THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Issues are clear, but so is Seahawks path forward

Here’s some breaking news.

The Seahawks have issues.

Oh, brother, they have some REALLY serious, fix-it-quick issues after getting punked 30-13 by a Rams team that likely will turn out to be bang average.

It’s scary to think about this weekend’s trip to Detroit — hardly a tourist destination at the best of times, and distinctly less so now when you consider the suddenly potent Lions.

“We can’t worry about that,” Pete Carroll said quickly when asked about Sunday’s date in Detroit. “We’ve got to take care of ourselves.”

Amen.

To be fair, Carroll and his staff could whine about injuries, but that’s just not Pete’s game.

He believes that if you lose a player at a critical position, the next guy has to step up and do the job.

It’s a noble approach, but I’m guessing the Jets aren’t thinking that way at the moment.

Losing Aaron Rodgers didn’t QUITE kill their season, but it squashed a lot of Super Bowl dreams.

Look, injuries will happen.

The best teams have depth, their players have a knack for quick rehab and the willingness to play in pain, they have some sort of Plan B – and most of all, they need to get a little lucky.

AT THIS very moment, the Seahawks are trying to cover every one of those bases.

Let's start with the late collapse on offense — 12 net yards in the second half, nine of which came on the last play of the game.

Losing tackles Charles Cross and Abe Lucas essentially halted everything.

After a first half in which Kenneth Walker III ran the ball effectively and Geno Smith enjoyed a relatively clean pocket (or a direction to move safely), everything hit a wall.

The Hawks’ 13-7 lead disappeared in a flash, and they spent 30 minutes getting embarrassed on both sides of the ball.

Carroll tried to give mild props to backup tackles Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan, but he was being polite.

The truth was on tape.

With the line decimated, they couldn’t run and the Rams came charging after Smith.

It was hopeless.

So, now: I’m not sure if these are genius moves or just making sure there are enough warm bodies, but the Seahawks this week signed 41-year-old Jason Peters — a nine-time Pro Bowler who MIGHT have enough left in his legs to help in spurts.

Maybe.

They also brought back Greg Eiland, who’s been on the practice squad for a couple of years but was cut two weeks ago.

Bottom line: Light candles for Cross and Lucas.

Somebody will be facing Aidan Hutchison and the rest of a fierce Lions rush on Sunday.

Coordinator Shane Waldron surely will be up late, trying to devise a way to mount a running game — both to stay ahead of the chains and keep the hungry pack off Geno.

Realistically, Cross should be back in a week or two, but Lucas has been dealing with that balky knee for quite a while.

Somehow, the offensive line MUST be patched together for the long haul — not just one tough day in Michigan.

MEANWHILE, there may be more hope for the defense.

I know, that seems like a long shot after watching Matthew Stafford carve up the Hawks for 334 yards, mostly on undisturbed throws over the middle to rookie Puka Nacua and the previously anonymous Tutu Atwell.

The dispiriting part of all that — besides the complete lack of a pass rush — was seeing that the incomparable Bobby Wagner has lost a step when trying to cover the deep middle zone.

Wagner, along with the outstanding Jordyn Brooks and the sluggers up front, did stop the Rams’ running game, but that only helps if you can cause a little havoc on third down.

Here’s some good news: Rookie Devon Witherspoon is expected to make his debut in Detroit, and safety Jamal Adams (while still not ready from game duty) has begun serious practice.

Seattle needs Adams the way a man stranded in the desert needs water.

This is a guy who set an NFL record for secondary players with 9 1/2 sacks.

The plan is to use Adams as a hybrid linebacker/safety, helping with that shaky coverage in the middle along with finding various ways to rush the passer.

IN THEORY, that should help the front three and outside linebackers Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe and Darrell Taylor find some space for lanes to the quarterback.

“You can’t win in this league without making those (QBs) feel you back there,” Carroll said. “You want to get through to where they see your colors in the crowd.

“We couldn’t do that to Stafford, and he can throw bullets all day. So will most NFL quarterbacks.

“We have to come up with a pass rush.”

Adams will be a huge help when he’s healthy, but in the meantime, the defensive staff has to get clever.

That might be possible, especially if Witherspoon is the expected upgrade over Tre Brown at corner.

If.

If.

If.

At least fans can hang their hats on one thing.

The Seahawks cannot be worse than in that second half against the Rams.

Ever.

So, do you feel better?

C’mon, try harder.

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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”