Seattle Seahawks Report Card: Top Performers From Win vs. Arizona Cardinals
Though it wasn't necessarily always pretty, the Seattle Seahawks used another strong defensive effort to fend off the Arizona Cardinals for a 20-10 win and improved their record to 4-2, staying in striking distance in the NFC West standings.
With rookies shining on both sides of the football, which players stood out the most in Seattle's latest victory? Here are my top six grades and other notable performances from an eventful Week 7 contest at Lumen Field:
Jordyn Brooks
Overall Grade: 90.0 (Run Defense 94, Tackling 93, Coverage 84)
With the Seahawks running a ton of dime packages with only one linebacker on the field on Sunday, Brooks played only 70 percent of the team's defensive snaps. But admittedly motivated by the lack of playing time, the fifth-year linebacker played with a new level of tenacity and emotion, flying all over the field to finish with nine tackles, a partial sack, and two tackles for loss while allowing just 39 yards on five receptions in coverage.
In the second half, Brooks came through with several clutch stops, hunting down Joshua Dobbs on a naked bootleg on third down to stop him a yard short of the marker and blowing up Rondale Moore on a jet sweep for a one-yard loss in the third quarter. He also joined forces with Dre'Mont Jones to corral Moore for a two-yard loss on a screen and forced an incompletion with a hard hit on Michael Wilson in the fourth quarter, turning in one of his finest all-around performances.
Jake Bobo
Overall Grade: 89.0 (Receiving 92, Run Blocking 87)
Continuing to seize every opportunity presented to him, with DK Metcalf sidelined by a hip injury, Bobo got off to a quick start when he beat cornerback Marco Wilson on a sluggo route and Geno Smith hit him in stride for a 31-yard gain on Seattle's third play from scrimmage. After Arizona briefly took a three-point lead late in the second quarter, the undrafted rookie sensation struck again, somehow managing to get both feet down inbounds on an acrobatic 18-yard touchdown. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, that reception had a 15.9 percent completion probability, making it the most improbable touchdown catch of the season.
On top of his receiving contributions with four receptions for 61 yards, a touchdown, and a pair of first downs, Bobo kept getting the job done in the blocking department, driving a defender to the sideline to help create room for Jaxon Smith-Njigba to pick up a first down on a screen play in the first quarter.
Devon Witherspoon
Overall Grade: 87.5 (Run Defense 86, Pass Rush 80, Tackling 94, Coverage 90)
Unfortunately for Witherspoon and the Seahawks, the superstar rookie's two most notable plays - an interception in the end zone in the second quarter and a third quarter sack on a slot blitz - wound up not counting due to penalties on teammates. But even without those highlight plays showing up on the box score, the Defensive Rookie of the Year front runner continued to make his presence felt with another dominant performance.
Late in the first quarter, Dobbs tried to squeeze in a 3rd and 14 throw to Hollywood Brown, only for Witherspoon to jump the route and nearly intercept the pass to force a punt. Midway through the second quarter, his hustle from the opposite side of the formation to push Emari Demercado out of bounds on an off-tackle run play may have stopped a potential touchdown. Once again demonstrating his physicality and tackling prowess, he leveled Moore on a short reception with a devastating hit stick. For the game, he was targeted twice and gave up no receptions with a pass breakup, posting a 39.6 passer rating in coverage.
Boye Mafe
Overall Grade: 86.0 (Run Defense 84, Pass Rush 88, Tackling 86)
As lamented by both Mafe and coach Pete Carroll, the second-year edge rusher left a gimme sack on the field when he inexplicably left his feet while rushing Dobbs in the second quarter. But he more than redeemed himself for that mistake, knocking the Cardinals out of field goal range on the same drive by hitting Dobbs arm to cause an ugly incompletion and registering a drive-killing sack on successive plays.
Leading the team with five total pressures, Mafe was a pesky nuisance for Arizona's quarterback all day long and made life miserable for rookie tackle Paris Johnson Jr. with an array of swipe and rip moves on speed rushes. In the run game, Mafe was solid as usual, setting a firm edge and registering two run stops of two yards or less. He also pounced on Dobbs after an aborted snap for a tackle for loss, capping off another stellar outing in a breakout year.
Bobby Wagner
Overall Grade: 84.5 (Run Defense 86, Pass Rush 74, Tackling 88, Coverage 90)
Compared to Brooks, Wagner didn't have the splash plays without a sack or tackle for loss, and he did have an ugly whiff in space on Demercado's 18-yard run in the second quarter. But otherwise, No. 54 turned in another excellent effort in the middle, tying for the team lead with nine tackles and allowing just 17 yards on four catches while being targeted seven times by Dobbs.
Midway through the first quarter, Wagner showed he still has plenty of burst chasing down the athletic Dobbs on a read option keeper, quickly zeroing in on the quarterback in pursuit and throwing him down for a minimal gain. He finished with three run stops netting one or fewer yards on the afternoon and his clutch play carried over into the passing game as well, as he quickly snuffed out receiver Elijah Higgins in the flats on a fourth quarter play to bring him down for no gain.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Overall Grade: 84.0 (Receiving 88, Run Blocking 76)
Continuing to improve by week, Smith-Njigba set a new career-best in receiving yards for the second straight game, leading the Seahawks with 63 yards on four receptions. Finding the end zone for the first time in his NFL career, the first-round pick out of Ohio State came wide open on a post route with Tyler Lockett attracting two Cardinals defenders in coverage on a corner route, allowing Smith to hit him for an easy 28-yard touchdown to open the scoring in the first quarter.
On the ensuing drive, Smith-Njigba picked up 10 yards on a screen play with Bobo kicking out the cornerback to spring him. He later added a pair of first down grabs on back-to-back plays in the second quarter, kickstarting the drive that culminated with Bobo's electric touchdown catch. If not for a pair of dropped passes, the rookie would have been higher on this list after making substantial contributions to the winning effort and continues to take strides in the right direction after a slow start.
Other Notable Performances
An ugly red zone interception took Smith's overall score down a peg, but the veteran quarterback completed 75 percent of his passes and connected on several difficult throws, earning an 81.0 grade. Out of the backfield, Ken Walker III forced eight missed tackles and generated 60 yards after contact while rushing for over 100 yards for the first time this year to receive an 80.0 score. Though lacking in the yardage department, Tyler Lockett caught four of five targets for 38 yards and picked up a pair of clutch third down conversions for a 79.0 overall mark. Making his first career start, Olu Oluwatimi struggled at times creating movement in the run game, but he only allowed one pressure in pass protection to net a quality 77.5 grade. Filling in for Jake Curhan at right tackle, Stone Forsythe continued to do a solid job in reserve duty, allowing just two pressures and finding some success in the zone blocking game as a run blocker for a 77.0 grade.
If not for a pair of missed tackles, Jamal Adams may have made his first top-five ranking of the season, as he produced three run stops netting four or fewer yards and would have had a pass breakup if not for a penalty to receive an 81.0 score. Enjoying his best game of the season aside from a botched read-option play setting the edge, Darrell Taylor registered 1.5 sacks and a pass deflection for an 80.0 overall score. Though he didn't record a sack on Dobbs, Jones led the team with a pair of quarterback hits and finished second with three pressures, earning a respectable 78.0 overall grade. Stout at the point of attack, Cameron Young didn't finish with any official stats, but the Cardinals had a tough time moving him in the run game at the nose tackle spot and his stellar play earned him a 77.0 score. Still trying to get his feet back underneath him after offseason knee surgery, Riq Woolen was penalized twice and missed a pair of tackles, including missing on Dobbs' 25-yard touchdown run, receiving a 67.0 grade.
