5 Key Matchups to Watch as Seahawks Host Giants in Week 13

In a battle of NFC division leaders, the Seahawks will have to keep Leonard Williams and a stout defensive line in check, while DK Metcalf will present a unique challenge for James Bradberry and the Giants secondary.

Seeking a third straight win to stay in the hunt for the NFC's top seed, the Seahawks will return home to face the surging Giants in a Week 13 matchup between division leaders.

Well rested after a 10-day "mini" bye, Seattle edged Philadelphia on Monday Night Football for a 23-17 win to improve to 8-3 on the season and re-gain sole possession of first place in the NFC West. As for New York, the team took care of business coming off its own bye week to narrowly beat Cincinnati and pick up a third straight win to vault to the top of the NFC East.

With much at stake for both teams entering the final home stretch, keep an eye on these five matchups at Lumen Field.

--Seahawks guards Damien Lewis/Mike Iupati and center Ethan Pocic versus Giants defensive tackles Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence, and Dalvin Tomlinson: There's a chance Lewis won't be able to go for Seattle due to a hip injury and with starting right tackle Brandon Shell already out, this wouldn't be an ideal game to be missing two starters on the line. The success of New York's ninth-ranked scoring defense starts up front with Williams, who ranks in the top 10 in the NFL with 19 quarterback hits and also has 6.0 sacks and eight tackles for loss. Alongside him, the 340-pound run-stuffing Lawrence is a surprisingly effective interior pass rusher in his own right with 3.0 sacks and six quarterback hits. Tomlinson has been a problem for teams as well, producing 36 tackles and eight quarterback hits. This trio of players can wreck an offensive game plan at the line of scrimmage and the onus will fall on Pocic, Iupati, and either Lewis or Jordan Simmons to hold up well at the point of attack to create running lanes and protect Russell Wilson.

--Seahawks linebackers Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, and K.J. Wright versus Giants running backs Wayne Gallman, Dion Lewis, and Alfred Morris: Even after losing Saquon Barkley to a season-ending torn ACL in Week 2, the Giants have continued to lean on the ground game with a trio of backs in Gallman, Lewis, and Morris. Gallman has emerged as the bell cow, rushing for 215 yards and four touchdowns during the team's current three-game winning streak. Morris has provided a bit of a spark in a reserve role since signing midway through the season, rushing for 137 yards in four games, while Lewis remains a capable change-of-pace back who can be equally effective as a runner and a receiver. Without starting quarterback Daniel Jones, expect offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to try to establish the run early in an effort to protect backup Colt McCoy and try to ground Seattle's suddenly electric pass rush. On the flip side, Wagner and company will be looking to shut the ground game down from the outset and force the Giants to become one-dimensional.

--Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett versus Giants cornerbacks James Bradberry and Isaac Yiadom: As a key piece in an improved secondary, Bradberry has lived up to the three-year, $45 million contract the Giants signed him to in March, producing a team-high three interceptions and 15 passes defensed through 11 games. He currently ranks 19th among qualified corners with a 75.3 coverage grade via Pro Football Focus. But he will no question be tested by Metcalf, who is coming off a monster game with 177 receiving yards against the Eagles and holds a serious size advantage being three inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than his cornerback adversary. On the opposite side, Yiadom has struggled throughout the season, allowing a 130.6 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks and surrendering four touchdowns on just 24 completions against him in coverage. Coming off a disappointing 23-yard performance on Monday, Lockett could be in line for a big bounce-back day going up against the third-year defender out of Boston College.

--Seahawks defensive ends Carlos Dunlap, Benson Mayowa, and Alton Robinson versus Giants tackles Andrew Thomas and Cameron Fleming: It remains unclear whether Dunlap, who didn't practice this week due to a sore foot, will be able to play against the Giants. But even if he's sidelined this weekend, the Seahawks should be optimistic about their chances of generating consistent pressure on McCoy, particularly off the edge against two tackles who have struggled to pass protect all season long. Thomas, a first-round pick out of Georgia, has already allowed six sacks, tied for third-most in the NFL among tackles. As for Fleming, he hasn't fared much better, surrendering five sacks on his own accord and drawing five penalties per Pro Football Focus. If Seattle can ground New York's run game and force them to throw the ball more than they want to, Mayowa, Robinson, and Rasheem Green could all feast pinning their ears back chasing down a backup quarterback on Sunday. At the very least, outside pressure could create prime opportunities for interior rushers such as Jarran Reed and Poona Ford to get into the act against a line ranked 31st in ESPN's pass block win rate.

--Seahawks cornerbacks Shaquill Griffin/D.J. Reed and safety Jamal Adams versus Giants receivers Darius Slayton/Sterling Shepard and tight end Evan Engram: Injuries continue to plague Seattle in the secondary, as cornerback Tre Flowers has now joined Quinton Dunbar on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. As a result, Reed will step into the lineup for his third start in four games, this time playing across from Griffin and drawing potentially touch matchups against Slayton and Shepard. Slayton wins with speed as a vertical threat, producing 584 yards this year on just 38 receptions, while Shepard is a savvy route runner who has caught 33 of his past 40 targets for 283 yards and excels in the short-to-intermediate game. Ultimately, however, Engram may be the player the Seahawks are most concerned about, as the athletic tight end is coming off a superb six-catch, 129-yard outing against the Bengals last week and has the ability to stretch defenses vertically as a downfield weapon. Given his speed and after the catch ability, expect to see Adams lined up in coverage against him quite a bit on Sunday for one of the tougher tests he may face all year.