Seahawks tied for 2nd-most players on the injured reserve

The Seattle Seahawks are no stranger to the injury bug. They’re still finding ways to win despite having one of the highest injury totals.

Injuries, like in any sport, are a part of the game of football. Some injuries can derail seasons and others can, unfortunately, end careers. The Seattle Seahawks are no stranger to the injury bug, but they aren’t letting it impact them this year.

Heading into their bye week, the Seahawks are tied with the Texans, Jaguars, and Broncos with 13 players on the injured reserve. That is good for the second total, behind only the Falcons. Of that group, Seattle surpasses only the Falcons in terms of money on the IR.

The teams at the top of the list, at least financially, lost their starting quarterbacks. The Seahawks find themselves near the top in both categories because of the sheer quantity of players on the IR – although they have been fortunate that the impact felt by many of those losses has been minimal. As such, the team’s record is 8-2, and they just dethroned the last undefeated team in the league.

One of the biggest contributors to Seattle’s cap money tied to the IR is tight end Ed Dickson, who is expected to be activated soon. His return will be a big help on the field, which only adds to the potential of this team down the stretch.

Even though the Seahawks haven’t lost a player like Ben Roethlisberger or Cam Newton, they are still stinging from the losses of starting center Justin Britt and tight end Will Dissly.

Hopefully, the “big money” injury (a la Russell Wilson or Tyler Lockett) isn’t on the horizon and the team can continue to heal.

On the other end of the bye week, the Seahawks will be taking on the  Eagles, likely with the help of Dickson.

A healthy Dickson not only lowers the amount of money tied up on the injured reserve, but it also gives Seattle more depth at a key area of need for the rest of the season.

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Shaquem Griffin earns bigger role after Monday night performance

The Seattle Seahawks are planning to find ways to get Shaquem Griffin involved as an edge rusher for the rest of the season.

The Seattle Seahawks are 8-2 through the first 10 weeks of the season, in part because they are able to flash different tricks up their sleeve each week to keep opponents guessing.

Monday night against the 49ers saw Seattle debut two new impact players, safety Quandre Diggs and receiver Josh Gordon, which made it difficult for San Francisco to gameplan without having seen either of them in a Seahawks uniform.

As if that wasn’t enough, Shaquem Griffin, who has been an active member of the special teams all year, made his 2019 debut on the defensive side of the ball against San Francisco — and he was playing a new position.

Griffin played 14 snaps on defense for the Seahawks, all coming on passing downs as an edge rusher. While he did not record any stats, coach Pete Carroll liked enough of what he saw to keep him in that role going forward.

“We’re going to find ways to utilize him,” Carroll said on Tuesday. “It’s really clear, more than it has been, that we might be able to build [him] a role that could be a factor. We have to work at that more so just to use his speed. He’s instinctively a good rusher. He’s just not very big. You have to do special things with him. We’ll put that together and see if we can make that a good complement to what we’re doing.”

Part of the reason Carroll believes Griffin should play more is certainly due to his performance in practice — but it might have more to do with the poor performance of veteran Ziggy Ansah, who has failed to live up to expectations in his first season in the blue and green.

Ansah also only played 14 snaps on Monday, and he was benched after committing a neutral zone infraction late in the game.

The veteran edge rusher has just one sack and three quarterback hits all season, and has struggled to adjust to Seattle’s defensive scheme.

Griffin is not a slam dunk to instantly contribute off the edge, but considering how great at it he was in college, he’s certainly earned at least a look out there. Plus, this allows Carroll to challenge Ansah to improve, knowing his role is no longer guaranteed if Griffin can find a modicum of success getting to the quarterback.

The Seahawks have a Week 11 bye but will be back in action on Sunday, November 24 against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

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Former Spartan Malik McDowell sentenced to three months in jail

Former Michigan State and Seattle Seahawks football player Malik McDowell has been sentenced to 3 months in Oakland County Jail.

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The sad saga of Malik McDowell’s time since leaving Michigan State continues, as he was just sentenced to three months in an Oakland County jail. He will also have to write three essays as well. The former Spartan Football recruit from 2014 pleaded guilty in October to two charges of resisting arrest, possessing a stolen vehicle, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Finally, he’ll also have three years of probation.

