The Seattle Seahawks will take on the Miami Dolphins this afternoon at Lumen Field for a Week 3 showdown. It is the third-straight AFC opponent for the Seahawks to start the season, and their second-straight from the AFC East division. The last time these teams met in the Emerald City was the Week 1 kickoff for the 2016 season.
The Seahawks have sole possession of first place in the NFC West, and a win today over the Dolphins will solidify their position. Head coach Mike Macdonald is already the first Seahawks head coach to begin his career with the franchise 2-0, and improving to 3-0 record will push him further into a category of his own. Seattle is going to have to earn it, just like their previous two games.
Miami may be without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was placed on Injured Reserve, but they should still be a formidable opponent. Their wide receivers are lethal beyond reason, and they’ve had 10 days to prepare for this game by virtue of having last played on Thursday Night Football. The Dolphins are well coached, and deep at some of the most important positions on the field.
That being said, the Seahawks may be one of the few teams with a secondary that can provide speedbumps to the ‘Phins. Yes, this will be the first legitimate test for this secondary, as the Broncos and Patriots certianly did not have a wide receiver room capable of punishing them. But this group is talented nonetheless, and should be up for the task. Not to mention Seattle’s pass rush has been making life miserable for quarterbacks this year. Miami’s Skylar Thompson is sure to be under fire, with even less time to find the likes of his elite receivers.
The real challenge will be if Seattle’s defense can stop the run and get off the field. Last week, the Patriots ran for 185 yards as a team. Miami will be without running back Raheem Mostert, but still have De’Von Achane who rushed for 96 yards.
Speaking of running backs, the Seahawks will be without their star in Kenneth Walker, who will be missing his 2nd-straight game. The lack of Walker in the mix makes Seattle’s offense a little more one dimensional, as Zach Charbonnet failed to show he could carry the load on his own. However, with how great quarterback Geno Smith has been playing, the Seahawks might be fine offensively.
Seattle’s wide receiver room is also one of the few position groups in the league that makes Miami’s advantage at wide receiver less dominant. DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba had their way with New England’s defensive backs last week. Although, Sunday will mark the return of Jalen Ramsey back to Seattle, who always battled Metcalf well. Hopefully, Metcalf can keep his cool when facing his former foe.
Ultimately, I predict another close game for the Seahawks. The lack of Walker is going to make their offense not as dynamic, but they should still have more than enough gas in the tank to outlast Thompson. I expect Macdonald’s defense to force the backup into a few mistakes to help be the difference in the game.
Prediction: Seahawks over Dolphins 24-20
