The full Chris Carson, full O-line, Jamal Adams playing hurt keys to Seahawks-Rams playoff
Russell Wilson is 5-0 in playoff home games.
But he’s never started one like this.
There will be no fans. There won’t even be rain.
The Seahawks (12-4) will have the least amount of home-field advantage they’ve ever had in a playoff game today in the NFC wild-card playoff game at Lumen Field at 1:40 p.m. against the Los Angeles Rams (10-6). Ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in King County and Washington have ensured that.
But All-Pro (again, as named Friday) Aaron Donald and the Rams’ defense that finished the regular season ranked first in the NFL will be there.
That’s the biggest concern for the Seahawks Saturday.
The key players to the first playoff game in Seattle in four years:
1. All eyes on Jamal Adams.
Did you really think the All-Pro safety was going to miss his first-ever NFL playoff game? Adams declared Wednesday there’s “no question in my mind, I’m playin’”—despite two injured shoulders and two broken fingers. His latest injury was to his left shoulder last weekend. He’s played through the other injuries since the first Rams game in mid-November. He’s gained a wider impact on Seattle’s defense with the emergence of Carlos Dunlap and a front-four pass rush for the Seahawks. That’s had Adams blitzing less and more in coverage the latter half of the season.
The Rams use their tight ends a lot, and many of them. Tyler Higbee has had 23 targets in the last three games against these teams. Adams will be getting a lot of the coverage on Higbee, even with no good arms.
2. In Los Angeles all eyes have been and will continue to be on Jared Goff.
The Rams’ $134 million Super Bowl quarterback had surgery to repair a broken thumb on his passing hand less than two weeks ago. He appeared to be throwing well in practices this past week, his first since the surgery. Coach Sean McVay says he won’t name a starting quarterback until game time, and some are reporting it’s going to be John Wolford in his second NFL start.
McVay wants to keep the Seahawks guessing. They’ve prepared for both, seem to expect it to be Goff, but spent more time on planned quarterback runs and scrambles instead of throwaways from the more elusive Wolford.
If Goff can handle the pain of taking snaps, he will start instead of Wolford, who ran and threw the Rams into the playoffs in his first career start last weekend against Arizona. Goff was bad two games ago in Seattle, with a terrible red-zone interception and misfires all over. But that was the day he broke his thumb. McVay reiterated this week Goff “is our starting quarterback”—when he’s healthy. We’ll all find out about 1:40 p.m. how healthy he is.
3. Are the playoffs the time the Seahawks finally unleash the full Chris Carson?
Their lead rusher’s most carries in a game this season is 17. That came way back in week 2. That’s the lowest high rush mark in any of his four NFL seasons. He’s not 100% healthy, but no NFL running back is by January.
Play caller Brian Schottenheimer says Seattle wants to get Carson more involved in the offense, particularly in the passing game.
“I’ve not seen him run with this much confidence, this much enthusiasm,” Schottenheimer said this week.
Carson has tens of millions of reasons to be enthused. His contract is ending. He wants to prove his full worth on the NFL’s grandest stage, the playoffs.
Wilson is at his most dangerous when defenses have to honor Carson’s running. No team has sacked Wilson more than the Rams, and no player has dumped Seattle’s quarterback more than LA’s All-World Donald.
Expect the Seahawks to throw quick passes to Carson and run him often early to set the agenda they want--and need--to advance through the postseason.
4. The Seahawks have all five of their starting offensive linemen healthy and playing together for only the sixth time in 17 games.
Right tackle Brandon Shell and left guard Mike Iupati are back. This is only the second time since week 4 the full line has been available for Seattle.
How huge is that? In the five games Duane Brown, Iupati, Ethan Pocic, rookie Damien Lewis and Shell have started left to right across the line, the Seahawks are 5-0. They’ve averaged 35 points per game in those weeks.
Seattle’s offense is full go for the biggest game of the season.
In fact, the team’s injury report overall for Saturday is as light as I’ve seen for a playoff game. Carroll said the two starters the team lists as questionable, cornerback Shaquill Griffin and defensive tackle, are playing.
5. It’s going to be close. It’s probably going to be low-scoring.
It’s likely to come down to Jason Myers.
That’s a plus for Seattle.
The veteran kicker is 24 for 24 on field goals this season. He’s made a franchise-record 35 field goals in a row. In the first Rams game, in November, he set the club record with a 61-yarder.
Whether you view life with the glass half full or half empty, Myers is due: to either win the game continuing his perfect season—or to finally miss one.
Prediction: The Seahawks’ reborn defense keeps the Rams’ offense throttled and Seattle’s slogging offense in the typically low-scoring Seahawks-LA game late. Then Wilson does what he’s so often done with big games on the line: win big to advance.
Seahawks 17, Rams 16.
This story was originally published January 9, 2021 at 9:28 AM with the headline "The full Chris Carson, full O-line, Jamal Adams playing hurt keys to Seahawks-Rams playoff."
