3 reasons for the Seahawks to be concerned going into week 16

The Seattle Seahawks are probably not going to make the playoffs after losing to the Rams on Tuesday night. But they can make 12s happy with a Week 16 defeat of the Chicago Bears.

Seattle is also having to play on short rest and are struggling to get the ball to one of their best receivers. At least Tyler Lockett will be back on Sunday.

Here are three reasons for the Seahawks to be concerned this week.

Seattle Seahawks: 3 concerns in Week 16 versus the Bears

1. What do the Seahawks have to play for?

The Seahawks likely no longer have the prospect of a postseason berth as they would need a miracle to make the playoffs (which means lots of losses from the teams in front of them). They did a good job of at least staying competitive these past few weeks with the season on the line, but now these players are likely just fighting for roster spots next season.

Seattle suffered several key losses to New Orleans, Washington and Minnesota which dashed their postseason hopes. With little to play for on Sunday, now that they have missed their shot at the playoffs, will they play as hard as they have in the last three weeks?

2. Short week could hinder the Seahawks

The Seahawks are now put in a difficult position of playing five days after playing on the road against the Rams. This lack of time to recover and rest following a game could make it tough for Seattle to be ready for Sunday’s game with Chicago.

Not only is the unusual schedule and short week difficult on these players’ bodies, but it also poses challenges for preparing for the team’s next opponent. There is less time to watch game film against Chicago and less time to practice what to run against them. Fortunately, Chicago is also playing on a short week having just played on Monday night.

3. Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf is seeing a drop in productivity

Seattle has struggled to get the ball to DK Metcalf this season, and last week against the Rams was a fine example of that. With Tyler Lockett out on the COVID list on Tuesday, Metcalf was likely to receive more targets and catches. Metcalf recorded just 6 catches, on 12 targets, for 52 yards and no touchdowns against the Rams.

On the season Metcalf has totaled 805 receiving yards, 62 receptions, and 8 touchdowns through 14 games. Last season through 14 games he had 1,223 yards receiving, 74 receptions, and 10 touchdowns. He and Russell Wilson have not seemed to be on the same page for most of the season.

With Seattle dealt a crippling blow while playing in an unusual situation with a Tuesday game, they have lots of questions about whether they will be able to get up for this game. Being out of postseason contention is never fun, especially when the Seahawks came into the season with much higher expectations.