RENTON — When Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins hit wide receiver DeSean Jackson for a 57-yard completion, setting up a third-quarter Washington field goal in Monday night’s game, there wasn’t much Seattle’s defense could have done to prevent the big play.
“That was a magnificent throw and catch,” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said, “Both Earl (Thomas) and (Byron Maxwell) thought they were going to intercept the ball, and it just kept going and he kept running and they just couldn’t get to it. Going back and studying it, there was nothing they could have done differently.”
Jackson’s other big play in that game, however, might have been a bit more preventable. When Jackson got open deep and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, he did so against a defensive scheme that Carroll admits probably shouldn’t have been called.
On that play, the Seahawks were in Cover 2, which is not the norm for their defense. And while Sherman lined up across from Jackson, he drifted inside with tight end Niles Paul, essentially playing as a safety, while safety Kam Chancellor tried to follow Jackson down the sideline.
And while Chancellor is undeniably one of the best safeties in the NFL and one of Seattle’s best defensive players, he is not who you want following Jackson down the sideline, especially when the alternative is Sherman, one of the best in the NFL at playing the deep ball down the sideline.
“Richard was in a half-field situation that he’s not in very often,” Carroll said. “… That was a little bit of my call, my problem. I shouldn’t have put him there.”
Sherman said he doubts the Seahawks will go back to that coverage look anytime soon.
“Yeah, I don’t think they’re going to put me back deep very often anymore,” Sherman said. “That was interesting. It was actually Cover 2 when they had me at safety. They send two seams at you and you’ve got to pick one; you pick your poison with that play. But I think we’re effectively going to throw that one out.”
Unger a question mark
Seahawks center Max Unger briefly left Monday night’s win with a foot injury, and while Unger did return to action, he didn’t practice Wednesday and his foot is enough of a concern that Seattle made a roster move to bolster depth at the position.
The Seahawks signed Patrick Lewis, who was briefly with the team in the preseason, playing in the final game against Oakland, and waived cornerback Josh Thomas. Lewis, who went undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2013, most recently was on Cleveland’s practice squad. He has also spent time with Green Bay, and Jacksonville, though he has not appeared in a regular season game.
Carroll said of Unger, “Max strained his foot. We’ll have to see him day-to-day, see how that goes.”
If Unger were unable to play, Stephen Schilling would start in his place, and Carroll said they’re confident in the former Bellevue High standout.
“He’s ready to go,” Carroll said. “He’s had a great offseason, a great camp with us. We’ve been really, really excited about his play, so if he gets a chance to play this week, we’re going to expect him to play really well.”
Other injuries
Tackle Alvin Bailey, who missed Monday’s game with an oblique injury sustained in practice last week, didn’t practice Wednesday, and is day-to-day, according to Carroll.
On the two players recovering from surgery — tight end Zach Miller (ankle) and cornerback Tharold Simon (knee), Carroll said, “Tharold is really getting close. Tharold and Jeremy (Lane) are both racing to get back. Zach is in the normal process of getting there. It’s going to be a couple of weeks past this time, but everything’s gone well so far.”
While it seems unlikely Simon would play this week — he sat out again Wednesday — he’s likely getting close if the Seahawks felt comfortable parting ways with Thomas.
Running back Marshawn Lynch, who didn’t start because of a stiff back, but still played Monday, sat out Wednesday’s practice. But it was only a rest day.
“He went through the walkthrough today, he looked fine,” Carroll said.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
