Seattle Seahawks Could Be Most Vulnerable to New York Giants in This One Matchup

Seattle Seahawks On SI publisher Corbin Smith provides some deeper insight into the state of the New York Giants’ Week 5 opponent.

Four games into Mike MacDonald’s tenure, and what would you say is the biggest difference with how the team is being run overall?

In terms of culture, there has been more of a disciplined approach to steering the ship than Pete Carroll employed, starting with more physical training camp practices in August with an increased emphasis on tackling. The music isn’t blaring as loud as it did for the past decade on the practice field, either.

The most noticeable difference between the lines has come regarding situational football, where the Seahawks have made tremendous strides compared to last season. 

Though there’s still a lot of room for growth, Seattle ranks 17th in third down conversion rate and 12th in red zone touchdown rate after finishing 23rd and 26th in those categories last year, respectively. 

The Seahawks also rank fourth in third down conversion rate and 15th in red zone touchdown rate on defense with Macdonald at the helm, stark contrasts from when they finished 31st and 24th overall in 2023.

What did the Lions defense do to slow down the Seahawks offense last week?

Honestly, the Lions didn’t slow down the Seahawks as much as the Seahawks slowed themselves down. They eclipsed 500 yards for the game, converted half of their third downs, and turned three of their four red zone trips into touchdowns. 

Unfortunately, DK Metcalf coughed up a fumble on Seattle’s second possession that led to a quick Detroit touchdown, putting them behind 14-0 quickly. 

In the second half, with a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter and already past midfield, a questionable offensive pass interference penalty on Tyler Lockett negated a first down reception by Jaxon Smith-Njigba on 4th-and-3, forcing the Seahawks to punt and allowing the Lions to promptly extend the lead back to 15 points on a touchdown drive of their own.

Where is the biggest weak spot on the Seahawks team?

As has been the case for over a decade, the offensive line continues to be the biggest concern for Seattle, and injuries have only exacerbated the issue. 

Starting right tackle Abraham Lucas has been out all season and remains on the PUP list, while his backup George Fant now sits on injured reserve, which has forced third-stringer Stone Forsythe into the lineup. 

At the guard spots, Anthony Bradford and Christian Haynes continue to partake in a competition on the right side, with no clear winner emerging. Laken Tomlinson has been serviceable at best as a left guard with pass protection woes. 

The group played better in Detroit on Monday night, and Geno Smith has succeeded in spite of the unit’s struggles, but trench play remains the biggest question mark for this team’s ability to reach its potential.

How has this new offense complemented what quarterback Geno Smith does best?

Smith has many traits similar to former Washington star and current Atlanta backup Michael Penix Jr., which has made the transition to Ryan Grubb’s offense seamless. 

He’s a pocket passer with a big arm who loves to throw the ball vertically and offers elite accuracy, which makes him an ideal fit for a scheme predicated on aggressively attacking downfield and getting the ball out with excellent timing and anticipation. 

He’s also an underrated scrambler, which has shown up at times in extending plays and mitigated some of the concerns along the offensive line. Add in his continued improvements pocket presence-wise, and it’s no wonder he leads the NFL in passing yards and has gotten off to such a strong start with the weapons Seattle has around him.

Despite the Giants’ record, what one element about the team do you think the Seahawks have the greatest concern with stopping?

Any time the Seahawks play the Giants, the first concern always lies in the trenches on offense. Dexter Lawrence has been a thorn in Seattle’s side over the years, regularly devouring Russell Wilson and Smith as a disruptive interior rusher and holding serve against the run. 

Away from those two, Charles Cross and Forsythe will have to deal with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux and pass protection off the edge has been hit-and-miss for the Seahawks all year long. 

If there’s a game where that duo could wake up, even playing in a hostile road environment, this could be the opponent where that pairing starts wreaking havoc, which would make life far tougher for Smith to take advantage of throwing to Metcalf, Lockett, and Smith-Njigba.