The Seattle Seahawks are 4-0 after yet another close game, grinding out a 31-23 win on Sunday morning against a surprisingly competitive Dolphins squad. Although the Seahawks never trailed, the Dolphins stayed hot on their heels for all 60 minutes in a game that was in equal turns brilliant and messy. Here are just a few of the standouts – good, bad, and ugly – from the Seahawks’ Week 4 victory.
THE GOOD
CB Shaquill Griffin: After a disappointing start to the season, Griffin appeared to be back to his old self against Miami, returning an interception for 16 yards and defending three passes. His red-zone defense was positively lights-out, which prevented multiple Dolphins touchdowns and forced them to stick to field goals. Griffin will look to carry the momentum from his performance into Week 5, where he will face an offense that features talented receivers Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson.
DB Ryan Neal: In his first-ever NFL start, Neal was quick to show fans why the Seahawks called him up from the practice squad. He followed up last week’s late-game interception with another pick on the Dolphins’ very first drive, taking advantage of a high-flying tip from Cody Barton at the line of scrimmage. He also defended two passes and made six tackles, including an incredibly powerful hit on Miami RB Myles Gaskin on a screen play. With Seattle’s secondary as banged-up as it is, expect Neal to be a major contributor for the Seahawks in future weeks.
RB Chris Carson: There were a number of outstanding offensive players in the Seahawks’ win, including DK Metcalf and David Moore, but Carson was especially noteworthy for his gutsy performance following last week’s leg injury. Seattle’s top running back ran for 80 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries and also contributed 20 receiving yards on three catches, despite leaving the game briefly in the second quarter to be evaluated for a potential concussion. “He’s an animal,” said Metcalf of Carson after the game, echoing several other teammates’ sentiments.