Seahawks get a weather break, Rashaad Penny back and more today at Washington
The Seahawks are on the East Coast at Christmas time. But weather is no factor.
The Washington, D.C., area had a snow and ice storm Wednesday. There is still some leftover snow on the ground.
But Sunday, game day, dawned cloudy. No rain. No snow. A bit over 40 degrees for Seattle’s chance to clinch another playoff berth with a win against the Washington Football Team (6-7).
The keys and key players to the game:
1. Rarely is a right tackle central to a game. But Brandon Shell is that Sunday for the Seahawks. The free agent Seattle signed from the Jets in the spring has been a strong, athletic upgrade, replacing Germain Ifedi as the frontside protector for Russell Wilson this season. But he missed two games with a high-ankle sprain. When Shell tried to return last weekend against the Jets, he didn’t make it through half the game.
Shell did not practice this past week. Signs are Cedric Ogbuehi is going to start at right tackle. He has struggled in pass protection in the two games he’s filled in for Shell.
Shell’s officially questionable, and coach Pete Carroll said Shell’s availability will be a game-time decision. And it will be huge.
2. Why? The strength of Washington’s surging team is its pass rush: Chase Young, Montez Sweat and Ryan Kerrigan. Those three edge rushers have 18 sacks between them this season, and all have at least 5 1/2.
Young, the second-overall pick in April’s draft, and Sweat, a first-round choice last year, spent last weekend in San Francisco’s backfield. Young picked up a fumble off a sack at midfield and returned it for a touchdown. Washington won its fourth straight to take the NFC East lead without an offensive touchdown.
For the Seahawks to best neutralize Washington’s biggest strength, tight end Will Dissly may have to do more of what he’s worked hard at in his first three seasons with the team: staying in more to pass block rather than going down field on routes.
3. The best way for Seattle to slow down that pass rush is to run at it.
Run Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde at it.
Last weekend in the Seahawks’ blowout of the Jets, Carson was finally, fully back in the offense with 76 yards and a bulldozing touchdown run. He knocked Jets to the ground in the open field for his score. It was his most productive day since week four at Miami, before Seattle’s lead runner sprained his foot and missed a month.
Hyde had 40 yards on Seattle’s drive to a first-half touchdown. He’s had at least 14 carries in four of the five games he’s played since returning from a hamstring injury.
Carroll said “I was in heaven” watching his offense finally achieve balance instead of relying all on Wilson. It’s how the Seahawks have the best chance to beat Green Bay, New Orleans and the Rams, the foes they must conquer in the playoffs to win the NFC.
And now they are getting back Rashaad Penny. Saturday the Seahawks activated their first-round pick from 2018 off the physically-unable-to-perform list to play for the first time since he tore knee ligaments 12 months ago. Penny’s going to get some carries, but at whose expense?
It’s as stocked as Seattle has been in its backfield in years—certainly more than usual at this time of year.
4. Washington’s offensive play makers are hurting.
Leading rusher Antonio Gibson is doubtful to play He has a toe injury he got two games ago when Washington upset Pittsburgh to end the Steelers’ undefeated season.
Quarterback Alex Smith is out. He didn’t finish Washington’s road win over San Francisco last weekend because of a calf injury. So Dwayne Haskins will start for the first time since new coach Ron Rivera benched him in October.
No matter who is in at quarterback and running back, expect Rivera and coordinator Scott Turner to run power, pre-snap motion, pulling blockers and varied rush schemes at the Seahawks’ defensive front. That includes with former Seahawks back and receiver J.D. McKissic.
That means perhaps the biggest role yet for Damon “Snacks” Harrison in the middle of Seattle’s defensive line. The 350-plus-pound former All-Pro defensive tackle took a month after signing in October to get in shape. Last weekend he had six tackles in his best game yet for the Seahawks.
He’s been getting 20-some snaps in recent games. The Seahawks signed him to stop the run. Harrison may be getting his most time yet on Sunday, because he should be getting a lot of run to stop at Washington.
Prediction: A lot of running, a smash-mouth type of game—and Seattle having the definitive advantage at the game’s most important position, quarterback.
Seahawks 17, Washington 13.
This story was originally published December 20, 2020 at 7:32 AM.
