RENTON, Wash. — Russell Wilson thinks it’s “pretty cool’’ a new food item specially created for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game was inspired by his own taste buds and will be available for purchase at CenturyLink Field when the Seahawks face the 49ers in an NFC West grudge match.
Wilson figured the “DangeRuss Dog’’ had to in some way involve macaroni and cheese, as that’s a particular favorite of his. Still…
“I never really thought of a mac-and-cheese hot dog,” he said Wednesday.
Well, Russell, start thinking of it, as the special creation is a foot-long hot dog topped with mac-and-cheese, caramelized onions, honey hot sauce, diced jalapeno peppers and crispy “Seahawks Strips’’ — fried blue and green tortilla chips.
That means for $12 those in attendance can test the inner-workings of their digestive systems as Wilson and Colin Kaepernick — two of the NFL’s most visible new-age quarterbacks, athletes who can run it and throw it and make a defense look silly — engage in a high-stakes duel, for the right to play in the first new York/New Jersey Super Bowl. If the AFC title game is classic music — supreme pocket passers Peyton Manning and Tom Brady orchestrating traditional passing attacks — in the NFC it is improvisational jazz as Wilson and Kaepernick play to a different beat.
“In terms of Colin’s ability to run the football and throw the football extremely well, and my ability to throw the ball and run it, it’s one of those things that I believe the quarterback position is changing a little bit,’’ Wilson said. “You have some guys that can move around and make plays, but also there are still the Tom Bradys of the world that rip the defense by just sitting there in the pocket and throwing it all day and getting the ball out and all that. So it’s pretty cool.”
Wilson has been more than pretty cool ever since he stepped into the spotlight as a rookie sensation and he’s no less intriguing as a second-year phenom. Wilson’s performance from one year to the next were almost identical — he started all 16 games both seasons and had a quarterback rating of 100.0 in 2012 and 101.2 in 2013. But the passing game he directs has not done a whole lot since he threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns in a rout of the Saints in Week 13. In his last four regular-season games, Wilson passed for 200 yards only once — and that was 206 yards in a routine victory over the Giants. Last week, in the rain and wind, Wilson’s arm wasn’t much of a factor in a 23-15 playoff victory over the Saints, as he completed only nine of his 18 passes for 103 yards and no touchdowns.
“Obviously, last game was one of those things, all the circumstances and all that, Marshawn [Lynch] was running for 150 yards, why wouldn’t you keep giving it to him?’’ Wilson said.
Indeed, with Lynch rushing for 140 yards and two touchdowns the Seahawks didn’t have to take any chances on offense, but coach Pete Carroll acknowledged he’s heard the rumblings perhaps Wilson is not as sharp as he needs to be.
“I know there is a lot of talk about that,’’ Carroll said. “I’m not that worried about it.’’
Wilson does not appear to be very worried about it, either.
“I think the biggest thing is be more accurate on a couple throws I normally make,’’ he said. “That’s what it comes down to. It’s nothing I need to search deep down for or go study a whole bunch for. It’s just put the ball on the money right where you need to be.’’
There’s a good chance Wilson will be without receiver Percy Harvin, who sustained a concussion last week and has not yet been cleared to practice. Harvin played in only one game during the regular season, returned to catch three passes last week against the Saints before he was forced out just before halftime.