The Seattle Seahawks are scheduled to face several of the league’s top teams in 2020, and with those teams come a number of players that could prove a serious hassle for the Seahawks to overcome in their matchups. To that end, I put together a list of one player from each of the Seahawks’ opponents that should make a difference in Seattle’s approach to each game.
I chose not to select any quarterbacks, running backs, or wide receivers for this list, as the success of those positions is obviously paramount to a team’s chances of winning.
With that said, here is one player from each of the Seahawks’ 2020 opponents that could make a huge impact on Seattle’s game plan:
Week 1 (Sept. 13): Atlanta Falcons
Impact player: DB Ricardo Allen
The veteran safety trio of Keanu Neal, Damontae Kazee, and Ricardo Allen should scare Seahawks fans, considering how often Russell Wilson likes to throw deep; in particular, Allen should see plenty of action due to his versatility. After missing 13 games in 2018 due to injury, Allen posted a fantastic 2019 campaign with 85 tackles, eight batted passes, and two interceptions. The Falcons are considering switching Allen to the nickel position, which would allow him, Neal, and Kazee to patrol the backfield and force the Seahawks to keep to the ground.
Week 2 (Sept. 20): New England Patriots
Impact player: CB J.C. Jackson
Although much of the attention will be on current AFC Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore as well as fellow corner Jason McCourty, Jackson is an underrated stud in the Patriots’ formidable defense. Over the past two seasons, he has had eight interceptions and 16 deflected passes. In the 2018 season, he held opposing quarterbacks to a league-low 42.0 passer rating when targeted on 38 percent of defensive snaps; the next year, that rating dropped even further to 37.0 despite Jackson nearly doubling his workload with 68 percent of defensive snaps. Expect Seattle to once again stick with the running game.
Week 3 (Sept. 27): Dallas Cowboys
Impact player: TE Blake Jarwin
The Seahawks are notorious for struggling against tight ends, and Jarwin should act as a serious barometer for their progress in that area. Jason Witten is now a Raider, which means that Jarwin finally has a chance to shine in his new starting role. A big, athletic route-runner, Jarwin currently stands as quarterback Dak Prescott’s second-most efficient target after receiver Amari Cooper. His 2019 season included a 42-yard score, showing that he has some serious gas in the tank. The Cowboys have weapons all across the offense, so Jarwin could easily slip under the radar unless Seattle’s linebackers stay sharp.
Week 4 (Oct. 4): Miami Dolphins
Impact player: OLB Emmanuel Ogbah
Ogbah was brought in over the offseason to help with the Dolphins’ struggling pass rush. Fresh off of perhaps his best season in the league, Ogbah was an absolute monster against both the pass (10.7 percent pressure rate) and the run (10.6 percent run stop rate). He has 19 batted passes in four years and posted a career-best 5.5 sacks in 2019. Seattle’s offensive line will need to shut Ogbah down if they hope to find success against a new-look Miami squad.
Week 5 (Oct. 11): Minnesota Vikings
Impact player: S Anthony Harris
Harris recorded his first career pick-six in 2019 against none other than Russell Wilson, and should be hungry to do it again in 2020. Although Harris is well-known as a tremendous safety, his stats from the past two years should put him into consideration for “elite” status – 10 interceptions (seven in 2019) and just one touchdown allowed. He and fellow veteran safety Harrison Smith provide one of the league’s best pairings in the backfield and should force Wilson to either stay on the ground or target Minnesota’s young and struggling cornerback unit.
Week 7 (Oct. 25) and Week 11 (Nov. 19): Arizona Cardinals
Impact player: TE Maxx Williams
Williams was Pro Football Focus’ top blocking tight end of 2019, giving opposing defenses fits with ratings of 84.7 in run blocking and 82.1 in pass blocking. He has been much more of a blocker than a receiver throughout his career, but nevertheless put up 202 yards on 15 catches last year, leaving him as a viable option in a pinch. The Cardinals gained an incredible 241.35 net yards over average with Williams on the field and had nearly a yard more per rushing attempt – with the ultra-talented Kenyan Drake as Arizona’s number-one running back, their run game becomes that much better and should give Seattle’s linebacker unit a serious challenge.
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