That was so satisfying. Mike Macdonald loves his rallying cry, whether it’s “12 as one,” “Chasing Edges” or “EAT.” After beating the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in the divisional round, I have another game for the Seattle Seahawks – professional sabotage.
Those two words embody McDonald’s vision for the team and perfectly sum up the way Seattle has played the past two months. The “Dark Side” defense completely suffocated opposing offenses, while the running game was going great. For weeks, I’ve been trying to find different ways to describe the dominance the Seahawks have shown, especially on the defensive end. The way Ken Walker runs the ball behind this nasty offensive line, the offense is more than worthy of the “career-ruining” moniker.
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Ken Walker III is really, really good…actually historically good in the Seahawks’ playoff runs.
The offensive line gave him a good crease, and Walker hit the ball in the hole with explosiveness. He also had some great cuts and steals on the way. Perhaps the most iconic of the way the Seahawks are playing right now is the one in the fourth quarter when he ran into traffic and was pushed about five yards away as the rest of the team joined in the action. The Seahawks are using their bodies to impose their will on their opponents. I think he had 19 carries for 116 yards and three touchdowns every day.
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Ernest Jones IV is awesome. He single-handedly forced two turnovers today, stole the ball from Jake Tongas on Seattle’s second defensive possession and picked off Brock Purdy late in the game. He is a tackling machine and a leader in the defensive midfield, keeping everyone in line. Acquiring Jones in a trade last season was one of the best moves John Schneider made as Seahawks general manager.
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Rashid Shahid is awesome. Speaking of great John Schneider trades, the Shaheed trade is the gift that keeps on giving. His kickoff touchdown was actually the game-winner and his third since joining the Seahawks at the trade deadline. Shahid also had a great run on the final possession and was called for a pass interference penalty. With Torrey Horton injured, Shahid’s addition has been key to the Seahawks’ success this season.
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Demarcus Lawrence is awesome. He nearly forced a fumble on his first pass of the game to Brock Purdy. He then botched his fourth possession. He even later strip-sacked Purdy and the ball was recovered by Nick Emmanwori. Tank came to the Seahawks because he thought they had a chance to win the Super Bowl. He is doing his best to make this happen.
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Cooper Kupp was great in the playoffs.. His five catches for 60 yards might not be the most impressive, but all of them seemed to come at crucial times. Kupp is the reliable safety blanket that everyone hoped he would be after signing with his hometown team.
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Tight ends didn’t have any catches today, but they all blocked their butts. AJ Barner and Eric Saubert both threw key blocks against the outside run game, and Walker was very effective against the 49ers. This selfless display is why these guys are so beloved.
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Nice to see Charles Kroos and Kobe Bryant back there. Unlike Cross, Bryant finished the game, but hopefully it was just a precaution against Charles. Zach Charbonnet is also injured, but the initial prognosis is promising. He’s a vital part of the third package and a touchdown machine, so letting him miss time hurts the offense.
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The offensive line was stopped very well again today, as evidenced by the 175 yards rushingSeattle ran for more than 150 yards for the fourth straight week. At this point, I don’t think it was a fluke. There’s no better time for the running game than during the most important time of the season!
Seattle will be hosting the NFC Championship Game for the first time in over a decade, and that feels good! Whether it’s Game 3 against the Los Angeles Rams or a showdown with the second-seeded Chicago Bears, the atmosphere is sure to be wild. Until then, please enjoy. This is a special, special team!
