Five things to know about the Chiefs’ next opponent: Seattle Seahawks
Did Sunday’s NFL games make Chiefs fans feel any better about Thursday’s loss?
Perhaps, because it was a rough day for some of the other playoff contending teams. The Rams lost at home to the Eagles. The Patriots were beaten by the Steelers. The Cowboys were shut out by the Colts.
And the Seahawks had a four-game winning streak snapped in a 26-23 loss to the 49ers, who improved to 4-10.
Seattle had a chance to clinch a playoff berth with the win, but fell in overtime. Next up for the Seahawks: the Chiefs, who will visit CenturyLink Field, which can get almost as loud as Arrowhead Stadium.
While the Seahawks are still trying to punch their ticket to the NFL’s postseason tournament, the Chiefs are trying to keep their grip on the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff field.
Each week, I take an early look at the Chiefs’ next opponent, and here are five things to know about the Seahawks ahead of Sunday night’s game, which kicks off at 7:20 p.m. and will be broadcast on NBC (Ch. 41):
1. Rushing emphasis
In an era of pass-happy NFL teams, the Seahawks have found success running the ball. They lead the NFL with an average of 154.9 yards per game.
Seattle has rushed the ball more than it has passed (457 rushes, 377 passes), and has done it without a 1,000-yard rusher to this point.
Chris Carson has 913 yards in 201 attempts (4.5 yards per attempt), while Mike Davis has 439 yards (4.5 ypa) and Rashaad Penny has 413 yards (5.1 ypa). Penny left the Seahawks’ game against the Vikings a week ago because of a knee injury and he missed Sunday’s game against the 49ers. His status for Sunday is not known.
Carson had a season-best 119 yards on Sunday and scored this touchdown that shows his grit:
2. Russell Wilson
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown for 300 or more yards in just one game this season, and six times he’s failed to crack the 200-yard mark.
However, Wilson can still make things happen with his legs — he has 321 yards rushing on the season.
Perhaps most importantly, Wilson doesn’t turn the ball over often. He has six interceptions and 31 touchdown passes this season. He has a quarterback rating of 111.6 this year.
3. Receiving options
While former Kansas State star Tyler Lockett leads the Seahawks in catches (51), receiving yards (800) and touchdowns (nine), Doug Baldwin is perhaps Wilson’s favorite target.
The trouble has been injuries. Baldwin has dealt with hip, groin, elbow and knee ailments this season, and that has limited him to playing in 11 games. Baldwin has 41 receptions for 465 yards and four touchdowns.
After missing the previous game, Baldwin returned Sunday and had two touchdown catches and a team-high four receptions, including this one:
4. Top-10 defense
Seattle allows 20.9 points per game, which is the seventh-best in the NFL, and has allowed fewer than 20 points in six games this season.
The Seahawks are 15th in rush defense (112.3 yards per game) and 20th in pass defense (247.4 ypg).
One concern for the Seahawks: safety Bradley McDougald, the former KU Jayhawk, left Sunday’s game against the 49ers because of a knee injury and his status is not known for this weekend.
Also, Seattle has also allowed 53 plays of 20 or more yards this season, and only five teams have allowed more.
Two players to watch: Defensive end Frank Clark has a team-best 12 sacks, while defensive tackle Jarran Reed had two sacks on Sunday and has 8 1/2 this season.
5. Special teams
Lockett handles most kick and punt return duties for the Seahawks. He is averaging 5.7 yards per punt return and Seattle ranks 30th in that category.
On kickoffs, Lockett is averaging 26.5 yards per return and has ripped off an 84-yard return. Penny has returned eight kicks for an average of 17.5 yards. As a team, Seattle ranks 14th at 23 yards per return.
Seattle’s kicker is familiar to Chiefs fans: former Raider Sebastian Janikowski has made 19 of 23 field-goal attempts this season.
Just don’t ask Janikowski to stop kick returners, as Seahawks fans learned when the 49ers returned a kickoff for a touchdown on Sunday:
This story was originally published December 17, 2018 at 9:04 AM.
