Tag: Leonard Williams

12 of the top individual PFF grades for the Seahawks in Week 12

Here are 12 Seahawks players who stood out in individual parts of the game against the 49ers according to the Pro Football Focus grades. 

The Seahawks got another thumpin’ from the 49ers at home last night, their fourth consecutive loss to their NFC West rivals. While the 31-13 loss is a bummer, it’s important to take away the positives as well as the negatives. Seattle got more quality football from their young core, especially from second-year left tackle Charles Cross and rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon, as well as rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Veterans like Jamal Adams and Leonard Williams also contributed.

Here are 12 Seahawks players who stood out in individual parts of the game against the 49ers according to the Pro Football Focus grades.

Studs and duds for Seahawks from their Thanksgiving loss to the 49ers

Here are our studs and duds.

The Seahawks are one of the better teams in the NFL this year – they just so happen to share a division with a serious heavyweight. Tonight we got another reminder that the 49ers are still pretty far ahead of Seattle in this NFC West arms race. Playing in front of a holiday primetime crowd, the usually sharp-in-primetime Seahawks got manhandled in three of four quarters, losing at home to the Niners, 31-13.

While the overall message is a downer about where they are in relation to their greatest rivals, there still were some positive performances. Here are our studs and duds.

Week 11 preview and prediction: Seahawks @ Rams

Week 11 preview and prediction: Seahawks @ Rams

The Seattle Seahawks are gearing up for their first divisional rematch of the year, and it will be against their perpetual thorn in their side: the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle kicked off the season against the Rams in Week 1, and it did not go as planned for the Seahawks.

Los Angeles marched into Lumen Field and promptly handed it to Seattle. The Seahawks’ 13-7 halftime lead quickly melted down into a 30-13 defeat, as Seattle’s offense only managed 12 total yards in the second half. The loss of tackles Charles Cross and Abe Lucas truly affected the Seahawks’ ability to move the ball. With the return of Aaron Donald – who did not play in either game between these teams in 2022 – the Rams feasted defensively.

Donald won’t be the only one back for the Week 11 rematch, as head coach Sean McVay says the team will be as close to full health as they were since Week 1. This means quarterback Matthew Stafford is expected to play, as well as Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, who was absent in Week 1.

Speaking of Week 1, it may have been the peak of the Rams’ season thus far. At 3-6, Los Angeles has not played nearly as well as they did in Seattle. Injuries have taken their toll, as well as the fact this roster is quietly rebuilding. But this does not mean the Seahawks should take their foe lightly.

In the Pete Carroll era (2010-present), the Rams – be it St. Louis or Los Angeles – have consistently had Seattle’s number. The Seahawks are 13-15 against the Rams during this stretch, and it’s only gotten worse with Sean McVay at the helm. Since McVay took over in 2017, the Rams have claimed a 9-5 record, including a playoff win.

Seattle is lucky the score isn’t more tilted, as a game-winning touchdown was dropped by a rookie Cooper Kupp in 2017 and a game-winning field goal in 2019 missed wide right. Had Kupp held on, or Greg Zuerlein’s kick gone through, both 16-10 and 30-29 wins could have easily been flipped into losses.

Prediction: Rams beat Seahawks 24-16 

At 6-3 and 3-6, both Seattle’s and Los Angeles’ seasons have gone in opposite directions. The Rams appear to be the rebuilding team we all thought they’d be, and the Seahawks have a chance at winning the NFC West. Several times over the years I’ve picked Seattle to beat Rams teams, especially those seemingly down and out, only for it to blow up in my face. I am choosing to not be Charlie Brown attempting to kick the football again.

For whatever reason, McVay and his LA Rams have the secret formula to defeating Carroll’s Seahawks. Having Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald in the lineup is truly the difference makers here, as Stafford is undefeated versus Seattle as a Ram.

In Week 1, without Kupp, rookie receiver Puka Nacua torched the Seahawks secondary with ten receptions for 119 yards. Now Kupp is back in the lineup, making this a formidable duo.

What could be the difference in favor of Seattle is their pass rush. In Week 1, the Seahawks didn’t even come close to making Stafford uncomfortable. Stafford had plenty of time to sit back in the pocket and carve up the defense. Now, Seattle’s pash rush has come alive. Led by linebacker Boye Mafe, and the recent acquiring of defensive tackle Leonard Williams, if the pass rush can hit home the Seahawks have a chance at a road upset.

Watch: What the Seahawks told reporters after win over Washington

Here’s what head coach Pete Carroll and several Seattle players told the media after the game.

The Seahawks just barely beat the Commanders at home today, winning thanks to a walk-off field goal by kicker Jason Myers. However, they wouldn’t have been in position to do so without clutch performances in the fourth quarter by Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.

Here’s what head coach Pete Carroll and several key Seattle players told the media after the game.

8 Seahawks highlights from Week 10 win over Commanders

Here are eight highlights for the Seahawks from their win over Washington.

The Seahawks survived a close game with the Commanders at home today, coming away with a 29-26 victory thanks to a buzzer-beating field goal by kicker Jason Myers. Aside from Myers’ five field goals, Seattle also got some clutch plays from Tyler Lockett, Devon Witherspoon and a few other key players.

Here are eight highlights for the Seahawks from their win over Washington.

Leonard Williams says he went through Tyler Lockett to buy his house

Leonard Williams says he went through Tyler Lockett to buy his house

It can be easy to forget that when players get traded, there’s a whole lot more to the ordeal than just switching teams. Players need to uproot their whole lives and move to entirely new cities. In the case of defensive lineman Leonard Williams, he had to literally move across the country from the New York area to Seattle, WA.

