3 reasons the Seahawks will beat the Lions in week eight

SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 07: Doug Baldwin #89 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with Jermaine Kearse #15 after scoring a 13-yard touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card game at CenturyLink Field on January 7, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 07: Doug Baldwin #89 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with Jermaine Kearse #15 after scoring a 13-yard touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card game at CenturyLink Field on January 7, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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.(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
.(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /

The first reason – and most obvious reason – the Seahawks can win is by running the ball

The Lions made a trade this week to acquire run-stuffing defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison. Detroit currently ranks 30th in the league in rush defense and needed someone to help. Harrison should make the Lions instantly improved.

But the Seahawks are full of confidence that they can run the ball against anyone. Seattle’s offensive line learned a lot about themselves in a loss to the Rams. Sure, Los Angeles won the game. But the Seahawks ran for 190 yards and a 5.9 yards per carry average versus the Rams.

Los Angeles, of course, has Pro Bowl tackles Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald and still Seattle controlled the ball on the ground. Until a questionable holding penalty late in the game, right guard D.J. Fluker dominated Suh.

The addition of Harrison makes Detroit better. But Harrison is not the player that Suh and Donald are. And even if he was, Harrison doesn’t have another player of his quality playing alongside him.

The last three weeks Seattle is second in the league in rushing. Chris Carson has two games over 100 yards in his last three games. Mike Davis also has run for over 100 yards. The line now has cohesion and communication.

Plus, forget those first two games of the year. One thing we clearly know about Brian Schottenheimer is he has a prove record of knowing how to run the ball. And Mike Solari is a better offensive line coach than Tom Cable ever could be. (To prove my point I give you the Germain Ifedi experiment. How much better is he under Solari?)

Seattle can and will run effectively against the Lions and this is just the first of three reasons they will win in Detroit.