Blame the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf-led team found a way to score only 17 points and have fewer than 300 total yards against a Seattle Seahawks team missing cornerback Devon Witherspoon and rookie disruptor Nick Emmanwori.
Witherspoon was expected to be out maybe a game or two. Emmanwori was expected by some to be placed on injured reserve last week. The Seahawks never said as much, but it seemed like a safe assumption as he suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1.
According to head coach Mike Macdonald on his radio show on Monday on Seattle Sports 710 AM, Emmanwori could be back much faster than expected. That could even happen this week, though the coach mentioned the team wants to be cautious with his return, especially as he is a rookie.
Seattle Seahawks might not be missing rookie Nick Emmanwori for much longer
Unlike Witherspoon, who is entering his third season with the team and Seattle knows how he responds to injury, Emmanwori likely doesn't know how quickly he can bounce back from being hurt, and neither does the team know that.
Macdonald said they would wait to decide on the rookie's near future until they see him practice. He might practice this week in some capacity, but that doesn't mean he will play in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints. In fact, it might be better if he doesn't.
No offense to the Saints, but they aren't a good team, nor do they have more offensive talent than either the San Francisco 49ers, who the Seahawks played in Week 1, or the Steelers. Seattle hasn't yet gotten used to playing with Emmanwori, so another missed game is not a big deal.
Still, Nick Emmanwori should be important moving forward, and getting reps in early in the season is only going to help him and the Seattle Seahawks defense later in the year. Those early reps could come against a bad team like the Saints or a better team like Seattle faces in Week 4.
That Week 4 game could become exceedingly important. Seattle will travel to play the Arizona Cardinals for Thursday Night Football. The Seahawks have already lost one NFC West game. Losing a second-straight by losing to the Cardinals would not be good.