RENTON — Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril is playing his best football since arriving in Seattle in 2013. On Wednesday he received recognition for his excellence.
Avril was honored by the NFL on Wednesday as he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for October.
Avril was an absolute terror rushing off the edge throughout the month. In four games he recorded 16 tackles, 6.5 sacks, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles and 11 quarterback hits.
“It’s an honor,” Avril said Thursday at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. “I’ve been fortunate enough to be playing some good ball. I’m definitely happy about it, but there’s still a lot of football to be played as well. It’s great to get the accolade for the month, but in the end we still have two more months of football, and at the end of the year if we’re the last team standing it will be that much better in the sense of receiving it.”
Overall Avril has 7.5 sacks through seven games, meaning he’s on pace to surpass his career best of 11 sacks in 2011 while he was playing for the Detroit Lions.
“I think it’s really great recognition because we’ve seen his play be so on in a lot of different ways,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “Whether it’s rushing the passer, pressuring, or getting sacks, or knocking balls loose, or knocking balls down, he’s just been a great factor. And in the running game, too, so he’s played beautiful football.”
Bennett’s surgery successful
Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday in Los Angeles, Carroll said.
Bennett missed the tail end of Seattle’s 26-24 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 16 after getting hit on the knee while being cut blocked by Atlanta offensive lineman Jake Matthews. Bennett returned the following week to play the entire game in Seattle’s 6-6 tie against the Arizona Cardinals. However, Bennett’s knee swelled up following that game, and further tests revealed cartilage damage. Bennett sat out Sunday’s 25-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
“Everything went really well, and it was exactly as expected,” Carroll said of the surgery. “That will allow us to be optimistic about it, a three-week type of window maybe, and we’ll see if he’s able to pull that off. We’ll be very fortunate if he does, but that’s kind of what we’re shooting for.”
Injury update
Strong safety Kam Chancellor (groin) did not practice Thursday and his status remains in doubt for Monday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. Chancellor has missed three straight games because of the injury.
Carroll said tight end Luke Willson (knee), tackle Bradley Sowell (knee) and linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (ankle) have a chance to return from their injuries this week, but that they remain day to day.
Pope returns
Running back Troymaine Pope is back with the Seahawks. The undrafted rookie free agent, who excelled during the preseason with Seattle before being waived before the season began, was signed to the Seahawks’ practice squad on Thursday after being waived by the New York Jets. There was no announcement Thursday on who was released from the practice squad to make room for Pope.
For more on the Seattle sports scene, check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at www.heraldnet.com/tag/seattle-sidelines, or follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.
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