3 observations from Seahawks WR DK Metcalf’s Week 13 performance

The Seahawks moved to 7-5 with a 27-23 victory over the Rams in Week 13. The defense was once again not good, especially as so many important Rams were out of the game (Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson, etc.).  Still, for the first time this year, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf were explosive in the same game. The Rams secondary was not as banged up as the rest of the team. Los Angeles just couldn’t consistently contain Lockett and Metcalf.

Lockett made a phenomenal move on a 36-yard touchdown reception to get in the end zone. What helps Metcalf, of course, is to have a receiver like Lockett playing opposite him. But the same can be said of Lockett; He is lucky to have Metcalf. It’s crazy how close Lockett and Metcalf’s statistics are this year, in fact.

Lockett has 66 catches and Metcalf has 67. Metcalf has 798 yards receiving while Lockett has 836. Lockett has 7 touchdown receptions and Metcalf has 5. Metcalf, however, likely has the potential to be even more explosive than Lockett and his size makes him the more difficult receiver to cover closely. That, along with some other fun stuff, happened for Metcalf against the Rams.

Three thoughts from DK Metcalf and the Seahawks Week 13 performance

Observation 1: DK Metcalf has a reputation and it costs the Seahawks sometimes

DK Metcalf was called for another personal foul in Week 13. This is Metcalf’s seventh off-ball penalty in his career that involves either unsportsmanlike conduct, taunting, or unnecessary roughness. It isn’t that the player Metcalf might be jawing with isn’t doing anything wrong either, but officials might just be assuming Metcalf is doing the worst of it.

It used to work well for the Seahawks and Metcalf because, in his rookie season, he would draw personal foul calls on defensive backs who would overreact to what Metcalf was saying to them. But DBs seem to have learned not to do that and officials have been calling fouls on Metcalf. This also happened in Week 10 when Metcalf’s personal foul while arguing with a referee turned a 41-yard field goal attempt into a 55-yard one.

Luckily, kicker Jason Myers made that long field goal. Against the Rams, Metcalf’s penalty turned a 26-yard field goal into a 41-yard attempt. Myers made that one too. But eventually, Metcalf is going to get called for a penalty that is going to cost Seahawks yardage enough to push Seattle out of field goal range and that could cost Seattle a game. Metcalf still needs to be a lot more aware of himself in high-tension moments and not draw penalties yet still play with a passion for the game.