Report Card: Top Performers in Seahawks 17-12 Loss to Giants
Suffering one of the most stunning losses of the Pete Carroll era, the Seahawks came out flat and sputtered all afternoon offensively as the red-hot Giants snapped their two-game winning streak with a 17-12 road victory at Lumen Field.
After re-watching the game, which players stood out as the biggest stars in Seattle's deflating Week 13 loss? Here are my top five grades from Sunday's defeat and other notable performances.
Quandre Diggs
Overall Grade: 83.3 (98 coverage, 78 run defense, 74 tackling)
While Diggs did miss an opportunity to bring down Wayne Gallman on an eventual 60-yard run and only finished with three tackles, the veteran safety made several big plays in the secondary and didn't allow a single reception in the game. Late in the first quarter with New York in the red zone, he picked off a deflection generated by safety Ryan Neal and if not for stepping out of bounds, he would have returned it past midfield to set up Seattle with outstanding field position. On the Giants final drive of the game, he also made a big hit on tight end Evan Engram to knock the football out of his hands to prevent a first down reception.
K.J. Wright
Overall Grade: 82.7 (78 run defense, 85 tackling, 88 coverage, 80 pass rush)
Like Diggs, Wright's overall run defense grade took a substantial hit when he was unable to secure the edge and got hooked by a blocker on Gallman's 60-yard run. But it was another fine overall game for the veteran linebacker, who allowed a single reception in coverage for just three yards and also nearly came down with an interception on New York's opening possession of the second half when he jumped a route by Sterling Shepard, ultimately forcing a quick punt back to Seattle's offense. Brought on the blitz three times during the game, he generated one quarterback hit on McCoy along with two total pressures.
Jordyn Brooks
Overall Grade: 82.3 (84 run defense, 77 tackling, 86 coverage)
Playing easily his most complete game as a Seahawk thus far, Brooks tied Adams for the team lead with 11 combined tackles on the afternoon. He generated four run stuffs, second behind only Adams, getting downhill and consistently plugging up gaps to stop Gallman and Alfred. He also played his best game in coverage to this point, nearly corralling his first career interception on the Giants first drive of the game and surrendering one reception for eight yards on three targets. If there's one play the rookie would love to have back, it would be a missed tackle on Morris near the goal line that resulted in the game's first touchdown.
Chris Carson
Overall Grade: 81.0 (87 rushing, 80 receiving, 76 pass protection)
Running like a freight train all four quarters, Carson made his presence felt on the game's opening drive when he plowed over safety Jabrill Peppers on an 11-yard first down run. If he's still dealing with a sore foot, it didn't show on the field, as he finished with 65 yards on just 13 carries. A dropped pass that bounced off of his facemask and resulted in an interception for the Giants hurt his overall receiving marks, but he redeemed himself by catching a 28-yard touchdown on the ensuing drive. In pass protection, Peppers enacted a bit of revenge by blasting the back on a blitz pickup before wrapping up Russell Wilson for a sack. Aside from that play, he was sound picking up defenders as a blocker in the backfield.
Jamal Adams
Overall Grade: 80.0 (75 coverage, 81 run defense, 84 tackling, 80 pass rush)
Adams was far from perfect on Sunday, allowing multiple first down completions in coverage and surrendering seven total receptions in coverage. He also looked to be the one who missed coverage on Alfred Morris in the flats for a touchdown in the third quarter as New York extended its advantage to 14-5. But those receptions barely netted over 40 total yards and he was flying all over the field making crucial plays for the Seahawks. Living in the backfield, he produced a team-high six run stuffs and registered his seventh sack in eight games blitzing off the edge, bulldozing running back Dion Lewis in pass protection to bring down Colt McCoy.
Other Notable Performances
Struggling to unload the football and taking several unnecessary sacks trying to extend plays, Wilson endured another rough outing amid one of the worst slumps of his career. While he still finished with 262 yards and a 62 percent completion rate, he received a pedestrian 68.5 passing grade due to several airmailed passes and hanging onto the football too long. DK Metcalf was the only skill player aside from Carson to earn better than a 75.0 grade, turning in an 80-yard performance and receiving an 84.0 receiving grade that would have been better if not for a key drop. Up front, Seattle's offensive line played better than narratives coming out of the game suggest, as Jamarco Jones allowed just two pressures and played a key role in opening run lanes for Carson, earning a respectable 76.5 grade. While he wasn't at his best as a run blocker, Duane Brown also surrendered just two pressures and earned a 75.0 grade. On the flip side, Mike Iupati endured a rough day after two strong performances, allowing five pressures and a sack to earn a 57.5 pass protection grade. Ethan Pocic wasn't much better, getting overpowered most of the afternoon for a 60.5 overall grade.
Allowing just 17 points, there were far more positives for Seattle on defense. Shaquill Griffin enjoyed a second straight stellar game, generating a tackle for loss and allowing just two receptions for 14 yards to earn an 83.0 coverage grade, while D.J. Reed didn't allow a single reception in coverage all afternoon. Unfortunately, two huge missed tackles as a run defender hurt his overall grade substantially and he finished with a 73.5. It wasn't a great game in the trenches for Seattle, as Poona Ford and Jarran Reed got pushed around a bit and combined for six tackles and a single quarterback pressure with both players receiving sub-74.0 grades. Damon Harrison logged 22 snaps and played his best game since joining the Seahawks, clogging up the middle and recording one run stuff for a 78.0 run defense grade. Week 13 was a mixed bag for Bobby Wagner, who produced two passes defensed in coverage but also allowed a pair of receptions for 38 yards and also missed three tackles defending the run. Overall, he received a 62.5 grade hurt most by a 55.0 tackling score. Playing with a sprained foot, Carlos Dunlap was a non-factor rushing the passer, generating zero pressures on 23 snaps and receiving a 60.0 overall grade.
