Jadeveon Clowney: ‘There’s no way I’m not playing’ in Seahawks’ NFC West title game Sunday
No need to wait for the injury report. Forget the coach’s assessment of his chances of playing.
To injured Seahawks pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney, there is no doubt. Sunday’s NFC West title game against San Francisco is too important for him to miss.
“There’s no way I’m not playing,” Clowney said at his locker before he practiced on Thursday.
“I’m playing.
“We know what’s at stake. We are practicing like we know what’s at stake.”
What’s at stake: a home playoff game plus a potential bye past the first round in the NFC playoffs—and, for Clowney specifically, another week of rest. If the Seahawks (11-4) beat the 49ers (12-3) at CenturyLink Field, and Detroit upsets Green Bay earlier Sunday, Seattle gets the second seed in the conference. That means a bye into a home game in the divisional round. If Carolina can upset New Orleans plus the Lions beat the Packers, a Seahawks win would mean the top seed and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
But a Seahawks loss to the 49ers would put Seattle on the road next week in the wild-card round as the fifth seed in the conference. It would play at the NFC East champion (likely Philadelphia).
Clowney may not be physically ready for that quick a turnaround to play in an immediate playoff game after playing Sunday night.
“If we get this one, we potentially get a bye,” he said.
“I’m just playing for that right now. Then, hopefully, we can calm it down the next week, then I play the next week. That’s my goal.”
Clowney playing is a huge deal for the Seahawks.
The last time he played the 49ers, he had one of the most dominant games by a Seattle defensive lineman in years. Clowney had five of the Seahawks’ 10 hits on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. He had one of Seattle’s five sacks. Clowney had five tackles. He forced a fumble. And he recovered a fumble.
He was the reason Seattle’s pass rush forced three turnovers in the Seahawks’ overtime win Nov. 11 in Santa Clara, Calif. That win vaulted the Seahawks past the Niners into first place in the division and, until last weekend’s home loss to Arizona, the top place in the conference.
Clowney missed that loss to the Cardinals and the win at Carolina in the previous week. He’s missed three of the five games since that win over the 49ers.
The Seahawks’ pass rush has dipped back to pre-49ers-game mediocrity. He played most of the first game with the Niners, enduring a sharp pain in his abdomen. He had a specialist in Philadelphia hold off of core-muscle surgery Clowney likely will need at the end of this season, the final one of his contract.
Amid that pain, he got a violent flu. The Seahawks wouldn’t let him on their team plane to Charlotte, N.C., for the win at Carolina two games ago. That didn’t help his core muscles.
“I’m really just letting it calm down and just getting ready for this. This is a big game coming up,” he said.
“I knew these few weeks would help me try to get to this point right now, for these next few games. ...I always want to finish. I ain’t never want to quit anything. That was my mindset and goal from the beginning: just finish what I started.”
The Seahawks have other injury issues.
Free safety Quandre Diggs did not practice again Thursday. There have been no signs the high-ankle sprain that kept him out of last weekend’s loss to Arizona will heal enough for Diggs to play Sunday.
The Seahawks’ defense has suffered without Diggs. Bradley McDougald has had to play off the line more from strong safety to help fill-in free safeties Lano Hill and rookie Marquise Blair. Diggs’ hard hitting and coverage were decisive factors in the first meeting with San Francisco, his first game since his trade from Detroit to Seattle.
Duane Brown had knee surgery this week, leaving the Seahawks with a choice at left tackle. Have Jamarco Jones start there again after he struggled to slow Arizona’s Chandler Jones last weekend? Or start George Fant? Fant has done well in previous fill-in starts at tackle. The Seahawks value him as an extra, blocking tight end; that’s the role he played for a dozen snaps against the Cardinals.
Is a dozen snaps worth not having Fant for run and pass blocking against Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead and San Francisco’s swarming defensive front?
Ethan Pocic replaced left guard Mike Iupati in the Cardinals game when Iupati left with a neck issue. Iupati did not practice Thursday.
Pocic has been limited this week by Seattle’s latest core-muscle injury.
The Seahawks may have Jones play at left guard if Iupati can’t on Sunday. Jones, who was drafted last year out of Ohio State as a left tackle, excelled in his first career games at right guard in October against Cleveland and Baltimore.
Reserve wide receiver Malik Turner remained out with a concussion. He’s made several clutch catches on third down this season as Russell Wilson has trusted him more than most Super Bowl quarterbacks trust second-year, undrafted receivers.
This story was originally published December 26, 2019 at 2:35 PM.
