PLAYER NOTES
–WR David Moore used his rookie season as a redshirt year while he adjusted to playing against NFL competition. After catching three touchdown passes from QB Russelll Wilson during Seattle’s past two games, head coach Pete Carroll says the rising star is “just getting started” and he’ll continue to be a focal point in the Seahawks passing attack from this point forward.
–RT Germain Ifedi is playing to his potential, and head coach Pete Carroll says Ifedi has blossomed thanks in large part to his relationship with new line coach Mike Solari and the presence of right guard D.J. Fluker beside him on the offensive line. The former first-round pick “sees the game much better than he has at any other time,” which has allowed him to take the next step in his development and become more consistent in pass protection.
–TE Nick Vannett, after missing Seattle’s last game in London, returned to practice on Monday as a full participant. The third-year tight end has battled back problems since entering the league, but following extensive treatment during the bye week, he will be ready to play in Detroit.
–LB K.J. Wright has been sidelined since the final week of the preseason following arthroscopic knee surgery. He finally made his much-anticipated return to practice on Monday, but head coach Pete Carroll was non-committal about his status for Sunday’s game. Indicating the Seahawks will employ a “wait and see” approach as he progresses through the week, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t make his season debut in Detroit.
–LB Mychal Kendricks is serving an indefinite suspension linked to his guilty plea to insider trading charges, and reportedly participated in a hearing on Monday seeking clarification on his suspension. Capable of playing both middle and weak-side linebacker, Seattle hopes he will be available later in the season as a veteran insurance option behind Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: DT Jarran Reed. Now in his third season out of Alabama, Reed has evolved from a traditional run-stuffing defensive tackle into one of the best all-around interior defensive linemen in the entire NFL. Using refined hand technique and counter moves, he’s already doubled his previous career high in sacks through six games while continuing to dominate against the run and emerging as one of Seattle’s leaders on the defensive side of the ball. Though unlikely, if he maintains his current pace through 16 games, Reed will finish with 66 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hits, emulating Warren Sapp during his prime with the Buccaneers. He’s played at an All-Pro level thus far and will need to bring his A game against a vastly improved Lions offense.
GAME PLAN: Preparing for any NFL opponent isn’t an easy proposition, but the Seahawks should feel confident that they can continue to run the ball at a high level against the Lions in a high-stakes road contest. Detroit did acquire defensive tackle Damon Harrison from the Giants to help shore up this deficiency, but one player may not be enough to solve the problems that ail a team ranked near the bottom of the league in every meaningful metric defending the run. Expect a heavy dose of Chris Carson, Mike Davis, and Rashaad Penny from the outset as Seattle tries to physically demoralize its opposition and use the rushing attack to help open up opportunities with the play-action passing game. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see a healthier Wilson carry the football a bit more than he has during the early stages of the season.
Much like Seattle, Detroit’s offense limped out of the starting gate but has found traction over the past month. Differing from previous Lions squads, the team has been able to complement Stafford and the passing game by developing a quality run game built around rookie Kerryon Johnson, who rushed for a career-high 158 yards in last week’s win over Miami. With the run game clicking, Stafford hasn’t had to throw as frequently and has been highly efficient as a result, throwing 11 touchdowns and only one interception in his last five starts. It won’t be easy given the receiving talent at his disposal, but the Seahawks will need to find a way to force the Lions back into their previous one-dimensional ways by shutting down Johnson and forcing Stafford to beat them with a high volume of throws. As shown in the past, if opponents can pressure Stafford, he’s more than capable of uncorking errant throws into tight coverage, creating turnover opportunities.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Seahawks interior OL vs. Lions DTs Ricky Jean Francois and Damon Harrison. Rushing for over 150 yards per game since Week 3, the Seahawks have rediscovered their winning formula establishing the run, and the Lions could be the perfect opponent to continue that trend. Head coach Matt Patricia’s background as a defensive coach has helped Detroit’s pass defense develop into a respectable top-10 unit, but his team has given up 139.3 rushing yards per game, the third-worst mark in the NFL. The Lions also sit tied for dead last in the league giving up 5.3 rushing yards per carry and have allowed an opposing running back to eclipse the 100-yard mark three different times, including yielding 152 yards to running back Ezekiel Elliott in a Week 4 loss to Dallas. Since D.J. Fluker entered the starting lineup at right guard in Week 3 and J.R. Sweezy took over as the starting left guard, the Seahawks have had a rusher hit the 100-plus yard mark in three of their past four games. Though Detroit’s addition of Harrison will bolster the front four, Seattle should still look to exploit this matchup against a defensive line that has struggled to stop the run or rush the passer this season.
–Lions WRs Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones Jr. and Golden Tate vs. Seahawks CBs Shaquill Griffin, Tre Flowers, and Justin Coleman. Thanks to Johnson, the Lions have unearthed a ground game that has seemingly eluded the franchise since Barry Sanders retired prior to the 2000 season. But Detroit’s offense still runs through Stafford, who will sling the ball all over the field to his capable stable of receivers. Tate, who started his career with the Seahawks and helped guide the team to a Super Bowl victory, leads the Lions with 37 receptions for 467 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-4 Golladay, a second-year player out of Northern Illinois, has given Stafford a bigger-bodied receiver who can spread the field and beat defenses over the top. Jones, who accumulated over 1,000 receiving yards a year ago, has seen his targets drop because of Golladay’s emergence, but he still has 270 receiving yards and three touchdowns in six games. Led by Griffin, Flowers, and Coleman, the Seahawks have surrendered only 206 passing yards per game, but the young secondary will be tested by a deep and talented Detroit receiving corps on the road.