It’s a little unique to have McDowell write the essays in addition to his time in jail. Here are the topics: finding the meaning in life other than committing crimes; the importance of respecting the rule of law and the principles of the Declaration of Independence and how your behavior undermines them.

“There are still (NFL) teams interested,” McDowell’s attorney Mitchell Ribitwer said. “So if he can get himself together, maybe he can be in the NFL or XFL or something. Personally, I think he’s committed to it. He’s a nice young man.”

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Seahawks DE Jadeveon Clowney named NFC Defensive Player of Week 10

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has been named the NFC’s Defensive Player of Week 10 for his play against the 49ers.

Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was a huge part of Seattle’s win over the 49ers Monday night. Against San Francisco, Clowney logged five hits on the quarterback, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery that resulted in a defensive touchdown.

Clowney’s performance was exactly what coaches and fans had been waiting for this season.

“It was a breakout game,” coach Pete Carroll said in his postgame press conference. “I thought he was so impressive all night long. I don’t know how, I thought they were tackling him, he was just penetrating so fast and so furiously. And what a fantastic game.”

For his efforts Monday night, Clowney has been named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week. This marks the second time in Clowney’s career he has earned the award, the first time being last year when he was still a member of the Texans.

It’s no surprise Clowney was also named Seahawks Wire’s Player of the Game.

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NFL Week 11: How to survive and advance in your knockout pool

The Niners and Raiders are double-digit favorites in the same week for the first time since 1987. Does that make them safe picks?

The Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons combined to send many knockout pools to the finish line in Week 10. However, if you rolled the dice and went with the Bears against the Matthew Stafford-less Lions as a late audible, you were rewarded … barely. On to Week 11 as the drama builds and tension heightens.

Don’t think about it

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles get together for the first time since Super Bowl LII. This figures to be a great game to watch and if you somehow have either team available, keep them in the bank. The Rams and Bears get together again. Last year saw Chicago on top. Another game that is worth enjoying and not getting anywhere near. Would have to say the Steelers and Browns fall into this category. Pittsburgh is playing well and Cleveland is coming off a good win against Buffalo. It’s Thursday night and not worth ruining your weekend. The Texans and Ravens get together in what should be a showcase of two of the best QBs in the game, Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson. This could come down to who has the ball last and that is not the memory you want to take away from being eliminated from a knockout pool. Not going to try and figure out what Colts team shows up to face the Jaguars. If Brian Hoyer plays again, stay far away from Indy. And, in the Monday night matchup, San Diego plays host to Kansas City in Mexico City. This could provide plenty of offensive fireworks and is a great way to finish NFL Week 11 by enjoying it and not having to choose sides.

Second-half Saints schedule sets up for a strong playoff push

The New Orleans Saints strength of schedule is mediocre. The Green Bay Packers have it easy but the San Francisco 49ers are in for a shock.

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The second half of the NFL regular season is upon us, and it couldn’t have started worse for the New Orleans Saints. They air-balled what should have been an easy win over the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, losing their grip on the second playoff seed in the NFC as the Green Bay Packers beat the Carolina Panthers and the top-ranked San Francisco 49ers suffered their first setback of the year to the Seattle Seahawks.

But Saints fans should feel optimistic about their fortunes moving forward, and their team’s chance to recover. New Orleans has just four games against opponents with winning records, including the 49ers (8-1), Panthers twice (5-4), and Indianapolis Colts (5-4), as well as the middling Tennessee Titans (5-5). There’s plenty of time for correction and improvement ahead of them.

According to NFL Research, the Saints’ second half schedule ranks near the middle of the pack, with their remaining opponents sharing a combined record of 33-31-0 (.516). Here’s how they rank among their peers:

Compare that to what other NFC playoff contenders are facing. The San Francisco 49ers are set to play the second-toughest schedule down the stretch, with their future opponents having gone 40-25-1 (.614); their odds of holding onto the top playoff seed in the conference are slim. However, the Green Bay Packers are in good position to maintain their one-game lead on the Saints in playoff seeding, with a relatively weak strength of schedule of 25-30-1 (.455) ahead of them. That’s the ninth-easiest second half schedule in the NFL.