Then as players begin to figure out their living situation, the joys of house hunting begins. Even for a multi-millionaire athlete like Williams, trying to find a home in the Seattle area isn’t a walk in the park.

Fortunately, he has a teammate who can uniquely help him. Wide receiver Tyler Lockett has been a realtor on the side for some time now, and been quite successful at it. So much so that Williams actually enlisted Lockett’s services for this very task.

I don’t believe I speak for myself when I say I’ve never heard of this tactic for teambuilding. But then again, the Seahawks under Pete Carroll always find new ways to build culture.

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Behind Enemy Lines: Week 10 Q&A with Cowboys Wire

With a Week 10 matchup between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys on tap, we go behind enemy lines for a chat with Cowboys Wire.

The New York Giants (2-7) and Dallas Cowboys (5-3) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 10 matchup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The Giants opened the week as 15.5-point home underdogs but that has improved to +17 as of this writing.

With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Cowboys Wire managing editor KD Drummond.

Giants gave Leonard Williams option to veto Seahawks trade

New York Giants GM Joe Schoen gave Leonard Williams an option to veto the Seattle Seahawks trade in a very unusual but respectful move.

When the New York Giants traded defensive lineman Leonard Williams to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a pair of draft picks, it came as a surprise to many.

The trade of Williams himself wasn’t the shocker, it was the return: a 2024 second-round draft choice and a 2025 fifth-round choice.

It was a deal too good to pass up for general manager Joe Schoen, but he would have if Williams wanted to remain in East Rutherford.

Brandon Parker, Williams’ agent, told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post that the Giants gave Williams a veto option.

“Normally I certainly wouldn’t speak on the record about a team, because that’s a mutual respect thing,” Parker said. “Because I was so blown away, in a good way, how the Giants handled this situation, I actually want there to be good things said about this front office.”

Williams had previously praised the Giants for how they handled the trade, but he left out the part about how Schoen gave him veto power.

“It was a hard decision for Leonard,” Parker added. “It wasn’t, ‘I want to get out of here,’ and they certainly weren’t like, ‘We want to ship you out.’ It was more like, this would probably be best for both sides.

“There weren’t any tears shed, but there were close to some tears shed from people in that front office when they went to say goodbye to Leonard. That was real.”

With Seattle, Williams has a chance to chase the playoffs and potentially a Super Bowl before becoming a free agent next season. The Giants, meanwhile, were able to add to their draft capital as they continue their attempt to rebuild a declining franchise.

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Giants’ Xavier McKinney hints at disconnect: Leaders ‘not really being heard’

Team captain Xavier McKinney says there is a disconnect between New York Giants coaches and players with leaders “not being heard.”

After picking up their first playoff victory since 2011 a year ago, expectations were understandably high for the New York Giants entering the 2023 regular season.

Brian Daboll was the reigning AP Coach of the Year, quarterback Daniel Jones was coming back after a breakout campaign, and running back Saquon Barkley backed down on a holdout to return to the team.

By all accounts and measures, the Giants should have taken another big step forward.

But that’s not what happened.

Instead, the Giants have regressed to an astonishing degree and following a 30-6 beatdown at the hands of the makeshift Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, are now 2-7 on the season and headed for a top pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

The black cloud that has plagued the Giants for more than a decade has returned in force and things are only going to get worse before they get better.

Following Sunday’s loss, safety and team captain, Xavier McKinney, revealed that cracks are forming in the foundation and there’s an ongoing disconnect between the players and coaches.

“Honestly, it sucks. But, I don’t know, man. I don’t really have many words. I think that from a leadership standpoint, I don’t think they’ve done a great job of letting the leaders lead, and listening to the leaders and the captains,” McKinney said, via ESPN. “But obviously it sucks losing.”

McKinney didn’t clarify who “they” are but it doesn’t take a genius to read between those lines.

“It’s just been tough,” he said. “I don’t want to speak on it too much, but that has been my frustration.”

This isn’t the first time McKinney has griped about the situation in New York. However, this does represent the first time he’s felt emboldened enough to reveal a rift between those in charge and the players on the field.

“It was little things,” McKinney said. “It was one of those things where you have some of your leaders, captains from a defensive standpoint, trying to switch things up. And just not really being heard.

“I don’t know. There are other things too that we could’ve done. Like I said, the execution stuff could’ve been better. But when you got guys out there that are playing and seeing different things and are being vocal and communicating that with the coaches and whoever and are not being heard, it’s hard to go out there and be able to make plays and do things of that nature.”

The Giants also traded team captain Leonard Williams to the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline and that wasn’t well-received in the locker room.

With things beginning to fracture, Daboll must find a way to rally the troops. If relationships continue to sour, the Giants will be faced with a tough choice — replace the players or replace those in charge. Again.

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Leonard Williams unlikely to sign extension midseason with Seahawks

According to a report by Adam Schefter at ESPN, Williams is unlikely to sign a midseason contract extension with Seattle.

Seahawks fans should enjoy new defensive lineman Leonard Williams while they have him. According to a report by Adam Schefter at ESPN, Williams is unlikely to sign a midseason contract extension with Seattle.

Even if Williams makes a massive impact down the stretch and this team goes all the way to the Super Bowl, allowing Williams to walk as a free agent next year makes more sense than re-signing him to a massive new contract. While the Seahawks gave up plenty of draft capital to get him (a second-round pick in 2024 plus a fifth rounder in 2025) they can get some of that back by letting him walk and getting a compensatory draft pick.

That makes Williams an expensive half-year rental, but the front office has identified they have a Super Bowl window open, so he’s worth the investment.

Williams will make his debut for the Seahawks today against the Ravens in about two hours. It will be interesting to see if he’s starting right away or where else he might fit into the interior defensive line rotation.

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