LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 14: Tight end Will Dissly #89 of the Seattle Seahawks stretches during warmups before a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on August 14, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Seahawks 20-7. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara this Sunday, but five key predictions will determine whether they take a divisional win.
It hasn’t been easy being a Seahawks fan in recent weeks.
In the ultra-competitive NFC West, it’s always a challenge for any team to take hold of the division, and the Seahawks are starting this season firmly in last place. Both undefeated, the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals face off this week in another wild NFC West showdown.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks have a make-it-or-break-it match against the 49ers, whose 2-1 record is still better than Seattle’s 1-2 score.
But the score doesn’t always reflect the team, and there’s still a lot of damage the Seahawks can inflict on the 49ers to bring home a win. While the Seahawks rank 30th in rushing defense, the 49ers are dealing another season with a rotating cast of running backs.
The Seahawks’ current inadequacies can match with the 49ers offense, giving Seattle hope for a win before a brutal Thursday Night Football match against the Rams in Week 5.
Here are five bold predictions that have the Seahawks climbing back up divisional standings.
5. Seahawks score a touchdown with two tight-end sets
Maybe it’s the allure of players like Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce, but having a pass-catching tight end secure scores and serve as a blocker seems like the type of player every team should pursue.
NFL teams have caught on, as tight end Kyle Pitts went to the Atlanta Falcons with the fourth-overall pick in 2021, and the position has been redefined in the past decade with performances by Gronkowski, Kelce and many others.
The Seahawks have tried to score their own dynamic tight end, but adding Greg Olsen right before retirement never panned out how it was planned. While former Ram Gerald Everett hasn’t gotten much, a score in Week 1 was critical in getting the Seahawks their only win this season.
While Seattle’s tight ends aren’t showing up much as receivers, Everett and Dissly have been key in keeping this offense firing on all cylinders. Giving him a 96 in run blocking and a 90 in receiving, SeahawkMaven’s Corbin Smith determined that Will Dissly has been an unsung hero in Seattle’s blocking game.
Although he only played 20-of-53 offensive snaps, Dissly’s blocks and singular 39-yard catch put Seattle in a much better position to win. Still, it would be satisfying to see either Dissly or Everett take it to the house and get six in Week 4.