As for the two-team race in the NFC South: the Carolina Panthers are still a few games behind the Saints, but their remaining strength of schedule at 32-32 (.500) is slightly easier to navigate than what New Orleans will see. If Carolina handles its business and the Saints continue to play down to their competition, it’s not impossible to see a path for the Panthers to steal a divisional title in the season’s final weeks. If New Orleans plays like they did last Sunday, they could be in for a rude awakening no matter how favorable their schedule looks on paper.

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Report: Tyler Lockett flying back to Seattle, expected to play vs. Eagles

Seattle Seahawks star receiver Tyler Lockett is expected to play in Week 12 after getting the go-ahead to fly back home from California.

Seahawks star wide receiver Tyler Lockett is flying back to Seattle today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He spent the last few days at a Bay Area hospital for precautionary reasons after suffering a lower leg contusion in Monday night’s victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Lockett did not play at all in the overtime period on Monday and was sent to a hospital with swelling in his leg. The team opted to leave him in California as a safety measure, and he remained there on Tuesday as well.

Lockett is on his way back on Wednesday, via Seahawks owner Jody Allen’s private plane, and he is expected to play in Week 12 against the Eagles in Philadelphia, according to Schefter. The Seahawks have a Week 11 bye.

Lockett is in the midst of a Pro Bowl-caliber season, racking up a career-high 62 receptions for 793 yards and six touchdowns through the first 10 games.

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Tight end Ed Dickson should be activated with Luke Willson injured

With tight end Luke Willson now out with a hamstring injury, Seattle Seahawks will likely activate Ed Dickson back to the 53-man roster.

The Seattle Seahawks just continue to suffer injuries at the tight end position. In Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, Luke Willson left the game with a hamstring injury and was unable to return leaving Jacob Hollister as the team’s only true tight end on the roster.

Willson had been battling a rib injury heading into the contest.

“Luke’s got a legit hamstring – legit meaning that it’s not just a little cramp or something,” coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday after Willson had been further evaluated. “It showed up in the MRI testing of it. But it might be a couple weeks for him, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

With Willson potentially out for the near future, the Seahawks will look to tight end Ed Dickson for additional support at the spot. Dickson, who is now eligible to be activated back from the injured reserve, should be healthy to play.

“Yes, he’s ready to go,” Carroll confirmed. “Fortunately, if Luke is unable to play then we would like to think we can go right to Ed and get him going.”

Dickson has been able to practice with the team but must be added back to the 53-man roster before he can make his 2019 season debut.

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NFC West roundup Week 10: Seahawks only team in division to win

The Seattle Seahawks were the only team in the NFC West to post a win in Week 10, as the 49ers, Rams and Cardinals all suffered losses.

Week 10 was a brilliant week for the Seattle Seahawks, as they were the only team in the NFC West to win a game. What’s more, their victory came against their biggest rival in a thrilling overtime classic.

The Cardinals suffered a gut-wrenching defeat to the Buccaneers, while the Rams fell to the streaking Steelers on the road.

The Seahawks are now in a great position heading into their bye week and have a chance to win the division outright. Let us dive a little deeper into the specifics of how Seattle’s rivals fared last week.

Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney shines in breakout game

Against the 49er, Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney logged five hits on the QB, a sack and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney finally had the breakout game everyone had been waiting for. Against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10, Clowney finished the day with five tackles, five hits on the quarterback, a sack and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown – his second defensive score of the year.

Clowney was all over the field Monday night and his recorded statistics don’t accurately reflect all the pressure he put on San Francisco’s offense throughout the contest.

“Golly, what a fantastic football game he played,” coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday afternoon. “He just was unblockable. He just continued to weave his way into the backfield and make plays, the run and the pass. Any plays that he wouldn’t get credit for that he affected were many and all across the board. Pass defense was good last night. Made a lot of plays, had hands on a lot of balls.”

The Seahawks had been short on sacks this season – only recording 15 heading into the Week 10 matchup. With Clowney’s assistance, Seattle was able to log five more against the 49ers as well as 10 total hits on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Clowney and his teammates have the week off to enjoy the bye before resuming practice next Monday ahead of the Eagles matchup Week 12.

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