What a glorious game the Seattle Seahawks played in Week 11. After finally slaying the dragon that is the San Francisco 49ers, I've seen a lot of smiles on faces in the Emerald City, even despite a bomb cyclone in the Greater Seattle Area. All of the 12s are living on cloud 9 and walking on sunshine this week, after sending the Niners to the cellar of the NFC West.
As for the state of the NFC West as it stands, the 49ers will travel to Lambeau Field to face a tough Packers team, and the Rams will duke it out with the second-seeded Eagles. The Cardinals, meanwhile, will hike up to the great PNW to possibly put their division lead on the line in a massively important matchup.
These aren't the same little brother Cards of yesteryear. This is a scrappy and surprising bunch that features a few former Seahawks who have something to prove. L.J. Collier, Joey Blount, DeeJay Dallas, and Evan Brown will all be hoping to make an impact and lift the desert-based division foes above their former employer, the Seahawks. Seattle players can't let that happen and will approach this game knowing that this is a make-or-break opportunity.
Seahawks players that must ball out to bring down the Cardinals
Mike Macdonald and John Schneider have boldly remade this Seahawks team over the last few weeks. The duo has shown a willingness to trade, release, promote, and find the players that fit the new vision... no matter what it takes. That is a reassuring aspect of this new/old regime.
That being said, newcomers like Ernest Jones IV will undoubtedly play a big role... but there are three mainstays who need to step up and show that these new Seahawks have what it takes to have a say in how the (NFC) West is won.
Riq Woolen - Seahawks cornerback
Not only will Riq be tasked with covering young stars Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson, but he needs to be ready to get off blocks and be there to corral Kyler Murray on the perimeter. Fellow Seattle corners, Josh Jobe and Devon Witherspoon have proven willing to mix it up, but can Riq the Freak make it happen? Ernest Jones IV proclaimed this week that, “We can be something special." Well, I believe it all starts with Tariq Woolen as the X-factor. When he is shutting down receivers and flying around, the Seahawks' defense can be formidable.
How often CBs have been targeted and their raw PFF separation prevented grade (scale of +2 to -2) pic.twitter.com/RnEt1tyvlx
— Jrfortgang (@throwthedamball) November 20, 2024
Jarran Reed - Seahawks defensive lineman
The Seattle defensive unit was aggressive and impressive last week. Should we expect continued growth and similar performances in the future? There may be one wrench thrown into that thought this week. Leonard Williams is in danger of missing the game. That would leave a hole in the trenches that needs to be filled. Jarran Reed is a junkyard dog and leader on this team who will need to pitch in.
A teammate of Arizona left guard Evan Brown’s last year; Reed should know him and his tendencies well. During Reed’s press conference in September, he said of coach Macdonald's defense: “Oh, it’s been real good. You know, I say it all the time: I feel like he brought back old-school football. Something that, you know… it’s no shots or anything; I feel like it’s been missed for a little bit.
We’re bringing the physicality back. Bringing the mentality back of playing grown-man football for all four quarters." Is it time for the young and upstart Cardinals to find out what grown-man football looks like?
Zach Charbonnet - Seahawks running back
During last week’s Niners game, we learned that the Seahawks are averaging nine yards to go on their third downs… the longest average yards for third downs in this century. Zach Charbonnet is Seattle’s third-down back (strong in pass protection and route running) and goal-line back. The issue is that he may not have the speed and aggression necessary to fill the role of power back in the latter role.
While Kenneth Walker III should be the back that is featured on the ground, Charbonnet will play a role as well. He'll need to prove his worth in this game, which could turn into a shootout. The combination of the offensive line getting healthier, along with Charbonnet's ability to help block and catch the ball, could afford quarterback Geno Smith to sit back and dice. Either that, or we'll need to start asking if Kenny McIntosh will be the next Seattle player to be given more playing time.