Seattle Seahawks Week 1 opponent preview – Denver Broncos
Week 1 of the Seattle Seahawks 2022 season is just about here. Seattle squares off against their former quarterback, who brought them so many years of sustained success. Here’s what to expect for this game.
The Seattle Seahawks will be playing their first game in over a decade without Russell Wilson or Bobby Wagner on the roster. There has been much said about their exits from the team. So we’ll try really hard not to add more.
The Seattle Seahawks open their season at home Monday night against Denver, Wilson’s new team. It will be an amped-up crowd at Lumen Field to start the game, and hopefully, they can stay at that level all night.
The odds say Denver should win the game as they are a touchdown favorite. If you are a gambler, take Seattle and the points. For the really brave, just take Seattle straight up.
If there is ever a time for an underdog to pull an upset, Week1 is the best time. The Seattle Seahawks had all offseason to plan and prepare for Denver.
Can you say vindictive?
They can also write the book on RW3’s strengths and weaknesses. And if that wasn’t enough, Wilson added some bulletin board material when he said he joined Denver because he didn’t have to carry the team on his back.
Is it like that, Russ? After all the years you spent in Seattle winning games, you took a massive shot at all your former teammates. Russ, know that Seattle D will be coming for you. So you better be strapped in and ready.
"We are agnostic when it comes to the Super Bowl for the Denver Broncos. Russell Wilson has yet to take a team on his back and carry them to the Super Bowl."
📺@benmaller pic.twitter.com/hukiD5xpbq
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) September 3, 2022
Let’s ride some wild horses
Denver should have a competent NFL passing game now that Wilson is their starter. Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton are two unsung wide receivers. Both are big, strong, and fast.
For comparisons, Jeudy will be more of a Tyler Lockett, and Sutton will be more of the D.K. Metcalf variety. Sutton is a better route runner and a more complete receiver than Metcalf. That could lead to a much more dynamic offense than what the Seattle Seahawks had the past couple of seasons.
Another thing to expect is the play-action pass. Denver’s running backs will be led by the young, physical, Marshawn Lynch-esque running back, Javonte Williams. Last season he led the NFL in broken tackles at 17.2%, according to fantasypros.com. Williams is the bell cow back and also offers a superior pass-catching ability over Melvin Gordon.
The new Seattle Seahawks defense and their 3-4 hybrid will be tested. At cornerback, veterans Mike Jackson, Sidney Jones IV, and Artie Burns are joined by rookies Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant. The group will be tasked with disrupting the Denver passing game.
Dynamic duo safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams are there to help as well. Expect Adams to also help more in stopping the run.
Maybe the most interesting aspect will be watching the new pass-rushing duo of Darrell Taylor and Uchenna Nwosu. Can they get to Wilson?
This year’s Seahawks may not have the sharpest talons
Well, this offense is going to be different. It will still be run-heavy, but there may not be nearly as many explosive plays as Seattle Seahawks fans are used to seeing. As a quarterback, new starter Geno Smith just isn’t anywhere close to Wilson’s level. Everyone got a small sample of a Smith-led team last season, and it wasn’t pretty at all.
Last season Smith had a much better connection rate with Metcalf (completed 78% of his passes) than with Locket (completed 70% of his passes). Though the bother averaged around 65 yards per game.
Rashaad Penny is the big story at running back. When Penny is healthy, he is a beast of a running back and fully capable of carrying this offense. Trust that Pete Carroll will ride Penny until his 12 feet under the ground. Yes, Carroll will still keep riding Penny even when he’s 6-feet under.
If starting Smith was bad for the Seattle Seahawks’ chances of putting up points, Denver returns most of the defense that allowed the third-fewest points per game in 2021. 18.9. Fortunately for Seattle’s rebuilding offensive line (and Smith’s health), Denver doesn’t have a dominating pass rush. However, they get more time to reach the passer because of the Justin Simmons and Patrick Surtain-led defensive backs.
It’s winning time
It will take a collective effort to beat the Broncos. Not that Denver is good, just that the Seattle Seahawks offense won’t be very prolific or explosive. The oddsmakers are right, it will be a close, hard-fought game, they just have the wrong team winning.