The Seattle Seahawks may have already clinched a playoff spot in the NFC, and their Week 17 battle with the San Francisco 49ers will determine who wins the NFC West, but that doesn’t mean the team will look over Sunday’s bout with the Arizona Cardinals.
A loss against the Cardinals could impact Seattle’s seeding in the NFC if they also lose next week, so no doubt this team will hope to take care of business on Sunday to give them added insurance in case things go south in Week 17.
However, Seattle is also doing their best to keep some of their key performers rested so they are ready for the finale, which could mean the team could face Arizona without as many as five key defensive players and one, Duane Brown, on offense.
That should make for some intense battles between Arizona’s vets and Seattle’s young players who are hungry to prove themselves.
Here are three matchups and questions for fans to keep an eye on during this division battle.
Can Seattle handle Chandler Jones without Duane Brown?
The Seahawks not only have to find a way to contain one of the league’s savviest pass rushers, Chandler Jones, but they’ll have to do it without former Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown, who has been ruled out for Sunday.
Jones has 15 sacks on the season, only two away from his career-high, and is leading the league with six forced fumbles.
“He’s explosive,” coach Pete Carroll said of Jones on Wednesday. “He has a great motor for rushing the pass read. Adds great energy to his pass rush. That length just pays off in so many different ways for him to avoid getting blocked.”
Jones will be handled by backup left tackle George Fant, who has struggled in pass protection this season. Fant normally lines up as the team’s sixth lineman in run-blocking situations, a role that will likely go to Jamarco Jones on Sunday.
The Seahawks will need to find ways to limit Jones’ opportunities to get to Russell Wilson, or else it could be a rough day for the star quarterback.
Will the youngsters step up on defense?
The Seahawks will certainly be without Al Woods on Sunday, and are also expected to be without Jadeveon Clowney and Quandre Diggs, who are both listed as doubtful.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the team also listed linebacker Mychal Kendricks and cornerback Shaquill Griffin as questionable after neither played last week.
So, there’s a very real chance the defense is without as many as four starters and one key reserve when they take the field on Sunday against the Cardinals.
That creates another opportunity for Seattle’s younger players to step into key roles against an Arizona team that has found their stride offensively in recent weeks.
Undrafted rookie Bryan Mone will replace Woods on the defensive line, while Branden Jackson, Cody Barton, Lano Hill and Akeem King would step in for Clowney, Kendricks, Diggs and Griffin, respectively.
If Griffin is out, King’s transition to right corner would also allow rookie Ugo Amadi to play nickelback, a spot he saw action at last week against the Panthers.
Seattle has been grooming their younger players to take on bigger roles, and this week against Arizona will likely be another great test for these players – and will allow Seattle’s starters to rest and heal up before the big regular season finale against San Francisco in Week 17.
Does David Moore get involved without Josh Gordon?
The Seahawks will play Week 16 without Josh Gordon, who was suspended indefinitely by the NFL following another violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.
Gordon had been serving as Seattle’s number three receiver, behind Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, a role that will likely go back to David Moore for the final few games of the regular season.
Moore has 14 receptions (on 30 targets) for 250 yards and two touchdowns on the season. However, his role nearly vanished after the team’s acquisition of Gordon. In the five games since Gordon arrived, Moore has just four catches.
Now, Moore will slide back into a more prominent role in the offense, which could also allow more targets for Malik Turner and Jaron Brown – and potentially some snaps for rookie John Ursua, who has barely seen the field this year.
Losing Gordon no doubt hurts, as he was a first-down machine who seemed to be just coming into his own in the offense, but Seattle is in good hands with Moore and company for the final few weeks of the year.
