Seahawks vs. Lions: Key Matchups to Watch as Seattle Seeks Upset

With both teams battling injuries along the offensive line, the microscope will be on edge rushers for the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions as the two playoff hopefuls duel in an intriguing early season battle at Ford Field.

Looking to rebound from a difficult loss to the Los Angeles Rams in their season opener, DK Metcalf and the Seattle Seahawks will hit the road for the first time to battle a much-improved Detroit Lions squad in Week 2.

Playing stingy defense while holding the defending champions to just 20 points, the Lions opened their season with a historic win over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium last Thursday night and fans will be coming in droves sporting blue ski masks to cheer on their exciting young team on Sunday. Making matters tougher for the visitors, the Seahawks will have to deal with that noise without starting tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, who suffered injuries last week and will be unavailable.

Which matchups will have the greatest impact on who snags a pivotal early season win at Ford Field? Six matchups to keep a close eye on, starting with backup tackles galore on both sides:

--Seahawks tackles Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan versus Lions edge rushers Aidan Hutchinson, Charles Harris, and James Houston: Easily the biggest concern for the Seahawks going on the road this weekend, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will have to find a way to scheme up a competent, effective offense without either one his starting tackles against a fearsome Lions pass rush. Hutchinson, the second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, will likely spend the majority of his time lined up on the left side across from Curhan, who struggled mightily allowing four quarterback pressures on just nine pass protection plays against the Rams last week. The former undrafted signee out of California has had significant issues dealing with top athletes off the edge and will need help from tight ends and backs to deal with the rising star.

On the other side of the line, Forsythe offers a bit more athleticism at left tackle and he held up better in pass protection last week than his teammate, allowing only one pressure on eight passing plays. But at 6-8, he has natural leverage issues that remain an ongoing battle for him, particularly in the run game. Getting him out in space may be the best bet for running to the left side, while he may need support dealing with Harris, who is only two years removed from an eight sack season. If one or both replacements prove to be a turnstile, Smith will have a tough time getting the ball out to his receivers and the Seahawks could be in big trouble.

--Seahawks edge rushers Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor, and Derick Hall versus Lions right tackle Matt Nelson: While Seattle has major injury concerns on the offensive line, Detroit isn't entering this game fully healthy in the trenches either. Left tackle Taylor Decker played in the season opener against Kansas City, but he missed practice all week with an ankle sprain and has been listed as doubtful, likely pushing Nelson into the starting lineup in his place. In four NFL seasons, the former Iowa Hawkeye has not performed well in pass protection, allowing 50 pressures and three sacks on 543 career pass play snaps. He's only been slightly more serviceable as a run blocker with only one prior season receiving a 60.0 or better grade from PFF.

This should, at least in theory, create an ideal matchup on the right side for Nwosu, Taylor, and Hall to take advantage of one week after the Seahawks' pass rush was mostly non-existent against the Rams. In last season's matchup with Decker and Penei Sewell both in the lineup, Nwosu found his way to Jared Goff for a sack, while Taylor generated three pressures in a situational reserve role. If they can replicate such production and Hall can chip in as well in his second NFL game to turn up the heat on Goff, the chances of pulling off a road upset will increase dramatically.

--Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba versus Lions cornerbacks Cameron Sutton, Jerry Jacobs, and Brian Branch: With the offensive line unable to protect Smith after halftime, Metcalf, Lockett, and Smith-Njigba failed to come close to 100 combined receiving yards against the Rams, as the latter two players finished with 13 or fewer yards. Given their immense talent as a group, such production stood out as a major disappointment on an afternoon littered with poor play on both sides of the ball and Waldron will want to get his trio involved early against a cornerback stable with some question marks. In the past two matchups between these teams, Metcalf has erupted for 212 yards and three touchdowns, while Lockett has produced 115 yards and a score.

