Seahawks without four injured/sick defensive starters today at Carolina
It’s rarely easy for the Seahawks.
Sunday, in a game they had to win to stay on track to win the NFC West, they were without more than a third of their starting defense in Carolina.
The team had already ruled top pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney and outside linebacker Mychal Kendricks out for the game.
Clowney had a bad flu that wasn’t getting better through the week, on top of the core-muscle injury he’s had for a month and may require surgery after the season. Kendricks played the win over Minnesota Dec. 2 on a strained hamstring he got while making 11 solo tackles at Philadelphia Nov. 24 before missing last weekend’s loss at the Los Angeles Rams.
Then Sunday two questionable starters were on the inactive list the Seahawks announced 90 minutes before kickoff: cornerback Shaquill Griffin because a hamstring he injured while finishing the loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and defensive end Ziggy Ansah. Ansah has a neck-nerve injury that may be related to the shoulder he had surgically repaired 12 months ago at the end of his time with the Detroit Lions.
Akeem King was poised to start at cornerback for Griffin. King had been Seattle’s nickel defensive back for the last month. Rookie Ugo Amadi was in line to be at nickel as the fifth defensive back with King at cornerback on passing downs against the Panthers and fill-in quarterback Kyle Allen. Allen started his 12th game since Carolina lost Cam Newton to a season-ending foot injury.
Kendricks missing meant the second consecutive start and second in the NFL for rookie Cody Barton at the strongside linebacker in Seattle’s base 4-3 defense.
“I think he’ll feel much more comfortable,” coach Pete Carroll said of Barton in Carolina compared to Barton in L.A. “We were just fast and furious, and he was busting his tail running around trying to make his plays and all that. I think he’ll be settling in even more so.
“Like I said to you, he’s such a smart kid and he works so hard. That’s so important to him. He’ll take advantage of one week to the next week. I think you’ll see him improve for a long time now because of the way he applies himself and all that. We’re expecting him to make a little jump and just clean it up and be more specifically accountable and stuff. The running and hitting part, he was fine. It was just the little things on assignments and recognition and things like that.”
Clowney’s absence for the second time in four games since he felt abdominal pain while dominating in Seattle’s win at San Francisco Nov. 11 meant more opportunities for second-year end Rasheem Green, excellent recently, and rookie first-round pick L.J. Collier.
Tight end Luke Willson missed his fourth consecutive game with a hamstring injury. Backup guard Jordan Roos and Phil Haynes were the other players not in uniform Sunday.
