Seattle, WA
Geno Smith, Seahawks WRs Gearing For Ball-Hawking Packers
RENTON, Wash. – Top-flight competitors always want to beat an opponent at their best, and as Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks ramp up preparations for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football, they should get their wish with the visitors getting healthier on defense.
After missing the previous three games with a knee injury, Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander returned to practice for Green Bay this week. Meanwhile, rookie safety Evan Williams passed through concussion protocol, returning to full participation and ensuring the Packers will have most of their starting secondary available to square off against the Seahawks dynamic trio of receivers in DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Tyler Lockett for a strength on strength battle in prime time.
With Alexander back in the fold and veteran safety Xavier McKinney in the midst of a sensational season with an NFL-leading seven interceptions, Smith understands it will be imperative to make smart decisions with the football against an opportunistic Green Bay defense that ranks third in the NFL in turnovers this season and let the big plays come to them.
“They’ve got some ball-hawking guys,” Smith said prior to Thursday’s practice. “One of their safeties I think leads the league or is tied for the lead in the league in interceptions, [Xavier] McKinney. … He’s been a great player throughout his career. I think he’s a really good safety back there. So eyes on him, where he is. Jaire [Alexander] is supposed to be playing, I’m guessing, and he’s been a perennial Pro Bowler, a top corner in this league. So he’s often making plays on the ball. Those guys are really trying to hunt picks, man. They’re trying to find ways to get turnovers for their team.
“For us, it’s always going to be the emphasis taking care of the ball. That’s first and foremost. But we want to be aggressive. We want to stay aggressive, as well, and take our shots.”
Signed in free agency after playing his first four seasons with the Giants, McKinney has been a home run addition for the Packers’ secondary while playing over 250 snaps at both strong and free safety. The former Alabama star has turned 25 targets into seven picks for a remarkable 28 percent interception rate through 13 games and has yet to surrender a touchdown in coverage, yielding an excellent 57.3 passer rating against.
As for Alexander, while injuries have limited him to only seven games this season, the two-time All-Pro selection has remained stingy in coverage when healthy. Opposing quarterbacks have completed under 60 percent of their throws against him and while he has allowed a pair of touchdowns, the veteran cornerback has produced three pass breakups and two interceptions on just 25 targets, including a pick six in a win over the Titans earlier this season.
Paired with those two veteran mainstays, Williams has been a pleasant surprise during his rookie campaign in coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense. The fourth-round pick out of Oregon has only allowed 11 completions on 20 pass attempts while producing an interception, two pass breakups, and a sterling 63.1 passer rating against, and he’s limited explosives giving up just 8.5 yards per reception.
Not surprisingly given those individual numbers across the board, the Packers have allowed only two passing touchdowns of 20 or more yards all season, the second fewest behind only the Jets. They also have yielded the lowest EPA per pass on throws traveling 20 or more air yards (-0.32), consistently taking away downfield throws with McKinney and Williams roaming center field.
But while Green Bay ranks in the top 10 in EPA per pass and pass defense DVOA, Halfey’s unit hasn’t been infallible either, particularly when it comes to defending the middle of the field. Opposing quarterbacks have feasted between the numbers on in-breaking routes, including Detroit’s Jared Goff completing 14 out of 17 such throws for 152 yards and two touchdowns last Thursday night.
With subpar coverage between the hashes playing a central role in the struggles, per NFL Next Gen Stats, the Packers rank in the bottom 10 in the league in passing yards allowed per game (79.5), passing yards per play (10.8), and passing touchdowns (seven) on intermediate throws traveling 10 to 19 yards. They also have been vulnerable on quick passes under 10 yards, yielding six yards per play and 10 touchdowns, ranking in the bottom 10 in both categories.
That could be problematic against the Seahawks, who have one of the best quick passing weapons in the NFL in Smith-Njigba. The second-year wideout currently sits 14th in the league in receptions under 10 air yards (54), turning those opportunities into 482 yards, 8.9 yards per reception, and a plus-26.1 receiving EPA. He also ranks in the top 30 among receivers in yardage on intermediate routes with 10 to 19 air yards.
