The Seattle Seahawks Week 13 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers was exactly what the doctor prescribed for the franchise. The struggling Seahawks had been in the midst of a rough patch, but managed to get back into the win column in the thrilling Sunday afternoon showdown. Let's re-visit this Seahawks-49ers matchup with some Seahawks Week 13 takeaways in mind.
This rivalry matchup had just about everything, from unexpected touchdown scorers to a late-game surge, and ultimately the Seahawks' second half is what secured them the win. The defense was firing on all cylinders after halftime and they'll use that performance as that gold standard on the level they want to be playing at going forward. While the playoffs are still a long shot, Pete Carroll is not letting his team give up on the season.
There's still much to improve on offensively, but the showing was a significant improvement over what they showed against Washington in Week 12. Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett seem to be re-establishing their connection, and D.K. Metcalf was able to get out for a big play on what was a solid day for him. Additionally, while he wasn't exactly efficient, Adrian Peterson managed to scrape his way into the end zone, adding further intrigue to this backfield going forward.
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Seahawks Week 13 Takeaways
3. The defense showed major improvements
Statistically, Seattle's defense ranks second-worst in the NFL in terms of opponents' yards per game this season, ranking only ahead of the New York Jets defense in that regard. The team's inability to put a stopper on opposing offenses was a major issue for them throughout the year, and it looked like the case once again in the first half on Sunday after the Niners scored 23 in the first half.
We're not sure what happened, but the group that came out in the second half looked like an entirely different unit. The Seahawks shut out the Niners in the second half of the game, completely stalling the efforts from Jimmy Garoppolo and Co. Seattle surrenders an average of 396.2 yards per game, and while they didn't limit San Francisco's total offensive output (365 yards for the 49ers on Sunday) they didn't let them turn those gains into points. The Seahawks came away with crucial turnovers in the second half and made some big third-down stops which enabled the offense to get back in it.
2. Russell Wilson is no longer broken
After returning from his Mallett Finger injury, Russell Wilson looked like a shell of his former self. He was inaccurate and out of sync with his receivers. He's improved of late and continued to do so on Sunday, as Russ let the game come to him. Wilson completed 30-of-37 pass attempts for 231 yards and two touchdowns. While he only averaged 6.2 yards per pass, Wilson was efficient and made the most of what the 49ers' presented him with, rather than make many errors trying to force hero plays. His patience and resilience kept Seattle close until he was able to rekindle his connection with Tyler Lockett for the game-winning touchdown.
If this is the Russ the Seahawks can get down the stretch, then perhaps Carroll is correct in thinking they can still do some damage this year. These past two weeks have looked like vintage Russ, and the Seahawks have to be hopeful the 33-year-old can build off these recent strong outings.
1. Adrian Peterson is not a game-changer, but he can still play a role
Anyone who had lofty expectations for Adrian Peterson when he agreed to join the Seattle Seahawks was living on another planet. Now that you've come back to Earth, we should appreciate that Peterson, at age 36, still has a role to play in this league. AP can fill a fairly valuable role in Seattle's backfield, but the team need not utilize him as a lead back, or even in a handcuff. If Pete Carroll and Co. resort to strictly utilizing Peterson in goal-line situations, it could be a solid fit for the team. With Chris Carson out for the year, the Seahawks need someone they can rely on to get the ball over the goal line. Who better than someone who has done so 126 times in his career?
Peterson only managed 16 yards on 11 carries on Sunday, but he did score a one-yard touchdown. Considering he's not much of a factor in the passing game, but clearly is capable of getting the job done from close quarters in the run game, Peterson could be the answer for Seattle in terms of short runs at the goal line.
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