Inside Slant

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December 14, 2018 at 5:05 pm.

CB Griffin bounces back at right time for Seahawks

Stepping in as the new starting left cornerback replacing legend Richard Sherman, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers in March, Shaquill Griffin’s second NFL season has been a bit of a roller coaster for the Seattle Seahawks.

Griffin, a 2017 third-round selection out of UCF, started the season off strong with two interceptions in a loss to the Bears in Week 2. But since that breakout performance, he’s struggled to play with consistent technique in coverage, as tracking and playing the football remain an ongoing issue.

Tackling has also been problematic for Griffin at times. Even though the Seahawks easily handled the 49ers 43-16 two weeks ago, he whiffed on a tackle attempt against receiver Dante Pettis, allowing him to turn the corner and race to the end zone for the first of two touchdowns.

Heading into Monday’s important contest with the Vikings, Griffin had recorded 40 tackles, two interceptions, and five passes defensed in 12 games. Compared to his stellar production as a rookie, he wasn’t making near as many plays on the football and it wasn’t due to a lack of opportunities, creating some frustration amongst the fan base.

But after withstanding what has amounted to a challenging season for Griffin and a tough first game against the 49ers two weeks ago, the 23-year-old cornerback rose to the occasion against the Vikings, helping the Seahawks nearly post a shutout in a 21-7 victory.

With the defense feeding off the energy of a frenzied crowd in prime time, Seattle allowed Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins to pass for a meager 27 yards in the first half on Monday. By the time the final horn sounded, the Seahawks had given up only 208 passing yards and seven points, an impressive display heading towards postseason play.

At the center of Seattle’s defensive dominance, Griffin, rookie cornerback Tre Flowers, and the secondary picked the perfect time to play their most complete game of the season. Facing off against the lethal duo of receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, the Seahawks held Thielen without a catch well into the second half and aside from a 48-yard reception in the fourth quarter, Diggs was a relative no-show as well.

“I thought those guys played great tonight, and it was really a big challenge because these guys are terrific,” said head coach Pete Carroll. “I don’t know the numbers, what they threw for, but it wasn’t; they’ve been averaging 275 or something like that. I’m sure they were below that. I think those guys took advantage of a really good game plan tonight. Kenny (Norton Jr.) put together a great one, and it really made a difference.”

Tasked with defending Diggs and Thielen on the outside for much of the game, Griffin looked every bit like a shutdown corner, allowing only five receptions for 26 yards. Targeted eight times according to Pro Football Focus, he also recorded two key pass breakups to thwart a potential Vikings scoring drive in the fourth quarter.

Trailing by six points with 5:56 remaining on the clock, Cousins tried to test Griffin on second-and-9 by lofting a fade to Diggs down the right sideline. With the pass underthrown, Griffin nearly hauled in his third interception, but Diggs knocked the ball out as he turned into a defensive back.

“I want guys to really try me so I can get some more chances to get my hands on the ball,” Griffin said following the game. “I’m really upset they took away my pick because I thought I was going to have one this game.”

On the ensuing play, Thielen appeared to be wide open on a 14-yard out route and Cousins unloaded the football as he came out of his break. Griffin quickly turned himself around and flew to the football, hitting Thielen as he tried to catch the pass and knocking the ball out of his hands for a critical incompletion.

Forced to attempt a field goal, Vikings kicker Dan Bailey had his 47-yard attempt blocked by linebacker Bobby Wagner, who controversially jumped over the right guard and got his hand on the ball shortly after it left Bailey’s foot, preserving the Seahawks shutout.

It was a huge improvement from his subpar game against the 49ers the week prior and Griffin wasn’t done making an impact, though his next big play didn’t come in coverage.

After the Seahawks marched downfield and Chris Carson punched the ball in from two yards out to extend their lead to 14-0, Cousins once again tried to rally his team. Forced to step up into the pocket on a second-down pass attempt, rookie Jacob Martin hit his helmet on Cousins’ elbow, causing the ball to come loose.

After bouncing on the turf a few times, cornerback Justin Coleman scooped up the fumble and sprinted across the field toward the left sideline. Griffin transitioned from defender to lead blocker, making the final block necessary for Coleman to waltz into the end zone and seal the victory for the Seahawks.

“I just needed to be a lead blocker. I told Pete Carroll after that, don’t be scared to put me at guard.” Griffin joked. “I’m good at what I do. I can block if you need me to. I told JC (Justin Coleman) I was going to make sure he gets into the end zone, whatever it takes. It was awesome to see him in there.”

Only one win away from clinching a spot in the playoffs, seeing Griffin break out of his slump and play a key role in the dominant outing bodes well for Carroll’s team heading towards January. He’ll have a prime chance to post a better showing in his second head-to-head matchup against Sherman and the 49ers on Sunday.

SERIES HISTORY: 40th regular-season meeting. Seahawks lead series, 24-15. Prior to moving to the NFC West in 2002, the 49ers beat the Seahawks in four of the first six meetings between the two franchises. Seattle holds the two largest winning streaks in the series, winning six consecutive contests between the 2003 and 2005 seasons as well as maintaining a current nine-game win streak dating back to the 2014 season. Overall, the Seahawks have won 12 of the past 13 matchups between the division rivals, including a memorable 23-17 win in the 2013 NFC Championship Game.

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