Seahawks versus Giants week 13: 3 key matchups
By Lee Vowell
The outcome of the Seahawks and Giants in week 13 could come down to these three matchups.
The Seahawks are the better team on Sunday when they face the Giants and should win the game. But because Seattle should win the game doesn’t mean they will. We all know this as 12s. The Seahawks do not have many blowouts. In fact, maybe the argument could be made that they play up or down to the level of competition.
That said, the Giants, though they are 4-7, are not a bad football. Oh, maybe they are very bad offensively, but defensively they are quite good and their special teams are more than solid. For instance, Giants kicker Graham Gano has missed just one of his 26 field goal attempts (he only missed one from beyond 50 yards) and none of his extra points.
So Seattle and New York could come down to three matchups.
Matchup 1: Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde versus the Giants run defense
New York has a solid secondary and has forced the fourth-most turnovers in the NFL in 2020. Nine of their 18 turnovers have been interceptions. This means that Seattle needs to run the ball effectively against the Giants.
With Chris Carson presumably getting more work in week 13 than week 12 after he returned from injury where he missed several games, Carson will need to grind out yards to help take the heat off Russell Wilson. Carson will also need to make sure he holds on to the ball. Last year Carson had a fumbling issue but not so far this year. That cannot resurface in week 13.
The Giants are really good at causing fumbles. New York is third in forced fumbles and a turnover or two could change the outcome of this game.
But so could the running of Carson and Carlos Hyde. New York gives up the sixth-fewest yards per carry this year (3.9) and the fifth-fewest yards rushing per game (95.4). But if Carson and Hyde can get over 100 yards combined in week 13, Wilson will have an easier time throwing and Seattle will put up more than enough points to pull away from the Giants.