Fann: 3 questions that will dictate Seahawks’ chances vs Chiefs

The Seahawks are on the street this weekend to tackle the Chiefs on Christmas Eve. Seattle is an enormous 10-point underdog for the Saturday matchup and faces an uphill battle simply to stay aggressive.

Seahawks Harm Report: 3 out, 4 questionable towards KC

There’s no avoiding the fact that all the pieces has to go proper for the Seahawks with a view to win this recreation. Nonetheless, I believe there are particular areas that can dictate whether or not or not the Seahawks will stay aggressive for all 4 quarters.

I’ve boiled these features to the matchup down to a few questions.

1. Can Geno Smith (and DK Metcalf) be nice?

Not good, nice. That’s what can be required to hold round at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday. The chance ought to be there to take action. Kansas Metropolis’s protection ranks twenty second in passing yards allowed this season. The Seahawks rank ninth in passing yards whereas Smith nonetheless leads the NFL in completion proportion (71.4%).

Past that, the Chiefs are permitting essentially the most fantasy factors to an opponent’s high receiver this season. Clearly this isn’t fantasy soccer however the manufacturing is related all the identical given Metcalf’s want for an enormous recreation within the absence of Tyler Lockett.

Metcalf posted six catches for 52 yards on 12 targets towards the Rams final season within the lone recreation that Lockett missed. The excellent news is he received’t have Jalen Ramsey shadowing him this time round.

Whereas Seattle has been in a position to transfer the soccer for a lot of the season, the Seahawks rank tied for twentieth in purple zone landing proportion at 52.27%. Conversely, the Chiefs rank sixth at 66.1%. Area targets received’t get it finished on Saturday.

2. Can the Seahawks hold Chris Jones from dominating the sport?

Jones is within the high tier at his place, and he leads all defensive tackles in move rush win fee, per ESPN. He’s a bodily drive able to wracking the pocket on each drop again. His 11 sacks are by far essentially the most on the group, with Frank Clark up subsequent at 5.

Of notice, the revenge recreation narrative may be very actual this weekend on the subject of Kansas Metropolis’s move rush as Clark and Carlos Dunlap can be dealing with their former group.

3. Similar query as No. 2, solely changing Jones’ identify with Travis Kelce’s

Kelce is way and away one of the best tight finish within the NFL, and he’s going to arguably be the best of all-time when he decides to hold them up. He has continued to amaze this season with 91 receptions for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns.

There’s an opportunity Kelce may feast on Saturday towards a Seahawks protection that has allowed the second-most fantasy factors to tight ends this season.

Seattle has given up 62 catches for 919 yards and eight touchdowns to tight ends. Simply final week, San Francisco’s George Kittle torched the Seahawks for 4 receptions, 93 yards and two scores whereas Tyler Kroft pitched in with one reception for 28 yards.

You understand Kelce goes to get his. It’s inconceivable to take away him from the sport utterly given his particular person excellence and chemistry with Patrick Mahomes. However avoiding the explosives can be paramount.

Final Sunday, Kelce posted 10 receptions for 105 yards towards the Texans. Whereas the numbers are spectacular, these are averages that Seattle can dwell with on Saturday.

Bumpus: What the Seahawks should keep away from when dealing with the Chiefs

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