A Strong Grade Didn’t Stop an NFL Analyst From Issuing a Troubling Warning About the Seahawks. DH
The Seattle Seahawks bounced back from last week’s disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Rams with a victory at Tennessee against the one-win Titans.
There’s one more game in Week 12 as the San Francisco 49ers host the surging Carolina Panthers tonight. Meanwhile, John Breech of CBS Sports gave out grades for the 26 teams that have taken the field so far. In Nashville on Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks held off the Tennessee Titans, 30-24, in a game that saw Mike Macdonald’s club own a 30-10 third-quarter advantage before the home team scored the final 14 points of the contest.
The Seahawks were given a B-plus by Breech, with a bit of advice attached.
“With Thanksgiving right around the corner,” explained Breech, “the Seahawks should be thankful that they have Jaxon Smith-Njigba, because no one can stop him. JSN came in this game as the NFL’s leading receiver and he’s going to be keeping that title after going off for 167 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches. If the Seahawks have one problem, it’s that Sam Darnold went 8-of-16 for just 77 yards when he wasn’t throwing to JSN.”
Smith-Njigba continues to distance himself from the other pass-catchers in the league in terms of yards. He, the Rams’ Puka Nacua and Cardinals’ tight end Trey McBride all have 80 receptions, but the ‘Hawks wideout has amassed 1,313 yards in 11 games.
Only the Cowboys’ George Pickens (1,054) is anywhere close to Smith-Njigba in terms of receiving yardage. His 63-yard scoring grab early in the second quarter gave Macdonald’s squad a 10-3 they would never relinquish, but it’s not as if the ‘Hawks didn’t try.
“The Seahawks had this game in hand,” added Breech, “but they took their foot off the gas in the second half. You can bet Mike Macdonald will be reminding his team that they need to play all four quarters as they head into the final stretch of the season.”
Seattle’s final six games include rematches with the Rams (Week 16) and 49ers (Week 18), along with a clash with the first-place Colts (Week 15) and a visit to Carolina (Week 17).
