Week 3’s meeting between the Seahawks and Cowboys doesn’t need much extra juice, to be honest. It’s already the premier matchup of the Sunday slate, with an early MVP candidate leading his undefeated club against the high-potential visitors fresh off one of the most improbable comeback wins in recent memory.
Seattle’s famous 12th Man won’t be in attendance at CenturyLink Field, but the buzz surrounding Russ-versus-Dak will be deafening nonetheless. The game is predicted to be a track meet, an all-out air raid that could come down to which team’s defensive secondary finally gives out.
The Seahawks’ newest DB star, though, says he’ll be doubly motivated to shine when Dallas comes to town.
All-Pro safety and Metroplex native Jamal Adams says he’s gotten word from back home that he’s been called out in the Cowboys locker room in advance of Sunday’s game.
“I’ve seen a couple things. They said I struggle in coverage, so I can’t wait,” a smiling Adams told reporters Thursday, according to ESPN. “I got a little text from one of my buddies back home. He has the inside scoop on that. So, looking forward to it.”
Adams wouldn’t provide details about his source or which Cowboys players were responsible for the critique.
“I can’t tell you that, man,” the former Pro Bowler said. “C’mon, I can’t give you the nuggets like that, man. I grew up with a couple guys who are still my brothers, best friends to this day. We talk every day, group messaging. What goes on in Dallas, it always comes back to me. I always find out the scoops. So just a little edge, a little chip on my shoulder to go out there and continue to do what I’m doing. Obviously, things happen. It’s part of the game. And hey, just looking forward to the matchup.”
Adams spent the better part of a year linked to his hometown Cowboys during his fallout with Jets ownership. While there was mutual interest in the LSU product coming to Dallas, the oft-rumored trade never materialized. Adams was dealt to Seattle in July of this year.
He’s played well in the Pacific Northwest, leading his new team in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss through two games. But the Seahawks defensive backs have given up more passing yardage and more explosive plays than any other squad in the league.
That’s a facet of Sunday’s showdown that Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott hopes to exploit.
“It’s huge,” Prescott said on Thursday when asked about the importance of hitting a big play or two against Seattle. “But we just have to allow the game to come to us. I don’t think we can go out there and say, ‘We’ve got to have this many explosive plays in the first quarter or this many plays by half.’ We’ve just got to go out there and allow the offense to come to us, allow the feel for the game to take care of itself. Break tackles, complete some passes, allow our athletes to get into open space. Simply go out there and be the best that we can be on offense. And if it leads to more explosive plays, then obviously that’s what we’d like. That’s a good combination for a win.”
The focus of Seattle’s secondary will no doubt be on stopping the Cowboys’ trio of stud receivers from making those explosive plays. Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb all ranked in the league’s top 50 in receiving yards through Week 2.
But the veteran of that group feels like something is about to break loose in a big way.
“Whether we leave the game with 50 yards or 100 yards, we’re all putting some good things on tape,” Cooper told the media via conference call this week. “I think it can only get better from here. I’m looking forward to the day where all of us get in the end zone in the same game or have 100 yards in the same game. I know it can happen, and I know it can happen often. And I know when it does happen how lethal the offense can be.”
Of course, the more that Seattle zeroes in on the Dallas wideouts, the more room there will be for running back Ezekiel Elliott to work the ground game. And that, in turn, opens things up even more for the passing attack. It’s a vicious cycle for an opposing defense.
“When you have a running back like we do,” Prescott explained, “when you have to load the box up just to stop Zeke, we’re going to get the one-on-one coverages that we want. I don’t think there will be a game that I’ll play all season long where there’s not a couple of mismatches every time it’s man across the board. Just being able to have that talent, that ability out there, their sense of pride in what they do and their work: they’re always encouraging each other to do better. And I think that’s why that group is so special. And were going to be special together.”
But Prescott knows the Seahawks safety who almost became a Cowboy will be a key factor. And that was even before the bulletin-board smack talk made its way back to him.
“Jamal Adams is a great player. Obviously, played him when he was up in New York. But just knowing that he can disrupt the game, you’ve got to account for him, whether he’s around the line of scrimmage, into some pass protection, or whether you’re running the ball in his direction. You’ve just got to make sure that you get bodies on him and you account for a good player like he is. He can certainly change the game.”
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