The start of the 2020 NFL season is upon us. It’s going to look different this year, as the coronavirus pandemic means there will be either few or no fans in the stands, at least at the start. Nevertheless, the season kicks off Thursday when the Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans.
So how do you think the Seattle Seahawks are going to fare?
The Seahawks open the season Sunday by traveling cross country to take on the Atlanta Falcons in a game that starts at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, and Seattle would seem to have lofty goals for 2020.
Seattle is coming off a 2019 in which it finished 11-5 and in second place in the NFC West, and the Seahawks were literally inches away from beating the San Francisco 49ers on the last day of the season and thus passing the Niners for the division crown. Seattle then won at Philadelphia in the wild-card round of the playoffs before bowing out at Green Bay in the divisional round.
The optimism heading into the 2020 season centers around quarterback Russell Wilson and the offense. Wilson is coming off yet another MVP-caliber season in which he completed 66.1% of his passes, had a sparkling 31/5 touchdown/interception ratio, and compiled a 106.3 passer rating.
This season Wilson will have even more weapons at his disposal. The receiving duo of Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf is back, with Metcalf expected to be even better now that he’s no longer a rookie. They’re supplemented by the addition of former Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen, the return from injury of tight end Will Dissly, and the tantalizing prospect of receiver Josh Gordon being reinstated from his league-imposed suspension. Running back Chris Carson, coming off a 1,000-yard season, is back from the fractured hip that ended his 2019 prematurely.
Seattle’s offensive line is undergoing its annual shuffle, so it’s yet to be determined if it will be any better. However, given that Wilson tied for the league lead by getting sacked 48 times, there’s plenty of room for improvement.
The question marks for Seattle fall on defense, as this is no longer the Legion of Boom. Last year the Seahawks ranked 22nd in the league in points allowed and 26th in yards allowed. The addition of All-Pro safety Jamal Adams via trade from the New York Jets will help.
The bigger issue, however, is the pass rush. Last season Seattle tied for second-to-last in the NFL in sacks with 28, and now the Seahawks are without their star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who finally ended his long decision-making process and signed with the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Seattle brought back pass rushers Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa and drafted Darrell Taylor in the second round, but it’s still a huge concern for the defense.
What do you think? How many games with the Seahawks win this season? Voice your opinion here:
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