5 things to look for in Seahawks versus Titans
By Lee Vowell
The Seahawks are 1-1 to start 2017. They have lost to one good team (the Green Bay Packers) and barely beat a bad team (the San Francisco 49ers). This week Seattle travels for its second road game of the season to face another good team, the Tennessee Titans.
Thank goodness the Seahawks play in a not-great division. The fact that the other teams in the NFC West are not really a threat to run away with the division has made the ineffectiveness of Seattle’s offense so far in 2017 appeasable. Still, the Seahawks should be the team that pulls away in the division.
For that to happen several things need to change. And in a hurry. What exactly? Here are five things to look for when Seattle plays the Titans on Sunday.
5. Russell Wilson needs to be more accurate.
I wrote a bit more earlier this week about how Wilson needs to simply play better for the Seahawks to be successful in 2017. Bottom line is, Wilson carries this offense. He should not be asked to be super-human most of the time, but he is. Wilson must be accurate and avoid mistakes on Sunday. He has been lucky he doesn’t already have three interceptions this year. If his luck – and, therefore, the Seahawks’ – runs out against the Titans, Seattle will get beat soundly.
4. Forget Thomas Rawls, this is Chris Carson’s team.
Ok, so that headline might not be exactly true. Yet. But can we just drop the pretense of Rawls working his way back into the offense? Carson deserves to be the starter and get the bulk of the carries. The running back many times has had to make his own yards, but he does it in a way Rawls cannot. Carson is the guy right now. The Seahawks should use him often and early. And then use him some more.
3. Please, please, please, no injuries. Please.
For the most part, Seattle has avoided crushing injuries. (Yes, I am aware of the George Fant knee injury, but there is no guarantee the offensive line would be any better with Fant playing.) Jimmy Graham hurt his ankle in the game against the San Francisco 49ers, but he hasn’t been effective when healthy so far in 2017. What I really mean is no major defensive injuries, like to Bobby Wagner or Earl Thomas. And let Wilson stay healthy, too. Please, football gods, please.
2. Stop the Titans on third down.
You know what really hurt Seattle against Green Bay? The Seahawks’ defense. So, I am partially joking. Still, the Seahawks defense has to get the Titans off the field at every chance. Seattle did a good job of this against the 49ers, but the 49ers stink. In week one, Green Bay picked up 9 of 16 third downs. This cannot happen on Sunday. It will be too hot in Nashville and Seattle’s D will wear down. Tennessee likes to run the ball with Derrick Henry, DeMarco Murray and has a mobile quarterback in Marcus Mariota. This could mean a lot of chasing for Seattle late.
- Be proud of your Seahawks
What will happen before the game is Michael Bennett will sit on the bench and Justin Britt will put his hand on Bennett’s shoulder. This is what a team does. They stay together and support each other. We live in a divisive world with divisive leaders. The great thing about sports is it should bring people together. It does on teams. African-Americans, European-Americans, Asian-Americans…once they put on a Seattle uniform they are all Seahawks. This is the team we pull for.
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There might be some booing from opposing fans towards Bennett. But these same fans are going to boo the Seahawks no matter what. On the football field, Seattle will be the enemy on Sunday. But off the field we are all human beings and have cares and concerns. The Seahawks mirror Seattle in many ways. This is partly why we love the Seahawks. They are like us.
And we are all 12s.