DK Metcalf went off against the Lions in last year's 48-45 win at Detroit, going for 149 yards and averaging more than 20 yards per reception

Sutton, who came to the Motor City on a three-year contract in March, allowed five receptions for 57 yards on six targets in his lone game against the Seahawks as a member of the Steelers in 2021. Across from him, Jacobs didn't play in either of the Lions losses to the Seahawks due to injury, so this will be his first crack at going against Metcalf and Lockett on the outside. In the slot, the versatile Branch started his NFL career off with a bang by returning a deflected pass from Patrick Mahomes for a pick six in his debut and his ability to play both safety spots as well as the nickel role will make him a playmaker Smith must always keep tabs on during Sunday's game.

--Seahawks cornerbacks Riq Woolen, Tre Brown, and Devon Witherspoon versus Lions receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown, Marvin Jones, and Josh Reynolds: Name recognition wise, the Lions may not have the star power at receiver that the Seahawks do, but don't question the talent they have assembled for Goff on the outside. A budding superstar, St. Brown eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards last season and started off hot with 71 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs last week. The Seahawks know his capabilities all too well, as he lit them up for 134 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2021. Though he didn't play in last year's game due to injury, Reynolds gave the secondary fits with seven receptions for 81 yards on eight targets and a touchdown, building off his previous success against Seattle when he played with Goff in Los Angeles. The return of Jones also could poise problems, as the savvy 33-year old veteran went off for 117 yards and two touchdowns against the 'Hawks in 2018.

With St. Brown spending most of his time running routes from the slot, Witherspoon will face a major challenge in his NFL debut after missing last week's game with a hamstring injury. The fifth overall pick offers the athleticism, physicality, and ball skills to thrive playing inside, but he will have to be on his A-game against one of the league's best slot wideouts. On the outside, Woolen returned a pick six against Goff last year when he tried to squeeze a pass in to tight end T.J. Hockenson over the middle, so the veteran quarterback may be cautious going after him. On the other side, Brown likely will get his second straight start, but his leash will be short with Jackson and Witherspoon both ready to play outside if he struggles again.

--Seahawks running backs Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet versus Lions linebackers Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, and Jack Campbell: Investing draft picks and dollars into the position, including a first-round pick on Campbell in April, the Lions may have the best linebacking corps they have had in a decade. Campbell is an instinctive tackling machine who should only see an uptick in playing time by week, while Anzalone is coming off a career year with 125 tackles for Detroit a year ago and the uber-athletic Barnes looks to be coming into his own in his third season out of Purdue. That trio helped slow the Chiefs down, albeit without star tight end Travis Kelce, combining to make 13 tackles and produce two pass breakups in coverage.

If there's a potential advantage for the Seahawks to attack, however, none of those three linebackers weighs more than 243 pounds and the Lions mostly played in nickel and dime last week, leaving only one or two of them on the field at a time. This should create ideal opportunities to run the football with Walker and Charbonnet, particularly with inside zone and between the tackle gap concepts. In the passing game, Anzalone has been suspect at times, allowing a 73 percent completion rate in his career, while Barnes has been torched allowing an 85.1 percent completion rate and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Getting the backs involved in the passing game against these linebackers could be a recipe for success for Seattle.

--Seahawks linebackers Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, and Devin Bush versus Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery: If the Seahawks have a potential mismatch to capitalize on with their running backs, the same may be said for the Lions, who invested a first-round pick in Gibbs and signed Montgomery away from the Bears in free agency to form a new one-two punch. Fitting the mold of a modern every down back, Gibbs has the ability to line up in the slot and move around the formation as a receiving threat on top of his explosive playmaking ability as a runner, evidenced by his 60 yards on just nine touches in his debut last week. His presence with 4.36 speed against the 33-year old Wagner or Brooks coming off a torn ACL could spell major trouble without safety help.

As for Montgomery, he's not a slouch as a receiver either with 155 receptions and 1,240 receiving yards in his career. While he likely won't be spending time on the outside as a receiver like Gibbs, he can do plenty of damage on swing routes and in the flats out of the backfield and will also create a possible matchup nightmare for Seattle's linebackers. Adding in their potency as runners behind a physical offensive line, and this will be a difficult test for Wagner, Brooks, and Bush if he plays due to a shoulder injury. Slowing down the run game will be vital to combatting the Lions dynamic play action passing game, putting a lot of pressure on the linebackers to get the job done.