The Seahawks have gotten off to an excellent start to their 2024 campaign, a 3-0 undefeated start to kick off the Mike Macdonald era. The defense, a unit ranked first in the league by Pro Football Focus, has been as advertised -- surrendering fewer than 150 passing yards per game. However, Seattle has not had the most difficult schedule thus far, facing three lowly teams with below-average quarterbacks.
However, on Monday night in front of the nation, Seattle faces a very good Detroit Lions team that will truly test the strength of this defensive unit. This will be the two franchises' fourth straight meeting in the last four years. The last three meetings have all been in Detroit. Last season, Seattle went into Detroit in week two and won a 37-31 overtime thriller. In 2022, in Ford Field, the Seahawks again won in a high-scoring shootout, 48-45.
Over the last six games played between the two teams, the Seahawks are 6-0. However, these Detroit Lions this season are as talented as anyone in the NFC. A high-powered offense led by a much-improved Jared Goff, supplemented by an arsenal of weapons, capped off by an elite offensive line will be a serious litmus test for Mike Macdonald and the new-look Seahawks defense.
The Lions' offensive firepower versus the Seahawks' defense
Finishing with a top-five offense in 2023, the Detroit Lions have built a juggernaut offense under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. When Detroit traded away quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Rams in exchange for two first-round picks and quarterback Jared Goff, we all thought Goff was just a throw-in, someone to start in Detroit for a year before Detroit would draft a franchise quarterback. We were wrong.
Goff has revitalized his career since being dealt to Detroit. Throwing for over 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, Goff looks like a franchise quarterback for Detroit. His wide receiver corps, consisting of the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown and third-year Alabama product Jameson Williams, is one of the best in the league. Tight end Sam LaPorta, although dealing with an ankle injury, is a consensus top-five tight end in the NFL. Detroit's running backs are scary as well, a two-headed monster in power back David Montgomery, and elusive, receiving back Jahmyr Gibbs.
However, even with all the elite skill players, the most dominant unit of Detroit's offense is their offensive line. Head coach Dan Campbell, a real rugged dude, has assembled arguably the nastiest, meanest, and best offensive line in the league. Seattle's pass rush unit, which leads the entire lead in pressures through three weeks, has a tough task on Monday night when it comes to pressuring Goff. If Seattle can't generate pressure, and Goff is comfortable in the pocket all night, he can pick Seattle apart no matter how good the coverage is.
Seahawks offensive line must contain Aidan Hutchinson and the Detroit pass rush
Detroit pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson leads the NFL with 6.5 sacks through three games, including a 4.5-sack game against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team with a bad offensive line. Unfortunately, the Seahawks have a really bad offensive line. Starting right tackle Abraham Lucas likely remains out, while his backup George Fant was placed on injured reserve. That leaves Stone Forsythe, the third-string right tackle, potentially on an island with Hutchinson.
Seattle did bring in 42-year-old Jason Peters, who played multiple games for Seattle last season, for a visit. But I have serious doubts a tackle over 40 can do much to slow down a pass rush. The only consistently reliable pass protector this season for Seattle has been left tackle Charles Cross, but one would think Detroit would scheme for Hutchinson to rush on the opposite side of Seattle's best pass protector.
The reality is Seattle, whether it's Forsythe or Peters, will not completely stop Hutchinson. The hope is to merely contain him. Fortunately for Seattle, Geno Smith has been excellent in his pocket presence this season and has a knack for evading sacks while still keeping his eyes downfield.
However, in a game against one of the NFC's finest, this game could come down to one possession -- and a sack or holding call could derail a possession very quickly, as we've seen over the past three weeks.
Who will get healthy in time for Monday Night Football?
There have only been three games in the young 2024 season, but the injuries stacking up across the league are staggering. Seattle, missing several key players, actually has decent injury luck considering the rest of the league's injuries. Detroit, which has already ruled out a few players for Monday night, also is relatively healthy. However, both teams still have key players whose statuses for Monday night are still up in the air.
For Detroit, their star tight end Sam LaPorta was carted off with an ankle injury last Sunday against Arizona. LaPorta did not return, but his status has been upgraded to questionable. Lions' All-Pro center Frank Ragnow's availability is in doubt due to a torn pectoral muscle. Sophomore superstar safety Brian Branch is questionable, as is defensive tackle Alim McNeill. Detroit linebackers Marcus Davenport and Derrick Barnes have both been ruled out.
Seattle has some serious uncertainty heading into Monday as well. Running back Ken Walker's status is still a question mark after suffering an oblique injury in week one. We know about the injuries at the right tackle position. Last weekend, both rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and defensive lineman Leonard Williams, two monstrous presences on the defensive line, left last weekend's game with injuries and are questionable for Monday. Linebacker Jerome Baker missed last weekend's game and is still considered questionable to play.
Some good news, OLB Uchenna Nwosu returns to practice this week after suffering a preseason injury, and has a real chance to play Monday night.
The bottom line of Seahawks versus Lions
The Seahawks have a two-game lead on the rest of the NFC West and while a loss this week doesn't lose the division lead for Seattle under any circumstance, the Seahawks want to maintain and build on that lead early in the season. The Lions, in a shockingly talented NFC North, could really use a win as the Green Bay Packers, also 2-1, and the Minnesota Vikings at 3-0, are both in front of Detroit in the North. If the Chicago Bears can find their footing on offense, they can also be a threat in the North.
Seattle will be the third NFC West team the Lions have faced in the first four weeks of the season. Detroit defeated the Rams in a week one overtime thriller before they took down the Arizona Cardinals 20-13 just last weekend. In between those wins, Detroit lost a low-scoring game against the Buccaneers at Ford Field.
Detroit will be Seattle's first NFC opponent of the season, as the Seahawks have defeated three AFC teams to start the season. Detroit will also be the first team with their starting quarterback from last year to play Seattle this season. And on that note, Jared Goff will be the first Pro Bowl quarterback on Seattle's schedule this season.
Kickoff is set for 8:15 pm Eastern time, 5:15 pm Pacific, on Monday night on ABC and ESPN+. The Lions are favored by 4.5 points, according to several betting sites, the first time the Seahawks are underdogs this season. Detroit will be debuting their new blackout uniforms, which should look pretty slick on prime time.