Sunday’s win against the Giants officially confirms it. The Seattle Seahawks are legit.
The new and improved defense is here to stay. The offense continues to rock and roll. The 27-13 score doesn’t really tell the complete story. Save a fumble and dropped pass, both uncharacteristic, from Tyler Lockett, the score could have easily been 34-7. This wasn’t just a win. It was a statement.
Geno is still bringing the shock and awe. He plays the entire field and utilizes all the weapons available to him. He scrambles when he has to, protects the ball and consistently makes smart decisions. Kenneth Walker III, a tackle-breaking maniac, has rushed for 461 yards so far this season and has scored five touchdowns. He shows no sign of stopping and is clearly having a blast out there.
The Seattle defense has had three or more sacks in the past three weeks and five sacks against the Giants last Sunday. Thank you, Cody Barton, Poona Ford, Boye Mafe and Uchenna Nwosu. In addition to two sacks, Nwosu had five tackles and a forced fumble. He was playing out of his mind. Bruce Irvin shoving Daniel Jones into Saquon Barkley for a loss of yards was especially mean and delicious.
The secondary is just getting better, steadily evolving into a snarling thing of beauty– breaking up passes, making tackles and generally wreaking havoc for opposing offenses. Rookie corners Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant have led the league for interceptions and forced fumbles. Safety Ryan Neal is a reliable menace and gets a special shout out for last week’s game, balling like a mad dog despite the fact he was battling the flu.
The conversation has changed dramatically. The Seattle Seahawks are bona fide playoff contenders, leaving us all to pivot our sensibilities and reset our hopes. Everything has blown wide open. It is no longer a question of legitimacy, but of possibility.
Finally, your NFL Players for the Month of October:
- Geno Smith, NFL Offensive Player of the Month
- Kenneth Walker III, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month
- Tariq Woolen, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month
And one last thing, NFC Week 8 Player of the Week for Special Teams: Will Dissly.
