The X-Factor that can lead the Seattle Seahawks to victory in Week 12

Coming off their Week 11 bye week, things have changed for the Seattle Seahawks. For starters, they’ve had to wait an extra week to get that bad taste out of their mouth after a poor showing in Germany. But, more importantly, they no longer hold the lead in the NFC West.

However, the Seahawks are presented with an opportunity to position themselves for a playoff run. They close out the season with 5 of their last 7 games coming at home. One of them is this Sunday against a struggling Las Vegas Raiders team. Despite the dysfunction in that organization, they are a team that is too talented to be slept on.

Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs, and DaVante Adams simply cannot be overlooked. After letting the Buccaneers rush all over them in Week 10, stopping the run once again will be crucial. But, there is a player on the offensive side is who just bound to have a breakout game. Against a weak secondary, Tyler Lockett is presented with a silver platter to do exactly that.

Seattle Seahawks: X-Factor that can lead them to victory in Week 12

In general, whenever a team is looking to bounce back after a tough loss, it is always wise for them to rely on their veterans. For whatever reason, it feels that every single season Tyler Lockett gets overlooked. It could be due to his size as D.K. Metcalf literally overshadows him. Or, maybe the fact that he doesn’t do fancy dances in the end zones after scoring.

Nonetheless, Tyler Lockett is as reliable as it gets. Despite the young talent on this team and yes, Kenneth Walker III is going to need to have a bounce-back game, Tyler Lockett should slice and dice this Raiders secondary. Naturally, teams put help over the top on D.K. Metcalf as he can run by nearly any cornerback. This typically allows Tyler Lockett to work the short routes.

When he sees single coverage, he typically beats it. The Seahawks’ offense starts up front with the run game, but two things must be utilized this weekend against the Raiders: tight ends and Tyler Lockett. The reason being is that the usage of the tight ends will make it even easier for Lockett to create space.

The Raiders currently rank in the bottom 10 of total yards allowed, passing yards allowed, and scoring defense. It appears the only time this Raiders defense looks stout is when they play the Broncos, who quite frankly, struggle to even score one offensive touchdown a game. That is certainly not saying much for a Raiders defense that is otherwise struggling.

Now, numbers do not tell the whole story. Our own Seattle Seahawks rank in the bottom half of most defensive statistics but have seemed to turn things around. Again, teams with below .500 records cannot be overlooked. The Raiders still have really solid players up front in Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones. Yes, the same Chandler Jones that has haunted this Seattle offensive line over the years.

But, he will be going up against rookies who have proved their worth for this team. A sense of urgency seems to be present in the Seattle locker room as they know what’s at stake in these next upcoming games. This is a very winnable matchup against Las Vegas and I expect them to win on the back of a big game by Tyler Lockett. Not to mention that the Raiders haven’t won a game in Seattle since 1998.