player of Thomas’ stature. Steven Terrell has taken over for Thomas at free safety. “It’s really hard,” Carroll said of replacing Thomas. “He’s an excellent player. There’s just one of him. You’re not going to get a guy who’s going to be like him. You’re going to get the next version.” Lockett went out on a reception in Seattle’s Game 15 loss to the Cardinals. Lockett is tied for third on the team with 41 catches and No. 1 with an average of 14.6 yards per catch. He was the primary returner on punts and kickoffs. In the final regular-season game, All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman was used on punt returns. He returned one punt for six yards and made fair catches on the other four. Run game: The combined impact of Lynch’s retirement and poor play by the offensive line has reduced the once-dominant running game to mediocre, at best. After ranking in the top four the previous four years, the Seahawks dropped to 25th with an average of 99.4 yards per game. From 2012 through 2014, the running game averaged between a high of 172.6 yards per game in 2013 to a low of 136.8. Wilson stats: Despite playing through knee and ankle injuries for part of the season, Wilson picked up some of the yards from the diminished production in the running game. Wilson passed for a career-high 4,219 yards, but his 21 TD passes were second fewest of his career, and the 11 interceptions were the most. Wilson’s passer rating of 92.6 was the lowest of his career and only the second time in his five seasons that it was below 100. As a runner, he set career lows in yards (259) and average per carry (3.6). His previous lows were 489 yards and 5.2 yards per carry – both as a rookie in 2012 -- while the 293 rushing attempts were the most of his career. The proof of Wilson’s return to good health is in his performance the second half of the season. Wilson had 33 yards rushing in the first six games and 60 in the first nine. In the last seven, Wilson rushed for 199 yards, with a high of 80 in a Week 12 road lost to Tampa Bay. “He did a terrific job just to get through the season,” Carroll said. “It’s fun to see him running around now, and doing what he’s always done. “It’s great to see him back.”