After an emotional win in Pittsburgh Sunday night, the Baltimore Ravens are heading to the Emerald City to face the 2-6 Seattle Seahawks this weekend.
While a Ravens win should fully be expected, the recent loss in Jacksonville illustrated that you still have to play the game.
Here are 10 things to watch with Seattle:
1) In their 8 games, the Seahawks have scored 122 points, and allowed 185. Seattle’s offense is ranked 29th overall (23rd passing, 30th rushing). Their defense has fared better ranking 16th overall (18th against the pass, and 13th against the run).
2) After being 2-3, Seattle has lost three consecutive games coming out of their Week 5 bye. In those three games (@ Cleveland, Cincinnati, @ Dallas) the Seahawks have scored no more than 13 points, and just 28 points total.
3) Tarvaris Jackson has started 7 games at QB. Twice, against Atlanta and Cincinnati, he has thrown for over 300 yards. In his past three games, he has thrown just 1 TD against 5 picks. For the year, Jackson has completed 60.4% of his passes, thrown for 1,556 yards, and has a QB rating of 73.2% (29th overall). His Total QBR rating (ESPN) is 38.5, which is good for 27th overall.
4) Marshawn Lynch is the starting RB. Buffalo’s 1st round pick in 2007, is averaging 4.1 yards per carry and has scored 4 times on the ground. Lynch caught 47 balls in the ’08-’09 season, but has just 12 receptions this year. He is coming off his best game of the year, ripping off 135 yards against Dallas.
4a) At FB is Michael Robinson, who was a QB in College at Penn State. Named the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2005, Robinson finished 5th in the Heisman vote. Against an opponent with far more weapons, I could see Seattle trying to use Robinson on a trick play.
5) There are a couple of big, physical, and capable WR’s to take note of. The former Viking Sidney Rice is 6’4 202 lbs. In ’09 he had the monster year, with 89 receptions and 1,312 yards, and 8 TD’s. This year he is averaging 16.1 yards per grab on his 27 receptions, and an impressive 4.7 yards after the catch. Opposite of Rice is Mike Williams. After being selected 10th overall by Detroit in ’05, Williams did nothing his first 3 seasons, and was out of the league for two years before getting a shot with his old College coach Pete Carroll last year. Williams took advantage of that 2nd opportunity with 65 receptions, and 751 yards, to emerge as a solid possession receiver. This year, the 6’5 235 lb Williams has not much with 12 receptions in 6 games. He continues to deal with a hamstring issue.
5a) Undrafted Rookie Doug Baldwin (Stanford) has impressed with 28 receptions, for 434 yards.
6) Former Raider Zach Miller is having a tough time in his first year with Seattle. Miller entered 2011 with 3 consecutive seasons with at-least 56 receptions. With Seattle he has caught just 11 balls for 99 total yards. He had zero catches at Dallas last week.
7) The starting LT is Russell Okung, the Seahawks 1st round pick (6th overall) in the 2010 draft. At RT is James Carpenter, Seattle’s 1st round pick in 2011.
8) DE Chris Clemons had 11 sacks last year, and has had 5 so far this year.
9) It is hard to imagine any of Seattle’s starting LB’s being in the Ravens two-deep. The starters are Leroy Hill, David Hawthorne, and K.J. Wright.
10) The starting CB’s are two Rookies. Richard Sherman is a 5th rounder out of Stanford, and Brandon Browner was undrafted out of Oregon State. Browner has imposing size for a CB at 6’4, 221 lbs. The Safeties, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas are both in their 2nd year. Thomas, the FS, was a 1st round pick in 2010, and a Pro Bowl alternate as a Rookie.
Owner
Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.