The Seattle Seahawks bounced back from a tough loss in Week 3 with an even more difficult win in Week 4. 14 penalties? Come on, guys. Still, it beats a loss, and these three Seahawks' stock is on the rise after the work they put in on Sunday.
This game was so ugly, I feel sorry for the players and coaches watching the tape. Especially for the players, as head coach Mike Macdonald made his concerns about the sloppy play exceedingly clear in his post-game press conference. Have the Seahawks ever run bleachers in practice? Some of them might be this week.
Still, there was plenty to celebrate after the game. Seattle's defense did force four takeaways, which goes a long way toward securing wins. Even better, we saw solid blocking, tough running, and some unexpected versatility by a key player. That all points to future success for these three Seahawks on the rise after Week 4.
These Seattle Seahawks have rising stock after Week 4
Beau Stephens, G
Stephens and Christian Haynes continued their rotation at right guard in the absence of the injured Anthony Branford. Notably, Haynes played the first and third quarters, while Stephens took the second and fourth. Planning pregame to give Stephens all the snaps in the final quarter speaks to the coach's confidence in the rookie.
That confidence paid off. He had his best game of the season, as he didn't allow a sack or even a single pressure. Haynes was charged with three pressures, a complete reversal of the first time they saw action this year. By the time Bradford is ready to come back, Stephens may be hard to move from the spot. Just as he was during this game.
Emanuel Wilson, RB
Now, that's how you bounce back from a tough outing. Wilson looked very pedestrian against the Commanders. Pedestrian, as if he was walking, and he might as well have been, with only 14 yards on nine carries. I mean, I could do that. That is, in my dreams, as I lay unconscious after the first hit obliterated me.
But Wilson did bounce back. He picked up 81 yards on 21 attempts, and hauled in three of his four targets for 39 yards through the air. Wilson scored on a 23-yard screen and with an eight-yard run later in the first half. Even with new arrivals to the Seattle RB room, he's clearly number 1 for now.
Rahid Shaheed, WR
I think we can give Rashid Shaheed a pass for waiting one week longer than we expected for his breakout game this season. He must have been reading all the criticism he's gotten this year. Kidding, of course. The only people he needs to listen to are his coaches and teammates. He showed his versatility in every phase of the game Sunday.
With Jadarian Price out, Brian Fleury took a page from the Niners' playbook, using Shaheed as Seattle's Deebo Samuel. He only had two carries, but they were both big plays. The first was the biggest, of course, a 28-yard scamper on a jet sweep. His five-yard run lined up at tailback might be more important. Shaheed can contribute anywhere.
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