5 Matchups to Watch in Seahawks Home Finale vs. Lions
When the downtrodden Lions hit the road to face the Seahawks in Week 17, neither team will have much to play for in regard to the standings. Both teams are guaranteed to finish in last place in their respective divisions and miss the postseason.
With that said, Seattle hasn't performed well in front of its home fans for most of the 2021 season and Russell Wilson and company would like to finish on a high note in the team's home finale. As for Detroit, coach Dan Campbell's squad has won two of its past four games and would love nothing more than to play spoiler while continuing to build momentum for next season.
As both teams prepare to duke it out at Lumen Field in Week 17, which matchups will ultimately decide who picks up a late-season win?
--Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Dee Eskridge versus Lions cornerbacks Ifeatu Melifonwu, Will Harris, and A.J. Parker: With two games left to play, Metcalf needs 154 yards to hit the century mark for the second straight season, while Lockett only needs five yards to break his own single-season receiving yardage career-high. Both players couldn't have asked for a better matchup to put up gaudy numbers in the season finale, as the Lions have been ravaged by injuries in the secondary. Former top five pick Jeff Okudah has been out all season and the duo of Amani Oruwariye and Jerry Jacobs recently landed on injured reserve. Melifonwu, a third-round pick out of Syracuse, has been limited by injuries as well, starting just five games as a rookie while giving up nearly 23 yards per reception in coverage. Per PFF, Parker has missed more than 20 percent of his tackle attempts and allowed four touchdowns on 45 targets in coverage for a 117.0 passer rating. Harris hasn't been any better, surrendering 439 receiving yards and three touchdowns for a 114.7 rating in coverage. There's no reason Metcalf, Lockett, and even Eskridge shouldn't be able to have a field day as long as Russell Wilson has time to throw.
--Seahawks linebackers Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks versus Lions running backs D'Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, and Craig Reynolds: Playing without Goff for a second straight week, the Lions will have to lean heavily on their ground game to have any chance at a road win on Sunday. But getting Swift back from a shoulder injury should give them a far better chance at success in that department. The former first-round pick out of Georgia started to find his groove before getting hurt in Week 12, rushing for over 130 yards against the Steelers and Browns in the previous two games. With 56 receptions for 429 yards to his name, he's also a dynamic pass catching option out of the backfield, which could pose major problems for Wagner and Brooks in coverage. Serving as the team's battering ram, Williams provides a physical change of pace back who excels running between the tackles to spell Swift, while Reynolds has been a pleasant surprise with 224 rushing yards over the last three weeks and could see some snaps as well. Seattle's linebackers will have to do a sound job executing run fits and above all else can't afford to leave tackles on the field as they have the past two games.
--Seahawks running backs Rashaad Penny and DeeJay Dallas versus Lions linebackers Derrick Barnes and Jalen Reeves-Maybin: The Lions aren't the only team that will want to get their run game rolling on Sunday, especially with rain being in the forecast. Though the Seahawks will be without a key cog on their offensive line with Damien Lewis sidelined by COVID, Jamarco Jones should be ready to fill in coming back from injured reserve and the team has been on a roll running the ball as of late. Penny has ripped off five runs of 25 or more yards in the past four games, amassing nearly 350 rushing yards and scoring a trio of touchdowns. Dallas has also been effective when called upon, rushing 14 times for 72 yards and a score in the past three games. Detroit has been in the middle of the pack defending the run all year and losing veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone to injured reserve creates a significant void. Barnes has the potential to be a quality starter in the league in time, but he's raw and has had trouble covering running backs this year, while Reeves-Maybin's lack of size at 230 pounds could make him a prime target to exploit with a physical ground attack.
--Seahawks cornerbacks D.J. Reed, John Reid, and Ugo Amadi versus Lions receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and... whichever other receivers are active: With both teams dealing with COVID issues, no matchup will be impacted more on Sunday than Seattle's cornerback group going up against St. Brown and whoever else Detroit rolls out at receiver. The Seahawks were able to get starter D.J. Reed back off the COVID list after a two-game absence, only for Sidney Jones to land on the list on Saturday. With Bless Austin still out as well, that means John Reid will make his second straight start, this time flipping to the left cornerback spot across from Reed. Those two players, along with Amadi in the slot, will be tasked with trying to slow down St. Brown, who became the first rookie in franchise history to post eight or more catches in four consecutive games last weekend. The fourth-round pick out of USC won't get much help, however, as Josh Reynolds and Khalil Raymond remain on the COVID list, leaving KhaDarel Hodge, Tom Kennedy, and Trinity Benson as the only other healthy options available for backup Tim Boyle.
--Seahawks tackles Duane Brown and Jake Curhan versus Lions defensive ends Charles Harris and Julian Okwara: If there's an area where Detroit could make life difficult for Seattle's offense, Campbell's defense has a pair of capable pass rushers who can create chaos off the edge in Harris and Okwara. Harris, a former first-round pick for the Dolphins, currently ranks 24th in the NFL in quarterback pressures and leads the team with 7.5 sacks. A plus-athlete with excellent quickness and agility, he will present quite the challenge for Curhan, who has struggled most in his rookie season trying to block speed rushers. Even Brown, who hasn't had a great season by his standards, may have trouble keeping him away from Wilson. The wild card is Okwara, who missed the past three weeks with an ankle injury. The ex-Notre Dame standout only has 3.0 sacks and six quarterbacks this year, but he's another quick-twitch athlete who has shown flashes of being a capable NFL edge rusher and could present a stiff test for both of Seattle's tackles if fully healthy.
