Rookies Shine Bright in Seahawks’ Week 17 Defeat

Losing three of their final four regular season games and playing without several key starters on both sides of the ball, the Seahawks are reeling at the wrong time with the playoffs set to open next weekend.

But if there’s a reason for optimism as preparation begins for a second trip to Philadelphia, it revolves around the increasing contributions of Seattle’s 2019 rookie class, a group that played a crucial role in the team’s incredible comeback effort in Sunday’s 26-21 loss to San Francisco.

With players such as Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny on injured reserve and safety Quandre Diggs sidelined with a high ankle sprain, Seattle has had no choice but to throw several rookies into the fire down the stretch, whether they were ready or not.

Making his return from retirement, Marshawn Lynch understandably drew all the headlines last week. But coach Pete Carroll wasn’t kidding when he indicated the Seahawks would lean on sixth-round pick Travis Homer, who made the most of his 50 offensive snaps against the 49ers.

“He played great tonight,” Carroll remarked after the game. “He was so aggressive. What a tough kid he is. That’s all he’s ever shown us. He just did what he always does. I thought he looked great tonight.”

Earning his first career NFL start, Homer provided a spark out of the backfield as both a runner and a receiver. Showing off his sub-4.48 40-yard dash speed and willingness to seek contact on several outside runs, he rushed for 62 yards on 10 carries. He also caught all five of his targets for 30 yards as a check down option for Russell Wilson.

Homer’s biggest play came on Seattle’s final offensive possession, as he caught a quick pass in the middle from Wilson on 2nd and 10 and raced to get out of bounds for an 11-yard gain and a first down. The reception moved Seattle past midfield into San Francisco territory.

After nearly hitting 100 all-purpose yards, guard D.J. Fluker compared Homer’s skill set to another former late-round pick who turned into an NFL Hall of Famer. While it is certainly hyperbole after one game, it shows where the rookie stands in the locker room.

“Homer, he’s a special guy. I call him “TD”, Terrell Davis. That’s how Terrell Davis started. It’s good to see the mechanics. That’s him. That’s the story right there. He’s a great guy, always coming into work. He got his shot to play and he showed up. That’s what it’s about.”

Displaying toughness and plenty of burst, Homer wasn’t the only rookie to make notable plays as Seattle kept the game close in the first half and rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit.

Though he didn’t earn the start replacing Diggs at free safety and played just five defensive snaps, second-round pick Marquise Blair made a significant play midway through the second quarter to limit the 49ers to three points.

Facing 3rd and 10 from the Seahawks 15-yard line, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo hit receiver Deebo Samuel in stride on a quick slant and the speedy rookie looked to have a first down. But Blair delivered a perfect hit, placing his helmet on the football and knocking it out of Samuel’s hand.

San Francisco recovered the fumble, but after a delay of game penalty, the visitors were forced to settle for a short Robbie Gould field goal, keeping Seattle within striking distance.

Lucky to be down just 13 points at half, fellow second-round pick DK Metcalf stood out as one of the Seahawks main offensive weapons in the second half, finishing with six receptions for 81 yards. Winning a jump ball in the end zone over cornerback Akhello Witherspoon, his 14-yard touchdown reception with 3:40 to go in regulation cut the 49ers lead to five.

DK.

Metcalf.

DK.

Metcalf is HERE! #SFvsSEA pic.twitter.com/GYBTtHhLlW
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 30, 2019

With the standout performance, Metcalf wrapped up his splendid rookie campaign with 58 receptions and 900 receiving yards, the second most behind Joey Galloway in franchise history.

“I’m excited about obviously what’s ahead going into the playoffs with him,” Wilson commented. “I think about the season that he’s had, he’s as good as it gets. I think he’s one of the best rookies in the game. It definitely showed tonight.”

Following Metcalf’s heroics and a quick three-and-out by Seattle’s defense, Wilson received one last shot to finish off the furious rally. And he nearly pulled it off thanks to seventh-round pick John Ursua, who hadn’t caught a single pass all season long and was in the game primarily due to injuries to Jaron Brown and Malik Turner.

Needing to pick up 10 yards on fourth down from the 49ers 12-yard line, Wilson rolled out to his right to buy himself a little extra time against a vicious pass rush. With Ursua coming back to the football, he fired a completion to him at the one-yard line, setting up first and goal with no timeouts remaining.

Former #HawaiiFB receiver John Ursua’s first catch of the season was a HUGE one! 😱#bowsinthepros | #GoBows
pic.twitter.com/74cNYWo699
— ESPN Honolulu (@ESPNHonolulu) December 30, 2019

Unfortunately, the Seahawks weren’t able to finish off the drive with any points after tight end Jacob Hollister was stopped just shy of the goal line moments later, but Ursua’s clutch first reception kept their hopes alive and may have bought him additional snaps in next week’s wild card game versus the Eagles.

Moving into January football where one slip up means the end of the season, the Seahawks have some reinforcements potentially on the way, as Diggs and tackle Duane Brown could return in Philadelphia. But with many of their injured players done for the season, they’ll need players such as Metcalf, Homer, and Ursua to step up to win playoff games.

As shown on the biggest stage on Sunday, the coaching staff should be confident in their abilities to do just that, which gives Seattle a fighting chance to right the ship despite a rocky finish to the regular season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google