Home Opener Preview: Lions Are 'Better' Team Right Now
Corbin Smith covers the Seahawks for FanNation. He answered five questions heading into the Lions-Seahawks matchup at Ford Field.
1.) What happened in the opener for the Seahawks?
Corbin Smith: It was truly a tale of two games for Seattle. Led by Geno Smith and Kenneth Walker III, the Seahawks should have scored on all four of their first-half possessions. And, even after a missed field goal by Jason Myers, they went into halftime nursing a 13-7 lead. Unfortunately, nothing went right in the final two quarters, as injuries on the offensive line contributed to a historically inept half with just 12 yards of offense. Meanwhile, Pete Carroll's defense couldn't get off the field, allowing over 400 yards and 11 third-down conversions. The Rams then produced 23 unanswered points, to close out an ugly performance at home.
2.) How do you think the Seahawks' offensive line injuries will impact the team this week?
Smith: With tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas ruled out, the Seahawks will be missing arguably their two best linemen. It creates a major concern facing Aidan Hutchinson and a talented Lions pass rush. Once both of those players exited early in the second half, Seattle couldn't function offensively, struggling to protect Smith at all. If there's a silver lining, the team had a full week to game-plan with Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan working with the starters, and the coaching staff should have a better plan in place to help the two young reserves. Still, those absences may prove to be too much for the Seahawks to overcome.
3.) The Seahawks have solid offensive weapons this season. What are the team's strengths and weaknesses?
Smith: If Smith has time to operate, few teams in the NFL have a better arsenal at the skill positions than the Seahawks. Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf rank among the best receiving duos in the league, and the addition of first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba further bolsters the receiving corps. The team has invested a pair of second-round picks on Walker and Zach Charbonnet, giving Seattle an exciting backfield tandem. At tight end, the Seahawks also have a trio of quality veterans, headlined by Will Dissly and Noah Fant.
Defensively, the Seahawks hope to have an elite secondary, but injuries kept rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon and former All-Pro safety Jamal Adams out of the opener last week. Without them, the group got carved up by Matthew Stafford, in a disappointing performance. The physical Witherspoon will make his debut on Sunday, which should provide a major boost to the group.
4.) What is a key matchup you are looking forward to watching?
Smith: This game will boil down to which defense capitalizes most on reserve tackles playing along the opposing offensive line. Detroit still has standout right tackle Penei Sewell, so the home team will be in better shape going into the game. However, EDGE rushers Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor will be excited for the chance to go against Lions backup left tackle Matt Nelson. If Seattle can take advantage of Taylor Decker's absence and get consistent pressure on Jared Goff, the chances of stealing a road game will go up exponentially. Of course, Forsythe and Curhan will have their hands full, too, with Hutchinson and company. And, these matchups could derail the Seahawks' odds of pulling an upset.
5.) How do you see the Week 2 contest at Ford Field playing out?
Smith: The last two times these teams have met, the Seahawks and Lions have combined for 80 or more points in shootouts. Due to the offensive line injuries on both sides, I don't see either team lighting up the scoreboard like that this time around. But, I expect to see a tightly-contested game from two well-coached teams. In the end, I think the Lions are the better team right now. And, with their fans ready to throw a loud party at Ford Field, the home team has too many advantages to falter, and will win a one-score contest.
