Other quarterbacks who can run can’t help themselves. At the first sign of trouble, they’re gone down the field. As soon as a play breaks down, they tuck the ball in and take off. When the first read isn’t open, off they go.
What sets Russell Wilson apart from other mobile quarterbacks is that he’s not a running passer. He’s a quarterback who can also run.
Wilson is fast. He’s got a 6.1 career rushing average, sixth-highest in NFL history among players with 200 or more rushing attempts.
But he’s also accurate. And smart. It’s a deadly combination, and it’s why Wilson wins football games with greater frequency than all but two quarterbacks in modern NFL history.
Wilson will face the Eagles for the first time in his career Sunday, when the Eagles and Seahawks meet in a battle of teams with their eye on a first-round playoff bye.
Wilson has completed 64 percent of his passes in his career, with nearly three times as many touchdowns (67) as interceptions (24).
He’s No. 2 in NFL history with a 98.9 passer rating, trailing only Aaron Rodgers, and No. 12 in NFL history with a 63.7 completion percentage.
Wilson is 32-12 in his career — his winning percentage of 72.7 percent ranks third all-time since 1960 to Tom Brady (76.6) and Daryle Lamonica (74.1).
Last year, Wilson became the third-youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, when the Seahawks beat the Broncos 43-8. Only Ben Roethlisberger (23) and Brady (24) were younger.
The guy the Eagles will see at the Linc Sunday afternoon doesn’t throw for a ton of yards — he’s 28th in the league at 205 per game — but he doesn’t need to.
Not with that defense, that running game and his scrambling ability.
“I got an opportunity to play against Russell when he was at Wisconsin,” Chip Kelly said Monday. “He does the same thing. He always sets his eyes down the field. He’s not looking to run. But if you give him the opportunity to run, I think he makes some really, really good decisions when he’s flushed from the pocket.
“He’s always got his eyes up, he’s always looking for his receivers, and if they’re not there, he always takes what the defense gives him and never takes a big hit. I think he’s got a real, real good feel for how to play quarterback on the move.”
Wilson has more career 100-yard rushing games (four) than 300-yard passing games (three). He’s rushed for 100 yards three times this year, matching Michael Vick’s record for most in a season by a quarterback.
The Eagles have allowed only two 100-yard rushers in two years under Bill Davis — Rashad Jennings had 102 in the Raiders' blowout loss to the Eagles last November, and Frank Gore ran for 119 in San Francisco back in September.