The Seattle Seahawks discovered themselves trailing early once more on the street, however this time the win over the Arizona Cardinals was significantly extra comfy than the one towards the New York Jets.
After a 7-0 gap, Seattleās offense got here to life with 17 factors on its first three possessions and by no means seemed again. The Seahawks led by at the very least two possessions for the ultimate 32 minutes of sport time, all the best way to a 30-18 victory over the Cardinals. Maybe as huge because the win was no season-ending accidents like typical at that cursed Glendale stadium. I contemplate this two wins in a single.
Itās Winners and Losers time!
Winners
Zach Charbonnet
Iām fairly positive Charbonnet has no shot to win NFC Offensive Participant of the Week with Sam Darnoldās five-touchdown sport and Puka Nacuaās newest masterclass, however perhaps he can win the Floor Participant of the Week (which is as much as a fan vote). Every week faraway from his game-winning landing towards the New York Jets, Charbonnet had the very best sport of his NFL profession by a large distance. No Ken Walker? No drawback. How about nearly 200 yards of whole offense after getting into the sport with 470 all 12 months?
Charbonnet was affected person together with his blockers, bounced off tacklers all sport, and showcased a degree of open-field velocity that we havenāt actually seen fairly often. This was an excellent exhibiting by Charbonnet with the season just about on the road, and he was instrumental on this (comparatively talking) explosion of Seahawks offense.
Offensive line, led by Sautoa Laumea
Geno Smith was solely pressured 5 occasions out of 30 dropbacks and sacked ZERO occasions after giving up 5 sacks the earlier assembly. There werenāt precisely too many large performs down the sphere even with the optimistic move safety, however Seattle was capable of preserve Geno clear and at the very least permit him to search out his checkdown. Iāll take that over weekly breakdowns that give him no probability from the snap.
Sataoa Laumea was my standout performer. The rookie proper guard was a bully within the run sport and sprung that second Charbonnet landing. I donāt suppose he allowed any pressures, both. If he retains this up, I donāt see how Anthony Bradford will get his beginning job if he returns from IR. Maybe there was a way to the insanity of sitting Laumea and letting him develop in apply as an alternative of throwing him into the hearth.
Ernest Jones IV
Lengthen him. There may be each motive to increase Ernest Jonesā contract and never let him contact free company. He picked up his first interception as a Seahawk to assist arrange Seattleās first landing, and continues to be wonderful in protection and towards the run. This will likely go down as the very best defensive midseason commerce of John Schneiderās profession; itās up there with Quandre Diggs and Leonard Williams in the intervening time.
Coby Bryant
Overwhelmed for a landing on the opening drive, Bryant bounced again together with his third interception of the season. Apparently it was a protection bust by somebody not named Bryant, and Coby got here to the rescue. You understand who ought to get credit score for shifting Bryant from slot nook to security? Yup. Pete Carroll and his outdated employees.
Bryant is revitalized within the beginning lineup and heās earned his enjoying time over Rayshawn Jenkins and OkāVon Wallace.
Tyrice Knight
Knight led the workforce in tackles however Iām way more centered on his move protection. The rookie recorded two passes defensed, one in every of which was towards a tightly coated Trey McBride. From Wright to Knight? Perhaps the Seahawks have their future at weakside linebacker.
Leonard Williams
Williams didnāt file a sack on this event, however he nonetheless had two tackles for loss and swatted a Kyler Murray move down. In Seattleās finest run protection moments, Massive Cat, Jarran Reed, and Byron Murphy II (who appears to be extra of a run-stuffer than a move rusher proper now) had been on the heart of the stuffs.
Devon Witherspoon
When he wasnāt making nice open area tackles, āSpoon was at the very least slowing gamers down for his teammates to gang deal with. He was unfortunate to not get his first sack of the season on Kyler Murray, however his strain resulted in a clean-up sack for Rayshawn Jenkins.
Derick Corridor
Corridor formally recorded one deal with. He additionally created the Bryant interception by pressuring Kyler Murray whereas getting held. A 4th down conversion by Arizona was nullified as a result of Corridor being held. I consider Corridor drew three holding penalties in whole, so he may not have had the stats however he was impactful method past the field rating.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
He may be WR1 at this fee. Not even 1A anymore. JSN led the workforce with 5 catches for 82 yards and the primary street landing of his profession. Heās actually developed terrific chemistry with Geno Smith and is showcasing clutch fingers after some early points with drops.
Ryan Grubb
The Seahawks offense has stumbled in every single place for a lot of the season, however (penalties apart) this was as clear as Ryan Grubbās unit has seemed all 12 months. In the event you take away defensive touchdowns, this was Seattleās first 30-point outing on offense below Grubb. Iām nonetheless involved in regards to the struggles producing huge performs off of play-action, however there was a coherence to this gameplan not seen in current weeks.
