3 Seahawks who need to thrive in Week 4 versus the Detroit Lions

The Seattle Seahawks are, so far, undefeated in the 2024 NFL Season. Some would say that the level of competition (Broncos with a rookie quarterback, Patriots with a rookie head coach, Dolphins without their starting quarterback) hasn’t been all that high just yet. Looming on the Monday Night Football horizon is perhaps the Seahawks' first big test.

The Lions have morphed into an emergent power in the league over the last three (or so) odd years. They were four measly points away from the Super Bowl last year. This physical, gritty team is not your dad's Detroit Lions, they are out to prove a point. Of course, there is hope. The Lions lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week! There is no aura of invincibility at this point.

Since the game is on Monday, official injury reports won’t come out until Thursday (after the time of writing for this article). There are a number of injuries on both sides, but what matchup battles will Seattle hope to win in order to take the Week 4 war? Despite the absences (or maybe because of them), there will be a lot to keep an eye on this week.

Seahawks that need to ball out to give Seattle the best chance at a win over the Lions

Myles Adams, Seahawks defensive tackle

It's a very real possibility that the Hawks could be without one or both of the interior defensive linemen, Byron Murphy II and Leonard Williams in this Monday night affair. If that’s the case, then the time for Myles Adams to step up has come. He has stuck around and made the team as a young upside guy the last four years; he could possibly even prove himself to be a part of Seattle’s future. This is his opportunity! Like a Detroit legend once asked: will he capture it, or just let it slip?

No more development or promise or youthful upside… the time for playmaking is upon us. Superstar Lions center, Frank Ragnow is dealing with a torn pectoral muscle, and left guard, Graham Glasgow is the weak link in the offensive line. Getting to Jared Goff is one of the keys to the game, as he is a classic pocket passer who can be flustered. Adams will also be tasked with helping to keep his linebackers clean in the run game.

Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks cornerback

We haven't heard a lot of or seen a ton of splash plays from Devon Witherspoon quite yet. At least not compared to his OROY-worthy rookie season. During the offseason, the Seahawks defensive coordinator, Aden Durde had this to say about evaluating players' specific skill sets: "Spoon’s transition out of breaks... jumps out to you." There are great expectations for the highest-drafted player of the Pete Carroll era in Seattle.

If you didn't know, Dan Campbell’s club is very good at pass-blocking. That means coverage has to help compensate… and this is the marquee matchup. it will be an incredible litmus test for Lil' Spoon, matching up with the Sun god: Amon-Ra St. Brown. Both will likely get theirs, but if Witherspoon can bear to slow down the slot maven, the Lions may become very one-dimensional. Oh my! Go get ‘em, tiger.

Stone Forsythe, Seahawks offensive tackle

The Seattle Seahawks are down to their third-string right tackle. That's bad for Week 4 against a supremely talented young pass rusher. If you watch that linked video, there may not be a whole lot more to discuss here about the threat of Aidan Hutchinson. Charles Cross has been pass-blocking his tail off, but Hutch will undoubtedly be moving around and rushing from different parts of the formation. Forsythe must have the foresight to be ready this week.

If Stone can hold up and work to prevent chaos in the pocket, Seattle has a shot at making some plays through the air. They’ll also need to test Detroit’s perimeter run defense, even if it’s out of necessity to face the league’s top-ranked run defense. D.J. Reader is someone to avoid in the middle, if possible.

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