The Seattle Seahawks are set to hit the road to take on the Green Bay Packers in the NFC divisional round.
The Seahawks made a splash this offseason when they shipped away outside linebackers Jacob Martin, Barkevious Mingo, and a third-round pick in exchange for defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. They are now hoping that he can provide some bang for their buck in the postseason.
Clowney struggled to bring in much return on Seattle's investment after enjoying a modest year in the 2019 NFL season with 31 tackles, 3.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles. His underwhelming numbers can be attributed to the fact that he has been playing through a core injury since Week 10 that caused him to miss three games.
Regardless, Clowney has still shown flashes of his playmaking potential throughout the season, as evidenced by the fumble recovery he took the other way for a touchdown and an interception that he also returned for a touchdown. The Seahawks are going to need a game-changer of his caliber in the mix if they hope to keep their championship hopes alive.
Clowney played an integral role in Seattle's 17-9 victory in the wild card round versus the Philadelphia Eagles. While his outing may have been highlighted by the hit he delivered to the back of quarterback Carson Wentz's head that subsequently knocked him out of the game, there is no denying that he made his presence felt with five tackles and a sack.
Although Seattle's pass rush has hardly been a model for consistency this year, Clowney will have a chance to kick things up a notch in the next round of the playoffs. Generating consistent pressure on quarterback Aaron Rodgers could pay huge dividends when it comes to trying to contain Green Bay's offense.
Trying to limit a quarterback of Rodgers' status in the playoffs will be much easier said than done. After all, he is still widely considered one of the most talented quarterbacks in NFL history and has managed to take care of business by leading his team to a 13-3 record this year.
The Seahawks watched the San Francisco 49ers dominate the Packers on both sides of the ball largely because they had sacked Rodgers five times before holding them to a season-low eight total points. The onus will fall on players like Clowney to lead the charge by following the same blueprint.
While he may not be playing at 100 percent, a big game from Clowney could result in the Seahawks preparing for an NFC Championship come next week.
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