Seahawks have a great and no longer secret weapon in Ed Dickson

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 28: Ed Dickson #84 of the Seattle Seahawks make a touchdown catch over Quandre Diggs #28 of the Detroit Lions during the second quarter at Ford Field on October 28, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 28: Ed Dickson #84 of the Seattle Seahawks make a touchdown catch over Quandre Diggs #28 of the Detroit Lions during the second quarter at Ford Field on October 28, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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The Seahawks battle the Panthers this weekend with huge playoff implications. Ed Dickson may fly under the radar, but Carolina knows what he can do.

The Seahawks face their next must win game this weekend when they travel to Carolina to face the Panthers. At 5-5, they’re all must wins now. One of the keys to winning could very well be a player that wasn’t expected to be a huge contributor. Let me rephrase that. Ed Dickson was expected to be a major contributor to the Seahawks as a blocker, especially in pass protection. What’s been surprising is his contribution as a receiver.

Dickson started  showing off in his first game with Seattle, as he nabbed two passes for 54 yards and a score against Detroit. I get the feeling Ed just doesn’t like the Lions much, because he sure does enjoy punishing them. Dickson followed that up with the game winning score against the Packers last week. As I wrote earlier, Dickson is a far better value than Jimmy Graham. Surprisingly, it’s largely due to his scoring ability.

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Dickson may be flying under the radar as far as most teams are concerned, although I bet the Lions are still watching film on him. One team that won’t be surprised by his ability is his former team, the Carolina Panthers.

Dickson was the Panthers second option at tight end for four seasons. He didn’t get a lot of chances in his first three seasons, as he averaged just 21 targets and 12 catches. Playing with Greg Olson will do that to you.

In 2017, Olsen missed nine games with a broken foot. Dickson stepped in and stepped up. He caught 30 passes for 437 yards and one score. It was his best year since his sophomore season with Baltimore in 2011. Seattle certainly knew they were getting a professional at pass protection. But I think his nose for the end zone has been a  bit of an unexpected bonus.

Dickson may have surprised the Lions and Packers with his red zone expertise, but you can be sure the Panthers will be keeping a very close eye on their former teammate. I don’t think it will do them a bit of good. Expect another score from the Seahawks latest red zone terror in a Seahawks win.