Key Matchups to Watch as Seattle Seahawks Open 2024 Season vs. Denver Broncos

From a star-studded battle between DK Metcalf and Pat Surtain II to a physical brawl in the trenches, there's no shortage of fun matchups as the Seahawks host the Broncos.

Aug 8, 2019; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf (14) runs the ball against Denver Broncos linebacker Keishawn Bierria (40) in the first half at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Looking to open the Mike Macdonald era with a victory in front of the home crowd, the Seattle Seahawks will kick off the 2024 regular season squaring off with a familiar foe as the Denver Broncos come to town for a Week 1 battle.

Which matchups will have the greatest influence on which former AFC West rival snags a season-opening win? Here are six positional battles to watch as Seattle and Denver duke it out on Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field:

*All stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted.

--Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba versus Broncos cornerbacks Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, and JaQuan McMillian: Pitting two of the best in the NFL at their respective positions against each other, Metcalf and Surtain will square off for the second time as a highlighted matchup to watch from the opening kickoff. Back in the 2022 opener, Surtain allowed six catches on six targets to Metcalf, but limited the receiver to just 35 yards, 5.8 yards per catch, and a single first down on those receptions. Geno Smith shouldn't be scared to take shots at the standout corner and target his top receiver, but the Seahawks could have a significant advantage away from that star-studded duel thanks to the talent and depth in their receiving corps.

For one, Moss has never started an NFL regular season game and played 23 total defensive snaps last season, making him a candidate to test early covering Lockett, Smith-Njigba, or Jake Bobo. In the slot, Smith-Njigba's size could be problematic for McMillian, who stands just 5-10, 183 pounds and gives up a few inches and nearly 20 pounds in that coverage matchup. Laviska Shenault could also factor in with his 6-2, 220-pound frame in a reserve role, giving Ryan Grubb plenty of interesting options to be aggressive scheming up looks from inside receivers with Metcalf and Lockett drawing tons of attention outside.

--Seahawks defensive tackles Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, and Byron Murphy II versus Broncos guards Quinn Meinerz and Ben Powers: This should be a peak strength versus strength battle in the trenches, as Seattle further reinforced an already formidable interior defensive line by drafting Murphy and signing nose tackle Johnathan Hankins to go with Williams and Reed and Denver locked up Meinerz to a much-deserved multi-year extension opposite of Powers. The Broncos will want to take some of the pressure off of Nix by establishing a complementary run game, especially against a Seahawks defense that has much to prove after finishing 31st in rushing yards allowed last season.

Graded out as the best run blocking guard in the NFL by PFF last season, Meinerz can bully opponents at the point of attack and also excels in the zone blocking game, while Powers lives up to his last name as a punishing road grader and has been one of the better run blocking guards in football dating back to his time with the Ravens. If the Seahawks aren't able to hold serve at the line of scrimmage and the Broncos find a rhythm running the ball behind their two maulers in the middle, that could be the necessary recipe for an upset to spoil Macdonald's debut.

--Seahawks tackles Charles Cross and George Fant versus Broncos outside linebackers Baron Browning, Jonathan Cooper, Nik Bonitto, and Jonah Ellis: Seattle has no shortage of confidence in Smith and his stable of receivers, but keeping the quarterback upright and buying him time to get the ball downfield will be easier said than done with Denver's litany of exciting pass rushing options off the edge. Coming into his own in his third season, Cooper broke out with 57 pressures and 8.5 sacks last season, regularly winning as a power rusher. In a stark contrast, Bonitto does his damage with an explosive first step and elite bend at the top of his speed rushes, which allowed him to tally 47 pressures and eight sacks in his second season.

Interestingly, Browning may be the most dynamic of the trio, as injuries have been the primary reason his numbers haven't quite stacked up. He racked up up 35 pressures in just 10 games last season and can be a real problem with his quickness and ability to punch the ball out for strip sacks. Adding an intriguing rookie in Ellis to the mix only further solidified a deep, disruptive group, providing a fun early test for a much-improved Cross and Fant, who will be counted on to get the job done while Abraham Lucas remains sidelined.

--Seahawks linebackers Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker versus Broncos running backs Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Blake Watson: Away from the trenches, the Seahawks will be banking on Dodson and Baker getting downhill and making plays in the run game, and their past track records with the Bills and Dolphins suggest they should be able to do so as long as the front line keeps them clean. But what makes this matchup a potentially concerning one for Macdonald and his staff is the fact that Sean Payton has always loved to get backs involved in the passing game and will look to find ways to get them matched up one-on-one against linebackers in coverage.

Though he hasn't been a big play threat, Williams has been a reliable target out of the backfield with 106 catches and five touchdowns, while the 187-pound McLaughlin has some Darren Sproles in his game and caught 31 passes for 160 yards and a pair of scores as a rookie. Watson could be the wild card here, as the rookie out of Old Dominion caught over 100 passes in college and has dual-threat ability as well. Dodson fared well in coverage for the Bills last season, at least by PFF standards, and Baker has historically matched up well against backs with his athleticism. Still, Denver's backs have plenty of juice in space and could wreak havoc if they frequently get separation on Seattle's new linebacking tandem.

--Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith versus Broncos safeties P.J. Locke and Brandon Jones: Letting a Hall of Fame-caliber player go, the Broncos cut perennial All-Pro Justin Simmons in March as a cap casualty, quickly replacing him with Jones, who has been a mid-level starter at worst for the Dolphins over the past three years when healthy. That's still a significant drop off, however, and Jones has been sidelined for most of the summer by injuries, creating questions about his readiness for the season opener in a new defense.

Meanwhile, Locke will be a full-time starter for the first time in his career after auditioning in the second half last year and surrendered 13.5 yards per reception and two touchdowns in coverage last year. Breaking in two new starters at safety as well as one new starter at cornerback, even with Smith running a new offense himself for the first time in a regular season game, the veteran quarterback should be on the lookout for potential assignment gaffes in coverage on the back end, ready to pounce when a deep shot to Metcalf, Lockett, or Smith-Njigba presents itself.

--Seahawks secondary versus Broncos quarterback Bo Nix: After starting 61 games at the college level, Nix may not be near as easy to rattle as most rookie quarterbacks and Payton will have him ready to handle the elements in a loud road environment, but he still will be making his first regular season start and has yet to face a starting defense in the league. Serving up a Macdonald specialty, the Seahawks can make life difficult on the young signal caller by muddying up his coverage and blitz reads, particularly with their cornerbacks and safeties.

One of the smartest defensive backs in the entire NFL, Devon Witherspoon will be well-prepared for what Payton historically has liked to do on offense and with his positional flexibility and pass rushing talent, Nix will be zeroed in on his whereabouts every single snap. Meanwhile, Julian Love and Rayshawn Jenkins have both started more than 30 games in their careers and with both players capable of playing either safety spot and even in the slot while also being capable blitzers, moving them all over the place pre and post-snap could create the confusion necessary to drum up a turnover or two from the rook.