Behind Enemy Strains, Week 11: Previewing the Seahawks vs. 49ers rematch

That is the sport of the season for the Seattle Seahawks. In line with ESPN Analytics, the Seahawks have a 6.4% probability of creating the playoffs. Nevertheless, that might change dramatically with a loss or win towards the San Francisco 49ers on the street.

After dropping the primary two video games, the workforce has to win all of its remaining video games throughout the division. That may transfer Seattle to the highest of the NFC West in head-to-head matches. The issue is that the Seahawks have the fifth-toughest schedule forward (together with these video games throughout the division).

I don’t know the way the Seahawks’ season will finish, but it surely definitely is determined by this recreation.

What are the primary keys to the sport?

The groups have modified loads for the reason that final matchup

The groups are very completely different from their variations of Week 6. The 49ers misplaced Brandon Aiyuk and have Ricky Perarsall in his place. However, arguably their largest reinforcement is the return of Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey has averaged 163 yards from scrimmage per recreation towards the Seahawks. He has at the least 125 in all six profession video games he has performed towards them, together with when he was with the Carolina Panthers.

If he does it once more on Sunday, he’ll tie Jim Brown (who did it towards the Eagles) as the one gamers with seven straight 125+ video games towards an opponent in NFL historical past.

The Seahawks have much more modifications. A brand new linebacker duo in Ernest Jones and Tyrice Knight replaces Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson, who had been significantly poor within the first recreation. The workforce could have rookie Byron Murphy again and the addition of Roy Robertson-Harris to the DL rotation. As well as, they may have a special cornerback duo with Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen taking part in rather than Nehemiah Pritchett and Tre Brown. Lastly, Rayshawn Jenkins, who had one of many worst video games by a Seahawks defender this season, is on IR and now the opposite starter at security alongside Julian Love is Coby Bryant.

Maybe essentially the most anticipated addition is the attainable return of Abe Lucas. We don’t know if he’ll return or how he’ll return, however he may very well be the change this OL must at the least grow to be respectable. He hasn’t performed for the reason that loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 31, 2024.

Has the protection actually improved? Time for an actual check

The protection gave the impression to be displaying indicators of enchancment. Properly, I believed so till I learn massive boss Mookie’s tweet. The Rams have failed to attain greater than 20 offensive factors in seven of 9 video games this season. That features a 15-point recreation and not using a single TD.

Was it the Seahawks’ advantage or the Rams’ incompetence? Properly, possibly just a little of each.

A pleasant adjustment that Mike Macdonald made to his protection. To defend the run with two safeties deep within the discipline, he sends Tyrel Dodson on the blitz, permitting the protection to extend its numbers on the DL. This disarms Kevin Dotson’s double-team and the Seahawks protection, in a joint effort they handle to make the play.

One massive distinction has been Jones IV changing Baker. Within the play above, the previous Seahawk takes a mistaken angle to defend the hole and finally ends up serving to the opposing block.

Discover the distinction in Jones on this play, he doesn’t decide to a niche instantly and waits patiently, recalculates the route and helps cease the run..

The offense wants solutions, not excuses

We’re already in Week 11, and the Seahawks’ OL received’t change drastically in a single day. The return of Abe Lucas ought to assist loads (relying on his stage) but it surely received’t remedy an issue that has been uncared for for the reason that offseason.

The operating recreation must grow to be a risk. The Seahawks have confronted the sunshine field on at the least half of the snaps this season and haven’t been capable of impose themselves. As I mentioned earlier than, the OL received’t magically grow to be a minimally respectable unit, it’s as much as Ryan Grubb to “cover” their weaknesses as a lot as attainable.

Why not use extra exterior runs? Charles Cross had one in every of his finest video games when he was put in open area towards the Broncos in Week 1. Do it once more.

One other essential issue on this recreation would be the display screen. The 49ers DL is aggressive and screens are a great way to make use of that aggressiveness towards them. After years of getting nightmares with screens (on each side of the ball) the workforce appears to have discovered a great way to do it with mid-screens to Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the midst of the sector.

Lastly, has anybody defined to Grubb that he’s allowed to name play-action?

The workforce must convert pressures into sacks

The Seahawks are the worst workforce in sacks, with solely 4, since Week 6. It is a results of a pointy drop in efficiency from their two EDGEs, Boye Mafe and particularly Derick Corridor.

Mike Macdonald has been designing good blitzes, however the workforce has had problem executing them. For instance, Matt Stafford was below fixed stress, however was not sacked as soon as within the recreation. You may’t give the workforce an opportunity to throw the ball, or miss out on the chance to show a 2nd&10 right into a 2nd&20+.

Remaining Ideas

Geno Smith has 5 losses, 4 TDs, 5 INTs and is averaging 16 factors towards the 49ers. This might be a superb time to interrupt the shedding streak. The workforce at the moment has a 28% probability of choosing within the high 10 of the Draft (largely because of the incompetence of different groups) and their projected remaining place is 13. This isn’t the most effective case for Geno’s agent to current in a contract extension, even when he’s not the one one in charge for the losses.

Go ‘Hawks!