Seahawks Rookies Ready For 1st Playoff Test vs. 49ers: ‘Great Opportunity':
RENTON, Wash. - On the way to a surprising playoff berth few outside of the organization saw coming, the Seahawks relied on contributions from rookies as much as any team in the NFL.
Over the course of the season, Seattle's 2022 draft class has logged 4,868 snaps and 70 combined starts, playing a pivotal role in the team's 9-8 finish that culminated in a trip to the postseason. Only the Houston Texans, who stumbled to a three-win season amid a seemingly chronic rebuild, had first-year players on the field more often.
These numbers were heavily skewed towards the offense, with tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas as well as running back Ken Walker III cemented into the lineup as full-time starters for most of the season. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, rookies played 22.9 percent of their offensive snaps, the highest rate in the league ahead of the Titans.
With their first regular season officially behind them, Walker, Cross, Lucas, and the rest of the Seahawks heralded crop of rookies will face their stiffest test yet in the form of a wild card rematch on the road against the NFC West champion 49ers and their ferocious top-ranked scoring defense. While players will say it's just another game and try to treat it accordingly, such circumstances can put an immense amount of pressure on young players who haven't dealt with the raised stakes of an NFL playoff game.
However, as evidenced by him rocketing around the facility on a scooter and sporting a backward hat in his final press conference of the week, coach Pete Carroll has emphasized keeping things light and loose this week. Leaning on veterans who have played in the playoffs before to provide mentorship, he anticipates the big stage won't be too much for any of Seattle's rookies.
“Right from the start of the week, we kind of faced it up," Carroll explained after Thursday's practice. "This was their chance and their shot and all that kind of stuff and if they can make a lot of it other than what it really is. The older guys that have been around and have been through it, I showed the guys that haven’t been through it, and the guys that have been through it. They have a lot of guys to lean on. We tried to really mentor our guys through to be comfortable and trust and believe in what we are doing; not that they have to come up with something different for this week. That’s truly what the focus is and seemingly, they have been fine. We’ve kept them loose and going."
When Carroll's Seahawks have won playoff games in the past, rookies have typically played support roles. But back in 2012, quarterback Russell Wilson, linebacker Bobby Wagner, and a host of first-year players starred as the team went to Washington and picked up a wild card victory on the road.
Much like a decade ago, with Wilson and Wagner both sitting at home for the playoffs after their current teams failed to qualify, Seattle will need rookies to similarly step up to have any shot at avenging a pair of regular season losses to San Francisco. In particular, Walker, Cross, and Lucas will have to shoulder the load against the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL.
With the forecast projecting heavy rain and gusty winds at Levis Stadium on Saturday, both teams likely will lean heavily on their run games. Riding a three game streak rushing for at least 100 yards that pushed him past the century mark for the season, Walker comes into the playoffs red-hot and has re-emerged over the past month behind a resurgent offensive line that hit a horrible slump early in the second half of the schedule.
After only running the ball 14 times in losses to San Francisco in Week 2 and Week 15 with minimal success, Carroll hopes to see Seattle find far better traction on the ground with a big dose of the dynamic Walker in round three.
"It’s fortunate, I know on our end of it, that we do feel good about the running game, and we can go to it as the rain can be a determining factor sometimes on how much you can handle the ball throwing and catching wise," Carroll stated. "We will see what happens. I know that we are both in the right vein to be prepared for this.”
When the Seahawks do keep the ball in Geno Smith's hands to pass on Saturday, the veteran quarterback will be keeping tabs on superstar rusher Nick Bosa with eyes in the back of his helmet. The All-Pro defensive end racked up 18.5 sacks this season and the onus will fall on Cross and Lucas to try and keep him and other talented rushers out of the backfield far more effectively than they did last month when they combined to allow three sacks and seven pressures.
If there's a reason for optimism on that front, Lucas played in Week 15 with a sore patellar tendon and the injury clearly hindered his movement skills. After sitting out Week 17, he returned a week ago looking far healthier and didn't allow a single pressure against the Rams, a positive sign heading into the playoffs.
As far as X-factors to watch, seventh-round pick Dareke Young could also make an impact after gradually receiving increased playing time in the final month of the season. Against the Rams, he caught his first two NFL passes, producing 24 yards and a pair of first down conversions and with both Marquise Goodwin and Dee Eskridge on injured reserve, Smith could be throwing his direction a few times on Saturday and he may also factor in as a hybrid fullback on a few snaps as well.
Defensively, Seattle will have several other rookies playing critical roles aiming to slow down a versatile San Francisco offense.
In the trenches, linebacker Boye Mafe has continued to improve by week and will be counted on to set the edge against a top-10 rushing attack led by Christian McCaffrey as well as pressuring rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. Starring in the secondary, cornerbacks Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant will be tasked with covering the lethal trio of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and tight end George Kittle.
While it won't be easy for the Seahawks to pull an upset as 10-point underdogs, Carroll sees their talented rookies as potential catalysts to make it happen. At worst, they will gain invaluable experience that will serve them well in 2023 and beyond and he's eager to see how they respond to their first playoff exposure.
"This is a great opportunity for these guys. It is a great opportunity to see what this is like and come to understand it better as you go through the experiences. If we can get a couple more games, it will make them that much better. We’ll see if we can get this one.”
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