SEAHAWKS (7-2-1) VS. BUCCANEERS (5-5)
SUNDAY, 4:05 P.M. ET, RAYMOND JAMES, STADIUM, TAMPA uTV: FOX, DIRECTV 713
Announcers: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Laura Okmin
About the Seahawks: Seattle rolls into Tampa Bay with a lot of momentum and has reasserted itself as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Does the train get derailed this week? It seems unlikely — not even the time change should be a factor. The Seahawks’ offensive line problems seem to be in the past, and QB is over the nagging injuries that played a factor in Seattle’s September struggles. Even the schedule seems to be opening up for the Seahawks; their games against the Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals don’t look nearly as daunting as they did when the season began. The NFC West title is all but wrapped up, but Seattle still trails the Dallas Cowboys in the race for the NFC’s top seed and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Injuries to S and rookie RB Prosise could be factors this week.
About the Buccaneers: Don’t look now, but Tampa Bay is starting to play pretty good football. The bad news for the Buccaneers is that they have to play this game at home, where they are 1-4. By contrast, they posted their third consecutive road win Sunday at the Kansas City Chiefs. The Buccaneers offense has found its stride since RB returned from a hamstring injury. Martin’s presence has helped open things up for QB
who is coming off one of his best games of the season. Tampa Bay’s defense also has played well in back-to-back wins against the Chicago Bears and the Chiefs, but it remains to be seen whether the Bucs can slow down a big-time quarterback like Wilson. Thomas Rawls returned from injury last week and had 57 rushing yards.
Sherman loves squaring off against big receivers, and Sunday will provide an opportunity to face one of the league’s biggest — and most productive. Evans needs 84 more yards to record his third consecutive 1,000-yard season, and he is 10 receptions away from establishing a career high.
Prosise looked as if he was going to take the starting job and run away with it, but a shoulder injury Sunday reopened the door for Rawls, who carried 14 times for 57 yards vs. the Philadelphia Eagles in his most extensive action since returning from ankle surgery.
Wilson’s touchdown-to-interception ratio during the Seahawks’ three-game winning streak. Coach Pete Carroll, talking about his team’s ability to take care of the football after the latest win, said: “When we do that, we’re hard to beat.”
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Wilson at 100%? When Wilson was hobbled in September, the Seahawks’ offense limped along with him. Now he’s starting to look healthy, and the offense is humming. Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan and the Oakland Raiders’ Derek Carr combined for 857 passing yards and eight TDs vs. Tampa Bay.
2. The Martin factor: A rash of injuries at running back have grounded Tampa Bay’s run game, but Martin’s return gives the Bucs hope. If Martin can get back on track, it would be a huge boost for a Tampa Bay offense that has relied too much on Winston and Evans to carry the load.
3. Defensive aches and pains: Seattle has so much talent on defense that the only thing that might slow the Seahawks on that side of the ball is health. Thomas is nursing a sore shoulder, DL has missed four games because of a knee injury and CB
also is hobbled. Injuries could end up hurting the Seahawks’ D.
Scott Johnson