After a 3-0 start to the 2024 season, the Seattle Seahawks have crashed back down to earth over the last month, having lost four of their last five games. In fairness to Seattle, three of those four losses came against Buffalo, Detroit, and a desperate San Francisco 49ers team that still has loads of talent despite being ravaged by that pesky injury bug. Still, that head start that Seattle had in comparison to the rest of the NFC West, which was 3-6 combined after three weeks, has since evaporated.
Now, Seattle's game against the Los Angeles Rams this Sunday afternoon kicks off a three week stretch in which the Seahawks will play every team in the NFC West. With a Week 6 loss to the 49ers, Seattle is already slightly behind the eight-ball in a division that is a virtual dead-heat, and to make matters worse, it looks like they'll be starting this crucial three-game stretch without two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf.
There was optimism within the Seahawks organization that the injury DK Metcalf suffered against the Atlanta Falcons back on October 20th may only cost the durable six-year vet just one game, but despite expectations that he would be able to practice on Friday, Metcalf got a DNP placed next to his name on Seattle's official injury report. After practice, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald shared a murky injury update on Metcalf, and it looks like he remains in danger of missing his second game in a row.
“Unfortunately it's still a little bit cloudy on what's going on on that front,” Macdonald told KIRO News radio, per Stacy Jo Rost of Seattle Sports. “I know he's trying like heck to get out there as soon as he can, but we're still taking it day by day.”
In seven games this season, Metcalf has secured 35 receptions for 568 yards (8th most in the NFL) and 3 touchdowns. In weeks two through four, Metcalf had the first stretch of his career where he had at least 100 receiving yards in three consecutive games. His 81.1 yards per game this season is just a shade off the highest mark of his career.
Geno Smith spreading the wealth among Seahawks pass-catchers
Geno Smith currently leads the NFL in passing yards, and while DK Metcalf is certainly the marquee name among Seattle's pass-catchers, he's not a heliocentric presence within the Seahawks offense. In fact, Metcalf is one of just six Seahawks who have at least 20 receptions this season, along with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Tyler Lockett, Noah Fant, Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. It's the second-year pro, Smith-Njigba, who leads Seattle in both targets and receptions.
Just because Geno Smith has weapons aplenty to throw to, it doesn't mean he's not going to miss DK Metcalf. The ageless Tyler Lockett still has a little bit of juice left, but in all reality, Metcalf is Seattle's lone big play threat in the passing game. He's the one player who can threaten defenses vertically, and that's an element of the Seahawks offense they'll need to be present if they want to seriously contend in the NFC.
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