NFL Game of the Week: Seahawks vs. Titans

Story posted September 21, 2017 in CommRadio by Camden Tofil

NFL Game of the Week: Seattle vs. Tennessee

A perennial power from the NFC and an up-and-coming team from the AFC will meet in the game of the week, as the Seattle Seahawks visit the Tennessee Titans.

Both teams enter Week 3 with a record of 1-1 and look to get above .500 on the season.

What makes this game so interesting is the lack of knowledge each team has on each other due to it being a NFC vs. AFC matchup.

The Seahawks look to continue their winning ways after beating San Francisco last week, 12-9. QB Russell Wilson led the way with 198 yards and one touchdown along with rookie RB Chris Carson,who added 93 yards on the ground.

Seattle’s defense dominated again as they held the 49ers offense to 248 yards and were able to sack QB Brian Hoyer twice. LB Bobby Wagner picked off Hoyer early in the first quarter.

The main problem through the first two weeks for Seattle has been the offensive line. Wilson has been sacked six times through two weeks and ranks 29th in the league in passing yards per game. The inability to protect Wilson has led to him being hit 16 times (sixth-most).

Even though the offense has sputtered, the Seattle defense has been as dominant as ever. Led by the Legion of Boom in the secondary, the Seahawks have allowed only 26 points through two games. The return of All-Pro safety Earl Thomas has put this defense back among the league’s elite.

The Titans rebounded from a tough Week 1 loss against Oakland to beat Jacksonville 37-16 last week. Tennessee outscored Jacksonville 31-13 in a dominant second half to take control of the game. QB Marcus Mariota piled up 215 yards and one touchdown while RB Derrick Henry added 92 yards on the ground along with a score.

The Tennessee defense was able to force Jacksonville into three turnovers. Safety Da’Norris Searcy and CB Curtis Riley each came away with picks off Jaguars QB Blake Bortles. LB Brian Orakpo was able to strip-sack Bortles in the first half.

Tennessee relied on the rushing attack in the win over Jacksonville and it seems to be the strength of this team going forward. The offense had seven different players run the football on Sunday led by Henry and DeMarco Murray. In total, they ran the ball 36 times for 179 yards and three scores.

Mariota and this explosive Titans offense has many people believing this team can make a return to the playoffs. So far in this young season, Tennessee ranks sixth in the league in both points per game and rushing yards per game.

This game features two mobile quarterbacks in Wilson and Mariota that are both elite in making plays with their feet and extending plays outside of the pocket. Look for both defenses to have the game plan of keeping the opposing quarterback inside the pocket. Wilson and Mariota have struggled in the past when forced to strictly use their arm.

The matchup to watch will be the Seahawks offensive line vs. the Titans front seven. Seattle’s o-line has been one of the league’s worst over the past seasons so look for defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to send lots of exotic blitzes at Wilson and the Seattle offensive line.

A factor that could play a difference in the game is the time change for Seattle. There is a two-hour difference between Seattle and Nashville, which always seems to affect the west coast team. However, this factor may be reduced due to the fact of the game being a 4:05 start.

This is a very intriguing matchup as two of the most mobile quarterbacks in the game go head-to-head. As a team on the rise in Tennessee looks to prove that they are for real against a very tough Seattle team.

Expect Tennessee to get after Wilson and the Seahawks offense. With Mariota having more weapons on the outside and a stable rushing attack, look for him to make more plays than Wilson down the stretch. With a loud Tennessee crowd on their side and a weak Seahawks o-line, expect the Titans to squeak out a tough and contested win at home.

With a loud Tennessee crowd on their side and a weak Seahawks offensive line, expect the Titans to squeak out a tough and contested win at home.

Prediction: Tennessee 20, Seattle 17

 

 

Camden Tofil is a freshman majoring in advertising/public relations. To contact him, email camdentofil@gmail.com.