Here is the bad news: The Seattle Seahawks will be without four key defensive players against a good Detroit Lions offense in Week 4. Defensive linemen Leonard Williams (ribs) and Byron Murphy II (hamstring) as well as edge rushers Uchenna Nwosu (knee) and Boye Mafe (knee). Mafe and Williams rank in the top ten of the NFL in terms of quarterback hits.
Week 4 will certainly test the Seahawks’ defensive depth and it will stretch head coach Mike Macdonald’s scheme. 12s know it works well, but the pieces also have to be of good quality. Mafe, Murphy, and Williams have been great this year (while Nwosu has yet to play). Whoever gets their snaps will also need to be good instead of just bodies on the field.
The last three times the teams have played, the Seahawks have been able to score at least 37 points a game and scored 48 points or more twice. The reason Seattle has won each of those last three matchups has been because of the offense. Seattle might have to have that happen again to win in Week 4…