If the temptation is to say Sunday’s 27-13 win over the Giants provided the latest evidence that it’s time to start believing in the Seahawks, the Seahawks say it’s simply time to finally join the club.
“I think we’ve always believed from the jump,” said veteran safety Quandre Diggs after Seattle’s third straight win, which improved their record to 5-3 and kept them in first place in the NFC West. “It was never that we didn’t believe that we were good. We knew we were good. We just had to put it together.”
After a 2-3 start that had most of the NFL believing that the Seahawks season was already dead in the water, Seattle has undeniably put it together the past three games, beating Arizona, the Chargers and now the Giants by a combined 83-45, each by 10 points or more, with the defense showing increasing stoutness with each week and Geno Smith increasing staying power as one of the best QBs in the league.
On that happy note, on to what are also mostly happy grades.
Quarterback
The Giants, who entered the game leading the NFL in blitz percentage, stayed true to that habit, bringing pressure after pressure against Smith, hitting him 10 times with three sacks. But Smith stayed strong in the pocket throughout to complete 23 of 34 passes for 212 yards, two touchdowns and, most important, no turnovers. Smith finished with a passer rating of 104.0 — his fifth rating at that number or higher this year in eight games — a number that would have been 120.34 if Tyler Lockett catches that TD pass in the third quarter and everything else stays the same. He also had five smart carries for 24 yards. At the halfway point of the season, Smith should legitimately be in the MVP conversation.
Grade: A.
Running back
The Giants’ dynamic defensive tackle duo of Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence made it really hard for the Seahawks to get much running done between the tackles and Seattle was held under 100 yards for the first time since the 49ers’ game in Week 2, with 87 on 25 carries. But that was not the fault of the running backs. Rookie Kenneth Walker III didn’t get frustrated and eventually turned in yet another TD run — his fifth in four games — a 16-yarder to seal the game. Travis Homer played for the first time in a month and had a 21-yard catch and run that set up a field goal.
Grade: A.
Wide receiver
Tyler Lockett had a fumble that led to a Giants TD and a drop that cost the Seahawks a touchdown. But Lockett has barely practiced the past two weeks while dealing with hamstring and rib injuries. And he came back to make the biggest play of the game, the 33-yard TD in the fourth quarter that put Seattle ahead for good. DK Metcalf also somehow shrugged off what last week appeared a serious injury to start and get 10 targets for a team-high six receptions for 55 yards and another score. They weren’t perfect, but you can’t question their effort. Marquise Goodwin chipped in another four catches for 33 yards, continuing to become the third WR the Seahawks desperately need.
Grade: B.
Tight end
This wasn’t the huge day receiving for the tight ends some might have anticipated given the injuries at receiver — a combined five catches for 36 yards. But Will Dissly’s early catch on fourth down to set up the first TD was one of the bigger plays in the game. And Noah Fant’s 16-yarder came the play before Walker’s TD run. Dissly also had a forced fumble and a recovery on the punt cover team.
Grade: B.
Offensive line
It was a challenge for the inside three offensive linemen with Williams and Lawrence at the top of their games, and Seattle losing center Austin Blythe for much of the game due to a sprained knee — Williams had five QB hits and Lawrence another. The line had trouble providing much room for the backs to run. But rookie tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas again seemed to hold up OK — Giants rookie rush end Kayvon Thibodeuax had one QB hit and no other stats, and Giants starting end Jihad Ward had only a pass deflection to his name. One personnel note — Gabe Jackson got the start at right guard, but Phil Haynes came in on the third series. The two rotated throughout.
Grade: B-minus.
Defensive line
This might have been the best game of the year for the line given New York’s status as one of the best running teams in the NFL, averaging 173.4 yards per game. The Giants had just 78 on 28, 2.8 per carry, with nothing longer than 15. While there were a few drives when it seemed Daniel Jones had plenty of time to throw, Seattle had five sacks and eight QB hits by the end of the game. Tackle Poona Ford, whose light has come on the last three games as the Seahawks have shifted to a more attacking style with its front, had a sack and two QB hits, and Shelby Harris had four tackles. L.J. Collier, in his first game of the season, had a pass deflection and a QB hit.
Grade: A.
Linebackers
What a day for outside linebackers Uchenna Nwosu and Bruce Irvin. Nwosu, who is emerging as Seattle’s best free-agent signing in years, had two sacks and two tackles-for-a-loss on running plays. Irvin, thrust into starter’s snaps with Darrell Taylor out with a hip injury, had one of the bigger plays of the game, the tackle of Saquon Barkley for an 8-yard loss on a first down at the Seattle 29 in the fourth quarter. As for the inside, Cody Barton might have had his best game of the season with five tackles, a sack and a pass breakup on a late fourth down, while Jordyn Brooks was again steady with five tackles.
Grade: A.
Secondary
This might have been the best game of cornerback Michael Jackson’s career as he had a team-high seven tackles and three pass breakups. Safety Ryan Neal also was again stellar with six tackles, two for a loss, playing a huge role in holding down New York’s running game before leaving with cramps. Corner Tariq Woolen had a big third-down pass breakup early as well, while nickel corner Coby Bryant also was again steady with five tackles. And Quandre Diggs might have saved a TD when he dived to get Barkley for just a 9-yard gain on a run in the second quarter, the kind of play the Seahawks are making now that they weren’t earlier in the year.
Grade: A.
Special teams
The two forced fumbles on punt returns by New York’s Richie James, were an obvious major factor in the game, leading directly to 10 Seattle points. The first, forced by Dissly, was recovered by Joey Blount and led to a field goal. The second, when the score was 20-13, was forced by Homer and recovered by Dissly and led to the clinching TD. That alone gives this group an A. Jason Myers’ 51-yard field goal in the third quarter was also quietly big, coming after Lockett’s drop and meaning Seattle at least got out of the drive taking a 13-10 lead and not giving the ball to the Giants in good field position.
Grade: A.