The Seattle Seahawks are coming off the bye week with another tough 10:00 a.m. road game, this time in Philadelphia against a 5-5 Eagles squad.
Seattle (8-2) will have their work cut out for them in this one, the start of a brutal stretch of games they’ll need to win nearly all of if they want to have any chance of securing an NFC West title and/or a bye in the playoffs.
At this point every game matters a great deal, and this one will have plenty of exciting storylines for fans to pay attention to.
Click through to see three of the most compelling as we get set for Week 12 action.
Can Seattle’s momentum in the pass rush continue?
The Seahawks, thanks mostly to an outstanding game from Jadeveon Clowney, were all up in Jimmy Garoppolo’s business in Week 10 against the 49ers. It was the first time all year the Seahawks generated a consistent pass rush, and it had a huge impact on the game.
Seattle will no doubt hope to replicate that level of success against Carson Wentz and the Eagles, but they may have to do it without Clowney.
The star edge rusher is listed as questionable for Sunday’s bout after getting off-campus treatment for a hip injury late last week.
The Eagles will be playing without starting right tackle Lane Johnson, meaning rookie Andre Dillard (from Washington State) will be making his first NFL start at right tackle, a position he has not played since he was 14 years old.
With or without Clowney, it will be crucial for the Seahawks to generate an effective rush against Wentz and the Eagles if they want to move to 9-2 on the season and stay perfect on the road.
Will the Seahawks play more or less nickel without Jamar Taylor?
The Seahawks made a somewhat surprising roster move this week, cutting starting nickelback Jamar Taylor.
Coach Pete Carroll indicated the team has a player in mind to start at nickel in Taylor’s place, but he would not say who it was.
However, all signs point to rookie Ugo Amadi, who has impressed this season as a core special teamer, being the guy going forward.
“He’s ready to go,” Carroll said on Friday. “We don’t have any reservations about it. The guys that are going in now, the young guys that are getting shots, they’ve earned it because they’ve worked for it and they’ve shown that they can do it. They’re ready to play if they get the chance.”
Amadi would almost certainly be an upgrade over Taylor, who struggled heavily in pass coverage all season long.
The question remains though; will Seattle run more nickel now that Taylor is gone, or will they continue to stick with their 4-3 base defense at a league-leading rate?
Sunday’s game against the Eagles will be the first look at the team’s plans schematically in the post-Taylor era.
How involved will the Seahawks get Josh Gordon?
New Seahawks receiver Josh Gordon only hauled in two receptions in his first game with Seattle, but both were crucial in the team’s upset victory over San Francisco in Week 10.
Now, with two more weeks of familiarity with the team and the offense, will Seattle unleash Gordon in a bigger role against Philadelphia?
The Seahawks have a bevy of weapons for Russell Wilson to choose from, including elite receiver Tyler Lockett, dynamic rookie DK Metcalf and running back Chris Carson, who has proven himself a reliable weapon out of the backfield.
Factor in Malik Turner, David Moore and tight end Jacob Hollister, who has really impressed since earning the starting job, and you have a formidable group of receivers for Wilson to choose from.
Gordon will no doubt be involved on Sunday, but just how much remains to be seen.
