Russell Wilson ran the ball 19 times on read-option plays during his rookie season. Colin Kaepernick had 12 read-option rushes.

Around the NFC West: Feb. 22, 2013

That works out to 31 out of 1,552 total plays, or 1.99 percent.

Let's try to remember those numbers the next time someone references the "sustainability" of the offensive styles Seattle and San Francisco are running with their young quarterbacks.

Brock Huard and Mike Salk of 710ESPN Seattle tackled the subject Thursday after Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians explained why the read-option game wasn't for him.

"I'm not a believer in putting my quarterback in harm's way," Arians told reporters at the NFL scouting combine. "I think harm will come to them. I'm more of a traditionalist."

Andrew Luck, Arians' quarterback in Indianapolis last season, took 41 sacks and was hit while throwing on 48 other plays, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Three quarterbacks took more sacks. Only Luck took more than 30 hits while throwing.

Luck had 695 drop-backs, nearly as many as Wilson (477) and Kaepernick (259) combined.

Wilson took 33 sacks and was hit while throwing on eight plays. Kaepernick took 16 sacks and was hit while throwing on four other plays.

"Playing those two young (QBs) is a challenge because they are so athletic," Arians said. "Give the defensive coordinators of the NFL some credit. They will have some time to study this trend that is happening."