Game Preview: Giants, Seahawks meet for 3rd straight season

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – On the Seattle Seahawks’ first offensive snap of the 2024 season, Geno Smith was sacked for a 7-yard loss by Jonathan Cooper of the Denver Broncos.

Their second snap was even worse. Smith’s initial pass of the season, to wide receiver Tyler Lockett, was intercepted by Alex Singleton.

The remaining 14:12 of the half were mostly poor as well. The Seahawks gave Denver four points on a pair of safeties, converted one third down and punted three times.

Let’s just say their fortunes have improved. Seattle rallied to defeat the Broncos in the opener and followed with victories at New England and vs. Miami – the NFL’s two lowest-scoring teams – before falling for the first time this year Monday night in Detroit. But even that performance was notable because the Seahawks had season-highs in points (29), total yards (516), passing yards (383) and first downs (38). The Seahawks 38 first downs were the most by a losing team since at least 1950.

“I didn’t sleep too well on Monday night, I can tell you that much,” Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said.

Well, that’s understandable. Bowen’s unit is the next defense tasked with slowing down Seattle’s prolific offense. The teams will meet tomorrow in Lumen Field.

The Giants’ offense will be without their top wide receiver, Malik Nabers, who is in the NFL concussion protocol and didn’t travel with the team. Devin Singletary, their leading rusher, is doubtful with a groin injury.

That likely puts even more onus on the defense to minimize Seattle’s scoring prowess. The Seahawks lead the NFL with 280.8 passing yards and 24 first downs a game. They are fifth in total yards (387.0) and tied for ninth in points-per-game (25.5).

Seattle has a deep and versatile group of ballhandlers. Smith, a 12-year veteran, leads the NFL in pass attempts (159), completions (115), passing yards (1,182, or 295.5 a game). Running back Kenneth Walker, who scored a touchdown against the Giants in each of the last two seasons, scored three in Detroit and leads the team with 183 rushing yards and four scores, despite missing the Weeks 2 and 3 games with an oblique injury. He also averages a healthy 5.7 yards a carry. The Giants have allowed only one rushing touchdown this season, tying them with Pittsburgh and Minnesota for the fewest in the NFL.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, TK Metcalf and Lockett are a top five wide receiver trio and tight end Noah Fant has averaged 10.1 yards on his 10 catches. Metcalf has three consecutive games with more than 100 receiving yards, a first in Seahawks franchise history.

“They’re talented,” Bowen said. “I think the quarterback’s playing at a really high level. He’s got three really good players on the outside. I think the backs (including Zach Charbonnet) are really good players, they can run the ball. Big task. We’re going to have to be dialed in. It’s going to take all 11 every snap, whether it’s in coverage, being able to affect them, stopping the run. We’re going to have to get hats to the party. All those guys with the ball in their hands, they’re scary.”

How, exactly, do you stop an offense that just posted those exceptionally high numbers and has so many weapons?

“It’s a great challenge,” linebacker Bobby Okereke said. “They’re almost like a double-headed monster at receiver. The receivers are very good. Obviously, DK, M, Smith-Njigba, Tyler Lockett is a veteran playing at a high level for a long time. Geno Smith is one of the better quarterbacks in this league playing really well. And they have a great run game. Walker and Charbonnet are both playing at a really high level. So, it will be a great challenge for us. They forced a bunch of missed tackles in their four games. It’s a great challenge for us to play fundamental defense to tackle well and slow down this explosive offense.”

“It’s the same challenges that we’ve been facing,” defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches said. “You still got to eliminate the top targets. You still have to play fundamentally sound football, whether it’s hitting, tackling, being in your gap, being where you need to be in zone coverages or man coverage. It’s doing the little things and the one thing about playing a great offense is they capitalize when you don’t do the little things. You have to be sound in all your assets.”

Metcalf is a headache for any defense. He is 6-4 and 235 pounds and has exceptional speed. Metcalf is third in the NFL with 366 receiving yards, 20 fewer than Nabers. He has 24 catches, one behind team leader Smith-Njigba (who has 226 yards).

“Good matchup,” said Giants cornerback Deonte Banks. “I played DK last year. He’s explosive. He’s a strong guy. Got to be physical. Got to match him.”

Seattle offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who held the same position at the University of Washington the last two seasons, is coaching in the NFL for the first time.

“They do a really good job with the shifts, with the motions, making sure they’re coordinated, all the pre-snap stuff, checking over to the sideline, all that stuff that you’ve seen in college over the years,” Bowen said. “Really just trying to find ways to get on the ball and then ultimately get them in the best play possible versus look.

“It’s all a little bit of mind games pre-snap for us and for them – making sure we’re showing them something possibly doing something different and we’re doing the same thing and hopefully they think we’re doing something different. It’s going to be a big challenge for just seeing them get lined up initially, see all the moving parts and make sure we’re all on the same page when that ball is snapped.”