Three bold predictions for the Seahawks Week 5 game versus Giants

Do you know how sometimes a loss can feel like a win? And, no, I’m not talking about the Seattle Seahawks' loss in Detroit last Monday night. That one was a clear and obvious loss, and it felt like it. Actually, I’m not even talking about a loss feeling like a win at all. Today, I’m talking about the opposite. Today, I’m talking about a win that feels like a loss.

You see, for the first time this season, I stone-cold nailed two of my three bold predictions. I missed on a defensive back getting a sack. That was a clear whiff. Given how well the Hawks covered in the secondary, perhaps Mike Macdonald should have taken my advice and just blitzed his secondary all game. They couldn’t have done much worse. But I’ll accept that loss. After all, this isn’t about me.

Except this next part is about me. I told you Jameson Williams would score on a play of fifty yards or more. And I don’t want to hear whining about how he had done that in the last two games, so it wasn’t “bold” enough. It was plenty bold.

Three bold predictions for the Seattle Seahawks versus the New York Giants in Week 5

Do you know the last times a wideout scored on plays of fifty yards or more in three consecutive NFL games? (That’s a genuine question. I have no idea. I’m just guessing it doesn’t happen very often.) Besides, Williams went for seventy this week, so that counts for something.

The other one, though – that’s where I don’t feel so good. David Montgomery had 12 carries for 40 yards. I told you that Montgomery, who entered the game with a 4.5 yards-per-carry average, would be held to under 3.5 against the Hawks. Sure enough, he went for 3.3.

The trouble is, early on, when the game was in the balance, he set the tone and gashed the Seahawks' defense. Later, he cranked out 40 yards on a pass reception. His depressed numbers came in part because he ran a bunch of plays near the goal line, which didn’t allow for many YPCs. So I feel a little bit like I stole that one.

But I’m not giving it back. Two for three. In the books.

Losing on the road against one of the best offenses in football without half your starting defense is nothing to be embarrassed about. This week, at home against the bottom-dwelling New York Giants, the Seahawks should wet their beak and get back on the winning track. Everyone knows it, which is why this is a classic trap game.

It may well be the first serious test for Macdonald’s leadership. He has to convince his team that these are the 1986 Giants with Phil Simms and Lawrence Taylor and Bill Parcells at the helm.

News flash: they are not. The Hawks should be angry about their first loss. They should trounce the G-Men. But if they don’t take the game seriously, New York is gritty enough to make things uneasy. It’s looking 50/50 whether the Giants’ one offensive weapon, Malik Nabers, will clear concussion protocol in time to play. If he is out, the game looks even more lopsided.

As you will see from the following, I think Macdonald and his squad will be more than ready come Sunday. Here are three bold predictions for the Seahawks game against the Giants…

The Hawks offense will score at least 35 points

They haven’t reached 35 in the last ten games. They are averaging about 25 points per game this season. The Giants are surrendering just 21, which places them in the top half of the league. But under Brian Daboll, when the Giants have traveled west, they have consistently given up about 30 per game. Their young corners have talent but are prone to giving up big plays.

I expect the Hawks will try to run but will have some trouble against Dexter Lawrence, Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden. So they will throw. A lot. Geno will look short. Geno will look deep. Geno will scramble a find multiple chunk plays after breakdowns. The Giants defense is the stronger part of their team, but I think the Hawks will really get their offense in gear and make a statement on Sunday.

I toyed with also predicting a very robust 6.5 yards-per-play, more than a half-yard ahead of their current pace and more than a full-yard clear of the league average. I do think they will flirt with that number early on. But if the game goes as I expect, with the Giants’ offense struggling to do much of anything, I think Seattle will eventually call off the dogs, and that yards-per-play will drop. Nothing kills yards-per-play more than a bunch of kneels downs late in the game.

AJ Barner will match his season totals in this one game

I admit I was not sold on Barner. I’m still not sure he will be quite as good as the Seahawks’ coaches envision. But you can’t deny that he showed up against the Lions. You know what else you can’t deny? He may be the only mostly healthy tight end Seattle will have on the field come Sunday.

The other tight ends will probably play. But they may be limited. Not so for Barner. Zach Ertz and Jake Ferguson have already had big games against the Giants' defense, which is generally solid through the middle. But I suspect they will be devoting so much attention to trying to stop the Hawks' wideouts that Barner is going to be left alone against a linebacker or nickel safety a lot.

Through four games, he has just five catches for 40 yards and one TD. More than half of those stats came in his last game. I suspect he will continue riding this wave and match those totals – 5 catches for 60 yards and another score against the Giants.

The Seahawks will score on defense or special teams

I have them scoring at least 35, and I have Barner getting one of those scores. That leaves at least four more touchdowns. Even if Kenneth Walk gets one and two of the wide receivers find the end zone, I need at least one more TD.

It might come on a pick, but I have this sneaky feeling that it will come on a fumble. Daniel Jones will have to start pressing if the Giants fall behind big, as I expect. Jones is capable of making some plays off-script, but he is also prone to fumbling. A scoop-and-score is just waiting to happen.

In Week two, the Commanders' Austin Ekeler returned a kickoff for a score. He made the Giants’ coverage team look slow. The play was called back due to a meaningless penalty, but New York lost kicker Graham Gano when he tried to tackle Ekeler. He has been out ever since. Greg Joseph is filling in.

So far this year, he has been booting his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, but that has not always been his M.O. I don’t think Dee Williams and Laviska Shenault will get a lot of chances – it is still far more likely that if these predictions come true, it will come from the defense – but I like the little boost I get from adding special teams to the equation.

Want a bonus pick? The Hawks will be comfortably in front by the fourth quarter, and Sam Howell will finish the game. He will even throw a pass and get his first completion as a Seahawk.

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