After a relatively quiet day in the opener, Kupp was back to looking like the difference maker he was throughout a standout career with the Rams during the Seahawks’ Week 2 win in Pittsburgh, gaining 90 yards on seven catches, five of which resulted in first downs, including two third-down conversions. Kupp did a lot of his damage catching short passes in the middle of the field and picking up significant yardage after the catch.
“He just understands coverage so well,” Darnold said. “He understands defenses. He understands what we’re trying to do as an offense. I think that’s the easiest way to say it, he’s just very knowledgeable about defenses and certain leverages that guys are in and where the voids are in the zones.”
Of course, no matter how close Kupp is with his quarterback or how well he understands defenses, the cerebral side of the game only goes so far, and Kupp’s game in Pittsburgh, which looked like so many others in his impressive career, also showcased his athletic talents and toughness to make plays in traffic.
“I really do think he’s an elite athlete,” Kubiak said. “Elite ball skills. People talk about how smart he is, and that’s great, but this guy can play the game. He is athletic, he can make every catch, and he has been a fantastic leader not only for the receiver room but for the whole offense and the team… He’s seen a lot of football, he’s been really well coached, and he’s got input that helps us every week.”
While Kupp’s numbers made a big jump from Week 1 to Week 2, to his coaches and teammates, last weekend’s big performance was just a continuation of what Kupp has been doing since he arrived in Seattle as a free agent. Kupp also understands that the work he puts in throughout each week show, to himself and to his team, as much as what happens on gameday.
“I think a lot of it’s just the process that I have for myself,” Kupp said. “The cameras are on for three hours of the week. But I spend much more than that playing this game and preparing to play this game. I have a better idea than you do, and so I believe in who I am. I just have a belief in myself. Similar to what Sam (Darnold) said, if I’m not having fun playing this game, I’m not going to play this game anymore. And I’m enjoying playing this game. I’m enjoying coming in every day and going through my process, and I’m just going to keep rolling with it.
“I’m not out here trying to prove anyone wrong. I love the game. I’m motivated to play this game because I love doing it. I love playing alongside the guys that sit in these chairs that you guys are sitting in right now and preparing to go out there and accomplish a goal. Moving forward with 70 guys all slated for the same mission, and I love that. I love the accountability of it. I love playing for the guy next to me, knowing that he’s doing the same thing for me. It makes it a very special thing. There’s not a whole lot of things in this world that you get to be a part of that camaraderie, and I don’t take that lightly. I’m doing it because I love it.”