6 Seahawks to Watch in Divisional Round vs. Packers

Seeking a spot in the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2015, the Seahawks will travel to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to rekindle their rivalry with the Packers in the divisional round.

Seattle has a chance to make history and become just the third team in NFL history to win at least nine road games in a single season. A victory would tie them with the 2005 Steelers, who ironically beat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL, and give them a chance to tie the 2011 Giants with 10 road victories next weekend.

To make it happen, Seattle will have to end two lengthy streaks, as the franchise has lost eight straight road games in the divisional round and hasn't won any of its previous eight games in Green Bay. The last victory came back in 1999 with Jon Kitna at quarterback.

Closing in on Sunday's pivotal playoff matchup, these six players will be key for the Seahawks to lock up a date with the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.

Marshawn Lynch

The Seahawks don't need Lynch to magically find the fountain of youth and perform like it's 2013 on Sunday. He doesn't need to make an earthquake happen at this stage of his career to be successful and help his team. But with three weeks of practice under his belt now, "Beast Mode" must be much more productive than he was rushing for just seven yards in Philadelphia and provide a complement to Wilson out of the backfield. Being one-dimensional will spell doom for the undermanned Seahawks.

Based on what coaches Pete Carroll and Brian Schottenheimer have said during the week, Lynch is going to be a bigger focal point in the game plan. His return has energized the locker room and even if he could power his way to 45-50 yards against Green Bay, that would provide a major boost to Seattle's offensive attack and improve the team's odds of advancing to the next round of the playoffs.

Germain Ifedi/Duane Brown/George Fant

With Brown and Fant both questionable to play, it remains to be seen who will start at left tackle for Seattle opposite of Ifedi at Lambeau. But regardless of who is protecting Russell Wilson's blind side, both tackles will face a tall task trying to keep linebackers Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith out of the backfield. The Smith "brothers" combined to produce 25.5 sacks in their first seasons with the Packers after signing lucrative free agent contracts in March. If those two players are able to consistently wreak havoc off the edge, make plays defending the run, and ultimately blow up Seattle's game plan, it could be a long night for Wilson and the offense in a hostile road environment.

DK Metcalf

What can Metcalf do for an encore after setting an NFL rookie record for receiving yards in a game last week? Seattle can't reasonably expect him to replicate his 160 receiving yards on seven receptions, but Green Bay's defense gave up 15 pass plays of 40-plus yards in the regular season, second-most behind Oakland. Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine's unit has been feast or famine, producing 17 interceptions while also being vulnerable to an occasional coverage breakdown this year. Metcalf's one-on-one matchup with former Washington standout cornerback Kevin King may be one of the most important on either side of the ball, and if he's able to create separation against the lengthy 6-foot-3 defender, Wilson should have a few chances to hit him downfield for big yardage.

Jarran Reed

Heading towards free agency, Reed hasn't had the season he hoped to truly maximize on his opportunity. After registering a career-best 10.5 sacks and 24 quarterback hits in 2018, he only produced 2.0 sacks and eight quarterback hits in 10 games after opening this year with a six-game suspension. But as Carroll noted on Friday, the former Alabama star has still been disruptive despite the statistical regression and he could earn back some of the money he may have lost this year with a strong outing against the Packers. Given the Seahawks struggles rushing the passer this year, their best chance to fluster Aaron Rodgers on Sunday may be generating pressure in the interior and that will start with Reed collapsing the pocket.

Cody Barton

Unlike previous Green Bay teams where Rodgers was the undisputed star under center, a strong argument can be made that coach Matt LaFluer's offense is built around dual-threat running back Aaron Jones. The fourth-year back out of UTEP rushed for over 1,000 yards, added nearly 500 receiving yards, and scored 19 total touchdowns, tying Panthers superstar Christian McCaffrey for the league lead among non-quarterbacks.

Jones is a matchup problem due to his versatility and since Seattle will likely still use its base 4-3 defense for the majority of the snaps, that'll mean the athletic Barton draws the responsibility of defending him in coverage frequently. Last week, the third-round pick out of Utah did a nice job locking down Eagles running backs Miles Sanders and Boston Scott in coverage and also showed off his instincts making his first career sack, but Jones will be far more difficult assignment for the rookie to handle.

Bradley McDougald

Former Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham had a down 2019 season by his standards for the Packers, finishing with just 447 receiving yards and three touchdowns. But the 33-year old veteran still presents a mismatch and Seattle hasn't exactly had an easy time trying to stop tight ends in the passing game, finishing 31st in the NFL in receptions (97) and receiving yardage (1,099) surrendered to tight ends this season. Lesser-known players at the position such as Gerald Everett of the Rams have had field days against the Seahawks defense this year and it'll be up to McDougald to help prevent Graham from showing out against his former team. Last week, McDougald played one of his best games as a Seahawk and held Zach Ertz to just one reception for eight yards while in coverage against him. A repeat performance would be most beneficial to Seattle's chances of pulling off the upset.

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