Seahawks keys tonight in L.A.: run, stop the run, unleash Jadeveon Clowney, Ziggy Ansah
The Seahawks are in better shape than they could be coming off a shorter preparation week.
The team lists Jadeveon Clowney and Ziggy Ansah as questionable to play tonight in the NFC West game at the Los Angeles Rams. But both top pass rushers practiced in the three days of drills following the Monday-night win over Minnesota. That and their coach’s words Friday are indications both will play against the Rams.
“We were able to get some guys recovered. That’s one of the big questions,” Pete Carroll said, “and I think we got that done.
“Looking forward to it. Ready to go.”
It might rain early in the afternoon today in southern California. But the forecast for the 5:20 p.m. kickoff is dry and 60 degrees at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Here are the key players to watch tonight in Seattle’s attempt to clinch a playoff berth:
1. For the Rams—and the Seahawks—it begins with Todd Gurley. Specifically, it’s 20 touches for L.A.’s dynamic running back.
He’s the foundation to the Rams’ offense. But this season, that foundation’s been cracked. An arthritic knee and other injuries have reduced Gurley’s impact — and greatly reduced the Rams. He had 31 games with at least 20 carries and catches combined in his previous three seasons. This year, he’s gotten 20 touches just twice. Those have been in L.A.’s last two wins, including the 34-7 win last weekend at Arizona. The Rams have won 19 of their last 20 games and are 3-0 against the Seahawks when Gurley gets 20 touches. In a game the Rams must have to return to the playoffs, expect 20 rushes plus receivers.
That is, if Gurley’s healthy enough for that.
“We’re expecting the 100-percent Gurley,” Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright said.
2. The Ram most directly impacted by less of Gurley this season has been Jared Goff. Since he signed a four-year, $134 million contract with Los Angeles in September, Goff has 13 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. The interceptions already tie his career high for an entire season.
The Seahawks’ task is simple in concept, more difficult in execution: stop Gurley and put this game entirely in Goff’s recently mistake-prone hands.
3. Clowney is Seattle’s key to pressuring Goff into more mistakes. The Seahawks’ top pass rusher is playing through pain. He has a core-muscle injury that he’s holding off getting surgery on so he can finish this season—and finish his contract. He’s a potential free agent in March who knows the entire league will be watching him again in prime time Sunday night.
The last time Clowney was in a showcase game, he had one of the most dominant performances by a Seahawks defensive lineman in years. That was last month, while beating the 49ers. He got hurt in the second quarter of that win yet played on.
Can he continuing playing through the pain and be effective?
4. Are the Seahawks going for a 1 and 1A arrangement at running back? It sure looked that way Monday night in the win over Minnesota. Chris Carson had his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season while playing 39 snaps. Rashaad Penny gained 74 yards on 35 snaps. That’s almost three times more playing time than he’d had over the first 11 games. And the Seahawks romped for a season-high 218 yards on 43 carries against the Vikings.
Carson is still the starter. But look for more of this more-even split against the Rams. It’s an arrangement the Seahawks have been hoping to get to since they drafted Penny in the first round last year.
5. When the Seahawks run, D.J. Fluker is going to have a huge role. Everything the massive right guard does is huge. He’s had his best games as a Seahawk against the Rams’ dynamic defensive front and all-world tackle Aaron Donald. Fluker and left guard Mike Iupati against Donald and nose tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day are the match-ups most important to Seattle’s need to run the ball again Sunday night.
This story was originally published December 8, 2019 at 6:02 AM.
