This Seattle Seahawks season has taken some big twists and turns.
A 3-0 start. Losers of four of the next five. Then a four-game winning streak.
Entering the final four games, the 8-5 Seahawks take on the 9-4 Green Bay Packers Sunday night in a primetime game (5:20 PM, NBC TV, KIRO Radio), trying to stay in prime position for a playoff berth. The bottom line is the team can’t drop home games against the Pack and the Minnesota Vikings a week later and expect an 18th game.
The Los Angeles Rams, forever lurking at 8-6, will host Seattle in the regular season finale. That could be for the division, and it’s likely the Seahawks would not hold a tiebreaker even with a win in LA, due in part to the overtime loss to the Rams on Nov. 3. So, a split the next two weeks and a win over the Bears would give Seattle an opportunity go LA on Jan. 6 and win the division.
Here are three keys to get it all started against Green Bay on Sunday Night Football.
Death Zone
After that overtime loss to the Rams, it became common practice for many to write off the season and talk about draft position. Not the coaches and players, however. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said the playoffs had begun after nine games. Middle linebacker Ernest Jones IV called it the “death zone” — a label that may stay with the defense if it continues its current course of killing offenses.
“I want the defense that I’m on and the players on our defensive side to really be remembered and (known) — when you’re playing Seattle you’ve got to handle the defense,” Jones said.
The Seahawks must keep opponents in the death zone, and it’s not easy to stay there for eight regular season games. After winning four straight, they’ll need to fight off any feelings that they’ve arrived. A national TV game and being underdogs may help quell those thoughts this week.
“For us, what’s always most important is the next thing,” Macdonald said. It’s the next meeting, the next meal, it’s answering this question. That’s the mentality you have to have, and trying to get better. If the young guys can adopt that and adopt our style of how we’re going to operate, then that’s a sustainable strategy for us.”
Win turnover battle
Both quarterbacks have thrown their share of interceptions this season. Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith threw 13 in the first 11 games but none the past two. Jordan Love tossed 11 picks in 11 games played while attempting 138 fewer passes than Smith.
While both teams have thrown interceptions, they’ve also picked off opponents. The team that wins the turnover battle often wins NFL games, and that’ll be no different on Sunday.
“They’ve got some ball-hawking guys,” Smith said. “One of their safeties I think leads the league or is tied for the lead in the league in interceptions, (Xavier) McKinney, and he’s been a perennial Pro Bowler. He’s been a great player throughout his career. I think he’s a really good safety back there.
Smith — as we’ve said just about every week — must avoid the catastrophic turnover. If given time by the offensive line, Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s creativity could come into play if he can use the Packers’ aggressiveness to his advantage.
“Obviously they focus on taking the ball away,” Grubb said. “I think that they’re very solid. Their scheme is sound on first and second downs — they want to make sure they’re forcing you to get into third downs. And then I think they’re super creative on third down and very aggressive.
“So you’re talking about a heavy zone team on first and second down and then you get into third down and it’s kind of on.”
A help to Smith and the passing offense will be the absence of Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander, who has been ruled out for Sunday.
Stopping the run
Both teams will look to keep pressure off their quarterbacks by running the ball. Zach Charbonnet busted loose for Seattle in Arizona last week with 134 yards on the ground, plus another 59 yards in the passing game. Starter Kenneth Walker III is listed as doubtful to play with a calf injury. For Green Bay, Josh Jacobs has topped 1,000 yards and will try to escape the death zone defense.
“Yeah, Josh Jacobs stands out,” Jones said. “He’s their bell cow. He’s toting the ball for them well. (Jordan) Love is back there getting the ball out, distributing it well. We’ve got a tough challenge ahead of us. But I believe in our scheme, our system. I believe in the players, and I believe we can go out there and be really good.
Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde and Macdonald, the defensive play-caller, will look to limit Jones and force Love into third-and-long situations.
“They are run-heavy,” Durde said. “I think that allows them to be efficient because when they run the ball. They keep themselves in front of the sticks, and they kind of control the narrative of how they play the game.”
The pick: The Packers come to Seattle as 2.5-point favorites. While that is not surprising, it does seem like these two teams have been pretty even the last month or so. This may be some Lumen Field disrespect, as the Seahawks are 3-4 at home and 5-1 on the road. There will almost certainly be a large number of Packers fans in attendance, but the Twelves and the Seahawks will be up for a Sunday Night game.
Seattle 23, Green Bay 20
Categorized:Seahawks
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