There have been a lot of surprises thus far in the 2022 NFL season. One of the biggest is certainly the performance of the Seattle Seahawks. Many thought they were heading into a lengthy rebuild when they traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and released linebacker Bobby Wagner, but it has been the exact opposite.
Not only is Seattle set up for the future with a ton of draft capital, but they are also thriving on the field right now. Pete Carroll has done a wonderful job getting the most out of the players on the roster as the Seahawks are currently in first place in the NFC West with a 4-3 record.
That is double the number of wins Wilson and his Broncos have thus far this season, as Seattle is rolling right along. People are beginning to take notice of their production, as some believe they aren’t going anywhere.
One of the people who are encouraged by the season-long outlook of the Seahawks is former NFL safety, Ryan Clark. During a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take, he shared that he believes Seattle is a legitimate threat to win their division.
“They are a playoff contender, and if they did end up winning the NFC West, I would not be surprised at all.”
Clark praised the performance of quarterback Geno Smith, who won a quarterback battle against Drew Lock in the offseason. That has turned out to be an excellent decision, as Smith is playing at a Pro Bowl level.
The former second-round pick has completed 73.5 percent of his passes for 1,712 yards, 11 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He has also found some success with his legs, rushing for 132 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries.
The skill position players around Smith are a strong bunch led by wide receivers D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Kenneth Walker III took over the starting running back spot when Rashaad Penny was injured and has been the most productive runner in the NFL since. Noah Fant and Will Dissly are a strong tight end combination as well.
This defense has had some issues, but they are beginning to shore things up as well. They held the Arizona Cardinals to only nine points in Week 6 and went on the road and held the Los Angeles Chargers to only 23 in Week 7. Tariq Woolen has transformed into a shutdown corner, giving the team a budding star to build their defense around.
Who would have thought a Week 8 matchup between the Seahawks hosting the New York Giants be such an important game? New York will enter the game 6-1 as both teams are in the thick of their respective divisional races and playoff picture in the NFC.