Smith-Njigba and Lockett have also excelled on in-breaking routes in Ryan Grubb’s offense, as both receivers have averaged north of 16 yards per reception on such routes this season, giving Smith the ideal targets to attack Green Bay’s aforementioned deficiencies and potentially set up a few opportunities to open up the skies later in the game.
“We’ve got guys who can catch and run. It’s all about making the right decisions. No matter what the defense is doing, we’ve got to have answers for it, and I’ve got to make the right decisions and put the ball in the hands of the playmakers,” Smith said.
Listening to Smith and Metcalf this week, Seattle obviously has an immense amount of respect for Green Bay’s defense, specifically citing McKinney and a turnover-creating secondary. They will have to be patient taking check downs and pick and choose their spots carefully to try to push the ball downfield, waiting for the right opportunity to strike against a squad that has rarely allowed opponents to stretch the field against them this year.
As other teams have learned the hard way, if Smith and Grubb try to force the issue rather than taking what the defense gives them, McKinney, Alexander, and the rest of a ball-hounding secondary will be ready to capitalize and make game-changing plays creating turnovers.
But the Seahawks also won’t be entering this game fearing that group or scared to attack either, as Metcalf believes their receiving corps stacks up against any team in the NFL and the Packers will have to account for their talent as well in a spicy prime time matchup pitting the best against the best on Sunday Night Football.
“They’re a great team in this league right now and they’ve won some tough games, but it’s going to be a great game for us. They’re a competitive team and it’s going to be a good test for us, in my opinion, Sunday, to have a team of that caliber come in here and try to beat us. But I’m taking us 10 days out of 10, so it’s going to be a good game in my opinion.”
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SEATTLE – Remember that iconic Gap advertisement with the girl group dancing to “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard” that took the internet by storm in August?
What we know:
Katseye, the girl-group in the ad, are taking center stage at Climate Pledge Arena on Nov. 17, with ticket sales dropping on Thursday, May 21 and their new EP, Wild, is set to release on Aug. 14 via Hybe x Geffen Records.
The global girl group announced their WILDWORLD TOUR on Wednesday, bringing Katseye to arenas across Europe and North America this fall.
Katseye’s tour will kickoff in Dublin, Ireland on September 1, at Dublin’s 3Arena, while the North American portion of their tour launches Oct. 13 in Miami, Florida at Kaseya Center. Other honorable tour venue mentions include UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY and Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The WILDWORLD TOUR will conclude at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City on Nov. 27.
Keep reading for ticket information and the full tour itinerary.
Ticket Information
What’s next:
Tickets will be available beginning at the end of May. Specifically, Weverse Artist Presale tickets will be available on Wednesday, May 20 at 11:00 a.m. local time, before the Katseye.World Presale at 3:00 p.m. local time.
General onsale begins Thursday, May 21 at 3:00 p.m. local time at www.katseye.world.
Tour itinerary
KATSEYE – WILDWORLD TOUR
UK/EU
9/1 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
9/3 – London, UK – The O2
9/6 – Manchester, UK – Co-Op Live
9/9 – Paris, France – Accor Arena
9/11 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
9/13 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena
9/15 – Antwerp, Belgium – AFAS Dome
9/17 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena
North America
10/13 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
10/15 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
10/20 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
10/22 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
10/24 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena
10/28 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
10/30 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
11/1 – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum
11/3 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
11/5 – Chicago, IL – United Center
11/7 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
11/10 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
11/11 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
11/14 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
11/17 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
11/19 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
11/21 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena
11/24 – Phoenix, AZ – Mortgage Matchup Center
11/27 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio de los Deportes
2026 Festival Dates
6/5 – New York, NY – The Governors Ball Music Festival
7/30 – Saint Charles, IA – Hinterland Music Festival
8/8 – Pasadena, CA – 88rising Festival: Head In The Clouds
The Source: Information in this story came from a press release from Katseye and the katseye.world website.
