DK Metcalf was lined up in the slot. He gets moved around quite a bit more in new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's scheme much more than he was in former OC Shane Waldron's plan. This should allow Metcalf to see a lot of different opportunities than he has seen before in his career.
Grubb's scheme also is designed to try to force the defense to think. Where Metcalf is aligned at first might not be how he is aligned by the time the snap is made. In the first quarter of Week 2 against the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks receiver was covered well by Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Metcalf was getting a few short catches, but nothing explosive.
Seeing that for once the Pats were going to zone instead of man-to-man, Grubb hoped for some miscommunication in the New England secondary with Metcalf in the slot. Would Gonzalez chip him at the line of scrimmage and then the safety cover over the top? That was up to New England to figure out. They didn't.
Instead, Metcalf sprinted untouched down the middle of the field as the Pats miscommunicated and left Metcalf wide open which resulted in a 56-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith. Running into the end zone, Metcalf began celebrating and appeared to point to where New England's End Zone Militia stood.
Why was he pointing? No one could be quite sure at the time. Metcalf appeared to be nearly mocking the people dressed as colonists. Turns out, it was much worse. Or in Metcalf's word, "Terrible."
The pointing, according to Metcalf, was his attempt to look like the famous painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware. The only context was the End Zone Militia but anyone thinking the receiver was imitating Washington would have been a stretch.
As Metcalf kept running and neared the false colonists, one of them turned his back to him. As Metcalf neared them, it might have seemed as if Metcalf was going to try to steal the musket that one of the End Zone Militia held.
In the post-game press conference, Metcalf explained, "You know the picture of George Washington crossing the Delaware River? That's what I was trying to impersonate. It was terrible. Everybody thought I was trying to take the guy's musket. Nah."
At least now, in hindsight, the receiver's gesture makes complete sense. Plus, the Seahawks won the game and that is really all that matters.