I consider Grubb coming below fireplace has been deserved and that heās not dealt with the offensive line struggles nicely relative to different Seahawks OCs. With that stated, when the OL really features, there’s a semblance of what offense he needs to run. Iād say heās additionally made some changes post-bye concerning extra duo runs, G-T counters, and under-center seems to be. Itās now about operating a number of performs from those self same seems to be to stamp out predictability.
Canāt actually argue or complain a lot with 409 yards and seven/15 on third down, are you able to?
Geno Smith
One other turnover-free sport for Geno, who wasnāt flashy however he was efficient. He was 24/30 for 233 yards and a landing, and it mightāve been three if not for a misfire to Pharaoh Brown on the opening drive after which a drop by Tyler Lockett within the third quarter. Smith was not forcing issues and he was taking what the protection gave him, all whereas nonetheless ripping some slick intermediate throws on scoring drives. That was a composed exhibiting by Geno with few errors.
Kenny McIntosh
In the end, McIntosh obtained prolonged enjoying time. He had seven carries for 38 yards (plus a few brief receptions) and picked up three first downs out of 9 touches. Having him make any form of affect within the offense was a optimistic to me. Perhaps extra touches are coming even when Kenneth Walker comes again?
Jaelon Darden
Genuinely, itās for not fumbling or doing something dangerous together with his few kick/punt returns. Thatās the place I’m with Seahawks particular groups at this level.
Michael Dickson
He put the Seahawks on his healed again. 4 of his 5 punts had been downed contained in the 20 and flipped area place considerably. That was Dickson at his most interesting.
Losers
Tyler Lockett
When Lockett couldnāt usher in that fade in the long run zone with 1-on-1 protection on him, I nearly shed a tear. Thatās a play classic Lockett makes just about on a regular basis. It willāve been a landing to make it 31-10 Seahawks. As an alternative, Lockett ends the day with no catches and one goal. Itās been 5 years since his final catchless sport, and solely the seventh of his terrific profession.
This doesnāt seem like itās turning itself round any time quickly. Lockett solely has 7 catches for 65 yards because the bye week. Seattle has much less of a WR trio and extra of a duo. JSN is stepping up simply in time for Lockettās decline.
Run Protection
This can be a minor nitpick however the Seahawks run protection was not tremendous sharp in comparison with earlier weeks. James Conner had 90 yards on 18 carries and some explosives given up. It was positively the worst Seahawks rush protection exhibiting because the Buffalo Payments sport, and Josh Jacobs is coming into city subsequent week behind a great Inexperienced Bay Packers offensive line. Hopefully that tightens up shortly.
Closing Notes
A.J. Barner trucked a person on his solely goal of the sport. You like to see it.
DK Metcalf continues his stretch of by no means having a 60-yard receiving sport towards the Cardinals, which is difficult to fathom. He nonetheless had 4 grabs for 49 yards.
I donāt perceive why the Geno Smith intentional grounding penalty was upheld. Heās being hit as heās throwing and AJ Barner was within the neighborhood. Weāve seen the usual for āwithin the spaceā be very liberal in these conditions and but that was not ok? That was most likely my solely officiating gripe in what was usually a well-officiated sport.
Wasnāt thrilled with the lackadaisical method to the two-minute drill earlier than halftime. Seattle has been nice in two-minute conditions and the Seahawks consciously performed for a area objective and ended up punting.
Michael Wilsonās landing was the one explosive move allowed all sport by the Seahawks protection. Mike Macdonald has discovered the system on protection and that is at the very least an above-average unit in my eyes.
The Los Angeles Rams profitable over the Buffalo Payments is a bummer, as a result of now thereās a brand new aspect to the Seahawks playoff chase I wasnāt relying on. If the Rams win out (which, frankly, may be very doable given the schedule) then they win the division. If we nearly discard the Cardinals, the Rams are actually again within the image and searching ferocious on offense. It could very nicely come all the way down to Week 18 for the Seahawks to make the playoffs. Thatās all of the extra motive why the Inexperienced Bay Packers sport is so vital, as a result of profitable to get to 9-5 not solely retains them within the division lead, it creates a path for Seattle to have a Wild Card choice to fall again on. And given Seattleās 5-1 street fileāGlendale was like Lumen Area Southwestāperhaps itās not the worst factor on this planet? Iād nonetheless somewhat win the division and provides the Lumen Area followers a house playoff sport once more. I do know subsequent Sunday evening will really feel like a playoff environment.