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SEATTLE – An upper level low will increase showers and isolated storms overnight. Some storms that develop could produce locally heavy rain, thunder and lightning along with gusty winds. The best chance will be along and east of the I-5 corridor. Scattered showers will be possible during the day. There is also a chance for a light dusting of snow in the higher mountains.
Upper level low will increase showers and isolated storms overnight with scattered showers possible during the day. (FOX13 Seattle)
Wind Advisory in Eastern Washington
As the disturbance crosses through the region, winds will be especially gusty in Central and Eastern Washington. A Wind Advisory will be in effect for many of these locations through late Wednesday night.
Winds will be picking up on Wednesday with gusts nearing 50 mph. (FOX13 Seattle)
What’s next:
After warming into the low 80s on Tuesday, Wednesday will feel quite a bit different. Afternoon highs will only be in the upper 50s and low 60s, a good 20 degrees cooler than just 24 hours ago.
Afternoon highs will be significantly cooler on Wednesday.
Looking Ahead:
Even after Wednesday’s early morning rain, the rest of the week will remain unsettled. Additional chances for showers and cooler into the weekend. We will again near 70 degrees by early next week.
Cooler and wet for Wednesday with additional showers possible this week.
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To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
The Source: Information in this story came from the FOX 13 Seattle Weather Team and the National Weather Service.
There’s been a question about the future of Seattle Seahawks edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence this offseason.
It may have been answered Monday.
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Just weeks after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl in February, ESPN’s Brady Henderson said “one of the first questions” the Hawks had to answer this offseason is “whether or not DeMarcus Lawrence is coming back.”
Generally, the sentiment in the months since has been that the 34 year old is not retiring, but there has not been a concrete answer from the five-time Pro Bowler or the Seahawks on his status for 2026. The closest thing to it came from Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald in late March, when he said, “To my knowledge, he’s coming back” to reporters at the NFL’s annual league meeting in Phoenix.
In the Seahawks.com article Monday announcing Seattle’s signing of veteran edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr., there was a statement that seemed to indicate where Lawrence, who is a 12-year NFL veteran, stands on the retirement question.
Fowler said that before he ultimately decided to sign with the Seahawks, he talked for roughly a half-hour on FaceTime with Lawrence, who was his teammate with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022 and 2023.
Lawrence had a message that helped convince Fowler to join Seattle: “If you want to win a Super Bowl, you should come here.”
That sounds like a statement you’d hear from somebody who’s planning to play in 2026, doesn’t it?
Seattle Sports’ Brock Huard thinks so.
“(The Seahawks) have gotten no indication whatsoever that he is retiring. And on top of it, I kind of read this as I don’t think you go full-boat and sell the organization in that way unless you also want to be a part of it and … go get that ring again,” said Huard, a longtime FOX football analyst and former NFL quarterback, on Tuesday’s edition of Brock and Salk.
On top of it all, what Lawrence said to Fowler is a great sales pitch for the Seahawks.
“Dante Fowler made it really abundantly clear, the final push was DeMarcus Lawrence. And the final push was: you want to win a Super Bowl, then you’ve got to be a Seattle Seahawk. And I don’t think there is any stronger (sales pitch than) word of mouth,” Huard said. “… That’s what you want, right? In any business, in any kind of marketing, the best advertising and the best marketing and the best sales pitch is what? Word of mouth. And when it comes from within and somebody with the credibility that DeMarcus Lawrence has too and the relationship he has with Dante Fowler, that was the final selling point. Job well done.”
Brock Huard answers three football questions in the Blue 88 segment at 7:45 a.m. during each episode of Brock and Salk. Catch Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. on Seattle Sports.
More on the Seattle Seahawks
• ESPN’s Wickersham explains why sale could mean a new stadium
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