Bills Central

4 Seahawks the Bills should be worried about ahead of Week 8 clash

Here are four Seattle Seahawks that should cause some concern for the Buffalo Bills in their Week 8 clash.

Nico Salimbene

Brett Davis-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Buffalo Bills are set to take their first of two west coast trips of the season, as they're slated to take on the 4-3 Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field this Sunday. This is a matchup that doesn't happen very often; the last time these teams faced off was in 2020 - without any fans in attendance. Buffalo won that game 44-34. The last time that fans were in the stands to see this matchup was in 2016 when Buffalo fell to Seattle 25-31.

A lot has changed for both teams since then, and it's understandable if you aren't caught up with the current state of the Seahawks. For starters, this is an important game for both teams - for Buffalo, a win gives them an additional cushion in the AFC East and would shake off the notion that the Bills can't beat a team over .500. For Seattle, a win on Sunday would also further the lead in their division and would put a stop to a two-game home losing streak. Both teams will be relying on key players to get the job done this weekend. With that, here are four players that the Bills should be concerned about on Sunday:

QB Geno Smith

Geno Smit
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

This one shouldn't come as a surprise. In what is one of the most surprising stories across the league over the last few years, Geno Smith has found a home in Seattle. The former New York Jets second-round pick currently leads the league in passing yards at 1,985 and has thrown eight touchdowns on the year. Buffalo ranks towards the bottom half of the league in passing yards allowed, so expect to see a lot of plays through the air for Seattle.

Related: Bills’ standout rookie DT to miss ‘multiple weeks’ as wrist injury requires surgery

LB Ernest Jones IV

Ernest Jone
Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

In a rare case of a player playing against the same team two weeks in a row for two different clubs, now Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones IV gets a second crack at the Bills' offense. The 2021 third-round pick was traded to the Seahawks earlier this week and hopes to bring an immediate impact against some familiar faces, beyond just providing intel on the Bills in the film room. Last week vs Buffalo, Jones tallied five tackles and one quarterback hit, and two pressures.

WR D.K. Metcalf

DK Metcal
Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

There should be an asterisk with this one - the Bills should be concerned with the status of WR D.K. Metcalf going into this week. In their 34-14 win over the Atlanta Falcons last week, Metcalf was carted off the field and was later diagnosed with an MCL sprain. He hasn't been ruled out of Sunday's matchup versus the Bills, but he has yet to log a practice this week. The 6-foot-4, 235 lb wideout has shredded opposing secondaries this season - he's third in the league in receiving yards at 568 and has racked up three touchdowns in his first seven games this season.

Related: Starting LB, key rookie DT ruled out for Bills’ Week 8 matchup vs. Seahawks

DT Byron Murphy II

Byron Murphy I
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Byron Murphy II, who missed the three games prior to Seattle's victory over Atlanta last week, made his presence felt upon his return to play. The 16th overall pick racked up four tackles in his first game back in nearly a month, with one of those being a tackle for loss. An important stat to know regarding the rookie: the Seahawks are 4-0 when Murphy plays, and 0-3 when he doesn't. Needless to say, the Seahawks are thrilled to get him back on the field, and fully healthy at that.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —

More Buffalo Bills News:

Published
Nico Salimbene
NICO SALIMBENE

Home/News