The Seattle Seahawks took a major step forward with their demolition of the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs. As always with this team, it's 12 as one, stacking plays, and MOB. You know, Mike Macdonald 101. Still, there are some players you can trust, and a few others, well... read on.
For just the second time this year, the Seahawks looked like the Super Bowl Champions when they took down the Chiefs. I'm counting the Cardinals game, and I suppose it really shouldn't count when you pound on your baby brother for the umpteenth time. So this was especially satisfying.
Now, you'll see a lot of the usual suspects on both sides of the ledger. That big trade with the Colts created a major shakeup in the index. After all, that's the point of midseason trades: to shake things up. Several Seahawks moved up (or down) on the basis of their own performances last week. So let's get to it.
What? I'm supposed to leave the guy off because it's someone else's turn? Oh, yeah, we're tired of nominating Meryl what's-her-name for those acting things; let's give someone else a chance. Yeah, no. JSN now leads the NFL in receiving yards by over 200 yards. Kinda hard for those to be meaningless, but he also leads all receivers in first downs and touchdowns. He is the alpha of the entire NFL.
JSN is the undisputed alpha receiver in the entire league; we all know that. While everyone hasn't acknowledged it yet, Emmanwori is closing in on that status for safeties. Or whatever the heck his position is. As a pure safety, Julian Love is still the man. But Love can't step up and play linebacker as The Problem can. The scary thing for every other team: he's only going to get better.
Okay, I get your confusion. On one hand, I'm not putting an eight-time Pro Bowl guard in the alpha group. Yes, that seems a bit deranged. On the other hand, he hasn't played one snap for the Seahawks, so schemes and terminology will be different. Anyone else would be in the proving ground. So just this week, I'll put Seattle's best guard since The Glove here. Oh, tell me how that's wrong.
I feel much shame for not mentioning Dickon so far this season. He's punted the ball 27 times so far, and Seattle's opponents have gained 22 yards on their returns. As in, a total of 22 yards. He's only had four punts returned at all, so on average, the opposition gains .81yards when Seattle is forced to punt. That is savage. And speaking of savage - that punt that sliced from Spokane to Tacoma: wow.
Should Darnold be in the mainstays, or even the alphas? Other than that one interception, he was nearly flawless directing Seattle's offense in the win over Kansas City. And clearly, either JSN or Rashid Shaheed ran the wrong route on that play. If Darnold can do it again against Da Bears - the good stuff, not the pick - he'll move up next time. Because... it's about trust.
The man had a great game. He had eight tackles, one for a loss, and was as instrumental as anyone in shutting down the best running back in the league, Kenneth Walker III. Yeah, I'm okay saying it. Besides, why put him down, as that would just make what our team did look less impressive? Knight has stepped up; when Drake Thomas is healthy again, he may find his path back on the field blocked.
Versus the Chiefs, he had two catches for one yard, and no, that's not a typo. He did pick up 32 yards on his only return, and he didn't fumble, either, so there's that. But, be real. Do you trust this guy as the second or even third option for Darnold? Clearly Seattle doesn't, and there's no evidence they should, either. Note: Shaheed is out for the Monday night tilt, so we'll see what happens in Week 9.
Unlike his teammate above, Charbonnet's game isn't speed; if anything, it's consistency. He's basically the anti-Shaheed in that respect. He's only in the proving ground because this will be his first action back since his ACL injury. He's confirmed for Week 8, and he'll certainly be in rotation with the newly elevated Jadarian Price. I expect him to move up rapidly from here.
Price may have more to prove than anyone here. In the three games he played, all as the starter, he averaged .7 more yards per carry than Emanuel Wilson and nearly twice as many broken tackles. Over a full season of equal opportunities, say 220 carries, that projects to 150 more yards. It also projects to four times as many fumbles, which obviously can't happen.
Grey Zabel moves to right guard to accommodate Nelson, and Bradford moves to the bench, where he's really belonged for the past four seasons.
Yes, I said his stock was soaring after the Chiefs game, and it was as he proved he was better than his erstwhile replacements. Now, he's a rotational piece and a tush-push driver for the next Barnyard play. As a backup, he's an asset, and that's where he belongs.
It's pretty difficult to be more of an afterthought than a guy who was put on waivers, then picked up by another team. To clarify, yes, the Miami Dolphins thought enough of Haynes to sign him.
The point is that the Seahawks thought so little of him, they were confident even a trash team like the Phins would let him slide through. Christian, ignore South Beach and check out Little Havana. You'll thank me later.
This article was originally published on www.12thmanrising.com as Seahawks trust index entering Week 8: Tyrice Knight climbs, Anthony Bradford falls .
