Can DK Metcalf, JSN outshine Vikings’ star WR duo? Seahawks’ hopes might depend on it
RENTON, Wash. – The Seattle Seahawks expect quarterback Geno Smith to start Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings after suffering a knee injury in the team’s loss to the Green Packers in Week 15.
Smith took part in Seattle’s walk-through Wednesday and was a full practice participant in the afternoon. This would indicate he’ll play Sunday barring a setback.
“It just speaks to the type of person he is, the type of warrior he is,” Seattle receiver DK Metcalf said of his quarterback, who tried but was unable to re-enter the game in the fourth quarter of Seattle’s 30-13 loss.
Having Smith back in the lineup is significant for an 8-6 Seattle team that needs a win to keep pace with the Los Angeles Rams (8-6, with the head-to-head tiebreaker) in the race for the NFC West crown.
The Seahawks have focused on the fact that they don’t need to do any scoreboard-watching to make the playoffs. A loss to Minnesota (12-2) could cost Seattle that luxury, depending on the result of the Rams’ game against the New York Jets on Sunday. There’s a scenario in which both Seattle and Los Angeles finish 10-7 and the tiebreaker goes to the Rams due to strength of victory. The Seahawks can avoid thinking that far ahead by handling their business against the Vikings.
Smith’s presence also means Metcalf and fellow wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba have a chance to see if they can go toe-to-toe with one of the only duos that has been more productive than them this season.
Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson (1,243 yards) and Jordan Addison (771) have combined for 2,014 receiving yards this season, second most in the NFL among wide receiver teammates (minimum 600 yards by both players) behind Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals, who have racked up 2,082 yards. Metcalf and Smith-Njigba are third with 1,834 combined receiving yards.
Jefferson and Addison have 15 combined receiving touchdowns, which is also second to Chase and Higgins (21). Smith-Njigba (five) and Metcalf (three) are further down that list with eight total. A lack of end-zone trips is one reason the Seahawks enter Week 16 ranked 21st in points per drive (all stats provided by TruMedia unless stated otherwise). If the Seahawks can get their two best wideouts in the end zone on Sunday, they’ll have a much better shot at upsetting the Vikings and maintaining control of their playoff fate.
Metcalf and Smith-Njigba spoke highly of Jefferson and Addison on Wednesday. Metcalf has known Jefferson since the All-Pro receiver’s rookie season, as each signed endorsement deals with Under Armour. Metcalf, Addison and a few Pittsburgh Steelers receivers worked out with Russell Wilson in Los Angeles during the offseason. Metcalf said Jefferson is a great receiver and added that he often watches his tape. Smith-Njigba said Jefferson and Addison, who was selected three spots after him in the 2023 NFL draft, are “exceptional” route runners.
Smith-Njigba also said he and Metcalf consider themselves the best receiver duo in the league.
“We hold ourselves to a high standard, and we feel like we have the best receiver room in the world,” Smith-Njigba said. “They obviously have a lot of talent over there, but we believe we’re one of one.”
Metcalf and Smith-Njigba are explosive enough to score from anywhere on the field, but the easiest way for them to put points on the board Sunday is to be used in the red zone. The Seahawks rank 24th in red-zone efficiency. The run game is the primary issue there; they rank 25th in EPA and 23rd in success rate on red-zone runs. Problem No. 2 is turnovers. Smith leads the league in red-zone interceptions (four) and has the second-highest interception rate behind Daniel Jones. Those passing numbers will improve if Smith can get the ball to Metcalf.
Metcalf has just seven red-zone targets this year with two just catches: a 3-yard screen in Week 2 and an 8-yard reception in Week 6 (he also couldn’t get his second foot down on a potential touchdown catch in Week 6). Metcalf commands a lot of attention, though he sometimes sees one-on-one coverage in the red zone. His last three red-zone targets were one-on-one looks versus Atlanta’s A.J. Terrell and the Jets’ Sauce Gardner. Two passes were deflected, and the third was a goal-line fade against the Jets that sailed out of bounds. Seattle must capitalize on those types of opportunities if Metcalf is alone against Byron Murphy Jr., Shaquill Griffin or Stephon Gilmore on Sunday.
Smith-Njigba has been targeted 12 times in the red zone and recorded six catches, four for touchdowns. The Seahawks have tried to take advantage of his after-the-catch skills in that area by throwing him screen passes, but teams are catching on to that strategy. Seattle ran a red-zone tunnel screen to Smith-Njigba for 1 yard against the Packers, then tried to run it later in the game (in a different part of the field), but Green Bay blew the play up before Smith could throw the ball.
Smith-Njigba is still likely to get favorable matchups in the red zone, and Seattle should be able to take advantage on Sunday.
Seattle’s secondary will have its hands full with Jefferson and Addison no matter where the Vikings are on the field. The good news for them is despite the defense’s peaks and valleys this season, the unit has remained steady against wide receivers. Since transitioning to a lineup of Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, Coby Bryant and Julian Love, Seattle ranks 12th in yards allowed to wide receivers. It has allowed the fewest yards to receivers since its bye week.
Jobe has played well since replacing Tre Brown in the starting lineup. Quarterbacks have a passer rating of 78.8 when targeting Jobe (according to Pro Football Focus), and he has allowed just one touchdown, which came against Davante Adams in Week 13. Witherspoon has done a good job limiting explosive receptions this year, allowing his first touchdown of the season on Romeo Doubs’ 22-yard reception in the fourth quarter Sunday night. Seattle has a decent idea of what it can expect from Jobe and Witherspoon each week.
Woolen’s games have been harder to predict. He leads the Seahawks with 10 pass breakups and has two interceptions. But he has been on the wrong end of six passing touchdowns, five of which have come against receivers (Buffalo tight end Dalton Kincaid’s touchdown being the exception). The third-year cornerback is coming off arguably his worst game of the season against Green Bay. Woolen was responsible for 54 yards and a touchdown on three catches as the nearest defender in coverage and committed a 34-yard defensive pass interference penalty.
Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald said Sunday “wasn’t Riq’s best game,” but the coach remains confident in Woolen as long as he’s mentally focused every snap.
“It’s a play-to-play mentality,” Macdonald said. “When he’s locked in, he’s as good as it gets. When he’s not as locked in, that’s when some technique errors show up. But it has nothing to do with his ability. It’s all about his approach presnap.”
Whether Woolen is locked in throughout the game against the Vikings could be the difference between winning and losing. There are many moving parts in a football game, but sometimes it’s as simple as whether players win one-on-one matchups in critical situations (Seattle has lost every game in which Woolen has given up a touchdown).
As Macdonald said, Seattle will continue to trust Woolen, Jobe and Witherspoon to cover on an island. How they perform in those moments against Jefferson and Addison may heavily influence whether Seattle wins its home finale.
“Can’t double everybody all the time, so we’re going to have singles, and our guys will be matched up,” Macdonald said. “Let’s go to work.”