Key Match-Ups: Seahawks vs Dolphins

Seahawks vs Dolphins: a look at the three most important match-ups in this Week 1 showdown.

With the Seahawks week one game against the Miami Dolphins just two days away, I’ve decided to breakdown what I see as the key match-ups for Sunday.

Seattle Offensive Line Vs. Miami Defensive Line- This is probably the most important match-up to watch on Sunday. It’s no secret that one of the biggest question marks surrounding the 2016 Seahawks is the play of the offensive line.  Will they be able to keep Russell upright or will the fifth year QB spend another season under duress?

I guess there’s no better way to see where the line is at as a unit than to have them go up against a talented Dolphins D-line. Cameron Wake, Ndamukong Suh, and Mario Williams are all big names that might give the Seahawks all they can handle up front. Although Father Time seems to be catching up with Wake, and Suh and Williams productivity has seen a slight dip, don’t be surprised if this group puts together a solid performance Sunday.

For the last several years, Seattle has shown the ability to consistently get a solid push in the run game. But what will be important Sunday, and all season for that matter, is whether they can effectively pass block for four quarters.

Holding up in pass protection would be enough of a challenge for Seattle’s young line, but now they will have to do so without starting right guard Germain Ifedi. The rookie, who the Seahawks spent their 2016 first round pick on, could miss the next 3-6 weeks with high ankle sprain.

The battle in the trenches will go a long way in deciding which team opens the season 1-0 and which team will start the new year in a hole.

The Legion of Boom Vs. Ryan Tannehill- At first glance this battle seems heavily slanted in the Seahawks favor, and it might be. But if Tannehill is able to nickel and dime his way down the field against the secondary, the Seahawks will be in trouble.

That has seemed to be the formula for success for the few teams who have gotten the best of Seattle over the last three to four years. Tannehill isn’t exactly a top echelon quarterback in this league, but he is more than capable of making the bread and butter throws. If the Secondary isn’t playing as a completely synced unit, they can be exploited by the Miami passing game.

The good news is I’m fairly confident the Seattle secondary will get back to their dominant ways against the Dolphins. One reason for my confidence? Kam Chancellor went through a full offseason and training camp with his teammates this year.

The core of that group has played together for five plus years now. Communication should be as sharp as ever. Couple that with the fact that the secondary depth might be as deep as they were in 2013 and the Seahawks should be sitting pretty in this phase of the game.

Doug Baldwin Vs. the Miami corners- Sunday might end up looking like a 2014 practice at the VMAC (Virginia Mason Athletic Center). That of course depends on how many times Doug Baldwin will be lined up across from former teammate Byron Maxwell.  But this game hinges on more than just Baldwin versus Maxwell.

If Baldwin can win several one on one battles against whoever the Dolphins put on him, the Seattle offense is going roll. Baldwin is coming off of the best statistical season of his career and is hungry for more.

Miami’s corners will have to play at an incredibly high level if they are going to avoid being torched by the Baldwin, Wilson connection. By the end of this game, Maxwell might wish he’d never left Seattle. Oh, except for that large chunk of money part.

I see these three match-ups as being the most pivotal in determining who comes out on top Sunday. Any one of these battles could completely tilt the game in Seattle’s favor, or prove detrimental to their success.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to watch some real football. Go Hawks!