Three Seahawks who must thrive in Week 15 versus the Green Bay Packers

The bright lights of Sunday Night Football are on tap for the Seattle Seahawks this weekend. While there may exist some hate, I personally love the action green alternate jerseys that will be worn for the occasion... haters. They are unique, well-pulled off, and always make for memorable games. The team from the Emerald City just swept the perennial little brother Cardinals and will be looking downrange for what's next.

Next up on the schedule, the Green Bay should be hauling off west, big mad, trying to flush a tough division loss to Detroit. Truthfully, they looked great and possibly have their top cover man back. Packer fans may be big mad, but they get the man with the big cap back in his bag in the defensive backfield. More on him later.

The Seattle Seahawks themselves have been on a hot streak, winning four straight. Get ready for a collision of contenders at Lumen Field for Sunday Night Football, as the (currently) 3-seeded Seahawks take on the (currently) 6-seeded Packers. This will be a great test for Mike Macdonald and his upstart team who currently sit on the NFC West throne. These two teams have evolved over the course of the season, and it will be fascinating to see who has their best game in a playoff-like atmosphere.

Seahawks players that must ball out to press their ascension past the Packers

Coach Macdonald has tinkered and tweaked his defense until he has found guys who could pull of at least some of his vision at each position. The defense continues to get better, and 12s are hoping that last week was just the start of things getting a little more optimistic surrounding the offensive line as well. Geno Smith and the offense have definitely had some rough games, with different guys switching in and out of the trenches. Although the skill players will certainly stand in the spotlight in the evening showcase game, one of the most key battles will be staged upfront.

Laken Tomlinson - Seahawks offensive guard

Seattle rushed for 176 last week, and Laken Tomlinson remarked to the media, “Whenever you get over 100 yards, man, you know the O-line’s been working”. The Seahawks' line has finally been working. Seattle will now handle the task of switching gears from attacking an Arizona three-down linemen scheme to a Green Bay defense that lines up in a base 4-3.

Can the young line continue their obvious improvement and start to impose their will? Laken is the steady veteran on the line and may get some Oluwatimi help on Wyatt/Clark/Slayton… but that help may be mainly directed to sixth-round rookie, surprise starting RG Sataoa Laumea. Tomlinson must step up and handle his duties in the trenches with controlled aggression on Sunday night to help keep the offense moving in a big game scenario.

Josh Jobe - Seahawks cornerback

The Pack will attack with a deep platoon of playmakers, testing every level of the Seahawks defense. Josh Jobe needs to be ready to be targeted, perhaps to see if he is the weak link in the chain flanked by his star teammates in the secondary, Tariq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon. I’d assume the Hawks brain trust would like to see ‘Spoon on Jayden Reed and ‘Riq the Freak on Christian Watson as much as possible.

That would leave Jobe covering Romeo Doubs (although I’m sure there will be a lot of movement and mixing & matching). If Jobe can leave it all out on the field, showing himself to be an asset instead of a liability, I like Seattle’s chances to at least limit the Green Bay offense.

DK Metcalf - Seahawks wide receiver

Remember earlier this season, when Metcalf was setting records and beating well-regarded corners? That feels so long ago that Pepperidge Farm may not even remember. Fast forward back to the current day and age where Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been exploding out of the slot.

With that last statement being true, the Packers are a team that just held slot maven, Amon-Ra St. Brown to under 45 yards receiving. Meanwhile, outside speed wideout, Jameson Williams led the team in targets and had 80 yards. These are not the same teams, but DK Metcalf will be needed in a game where explosives could be crucial to keeping up with Jordan Love and Co.

We all are well aware of the supernova that is JSN this year. He is having a breakout season, and there are even rumblings that he may now be WR1 in Seattle. He may see some combo of Keisean Nixon in coverage, with a side of Jaire Alexander.

Even mostly facing Mr. Alexander on the outside, It’s the perfect time for DK to remind people of what he is capable of... He'll be needed to put his god-given gifts to work as more than just a decoy in this backyard brawl.

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