Seahawks get some good injury news amid all the other horror ahead of Week 4

Here is the bad news: The Seattle Seahawks will be without four key defensive players against a good Detroit Lions offense in Week 4. Defensive linemen Leonard Williams (ribs) and Byron Murphy II (hamstring) as well as edge rushers Uchenna Nwosu (knee) and Boye Mafe (knee). Mafe and Williams rank in the top ten of the NFL in terms of quarterback hits.

Week 4 will certainly test the Seahawks' defensive depth and it will stretch head coach Mike Macdonald's scheme. 12s know it works well, but the pieces also have to be of good quality. Mafe, Murphy, and Williams have been great this year (while Nwosu has yet to play). Whoever gets their snaps will also need to be good instead of just bodies on the field.

The last three times the teams have played, the Seahawks have been able to score at least 37 points a game and scored 48 points or more twice. The reason Seattle has won each of those last three matchups has been because of the offense. Seattle might have to have that happen again to win in Week 4.

Kenneth Walker's Week 4 return is some positive injury news for the Seattle Seahawks

Here is the positive part about Seattle's otherwise dismal injury report. That is that running back Kenneth Walker III is not listed on it meaning he should be full-go to play against the Lions. No offense to Zach Charbonnet, who played decently as RB1 in Week 3, but Walker makes the Seahawks' offense a lot more dangerous because of his potential explosiveness.

Charbonnet can grind out a few yards at a time, but Walker can go for 60 yards at any point. Opposing defenses need to try to account for him more than they do Charbonnet. The Lions have a good run defense and have allowed just 3.6 yards a rush this season, which is the fourth-lowest in the league, but Walker can change the outcome of a game in two or three runs.

Last year against Detroit, Walker ran for only 43 yards, but he scored two rushing touchdowns. He just needs to help keep the Lions' defense honest to help Geno Smith and the receivers be more efficient. That could be the key to the game: Seattle's offense staying on the field. With so many key injuries to the Seahawks' defense, any hope of keeping Week 4 a low-scoring affair seems a bit foolish.

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