Season of Boom

[Baze]

// Week 16 Preview: Tennessee Titans
// BY JEANIE ROTH

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Coming off an exhilarating win last week against the Eagles, the Seahawks hope to carry their momentum on the road against Tennessee and the #1 ranked defense.

Titans Key Performers

• QB Ryan Tannehill: 61% completion percentage, 2,480 yards, 18 touchdowns, 7 interceptions
• HB Derrick Henry: 5.3 yards per carry, 1,193 yards (2nd in NFL), 8 touchdowns
• HB Tyjae Spears: 3.0 yards per carry, 465 yards, 7 touchdowns
• WR Treylon Burks: 707 yards, 2 touchdowns
• WR Deandre Hopkins: 702 yards, 4 touchdowns
• LB Azeez Al-Shaair: 101 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 3 interceptions
• DE Jeffery Simmons: 43 tackles, 9 TFL, 9 sacks (T-7th in NFL)

Very few teams have been able to figure out how to stop Seattle's offense this season - will the Titans be included on that short list? The Seahawks have failed to score at least 21 points just three times this season and are now up against Tennessee, who is allowing an average of 16.5 points per game, best in the NFL. The Titans also allow the fewest offensive yards - 291 yards per game, to be precise.

Both teams are still looking to punch their ticket into the playoffs. The Seahawks can hang onto 1st place in the NFC with a victory, while the Titans win would help them maintain their lead atop the AFC South ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Interestingly enough, the Titans have struggled at home this season - they are just 2-5 at home but undefeated (7-0) on the road.

Ryan Tannehill hasn't had to do too much as it's been the Tennessee rushing attack that has dictated the offense. Derrick Henry ranks 2nd in the NFL with 1,193 rushing yards. He now faces Seattle's top 5 rushing defense, which is allowing 98 yards per game. Tannehill may be asked to do more against the Seattle defense, which has had its trouble defending the pass this season. He has Treylon Burks and Deandre Hopkins to depend upon, with both receivers having recorded at least 700 receiving yards this season.

Things to Watch For

• Derrick Henry vs. Seattle's rush defense
  We can throw rookie Tyjae Spears into this conversation as well since he's also been impressive as Henry's backup, rushing for 7 touchdowns this season. The 2nd best running back in the NFL this season (statistically) actually hasn't ran for more than 100 yards in his last 3 games, but Henry is certainly more than capable of exploding at any point. Meanwhile, the Seahawks defense responded in a big way last week against the Eagles, allowing just 70 yards on the ground after letting Elijah Mitchell run for 110 in their loss to San Francisco.

• Can Seattle's defensive momentum carry forward?
  The Titans rank in the top 10 in scoring but are actually an average team when it comes to offensive yardage (14th). On the other hand, the Seahawks are coming off a game in which they allowed just 3 points to the Eagles in the second half and have seemingly found some type of answer to some of their defensive woes. Will Seattle's defensive unit be able to pick up where they left off last week, or will Henry and the Tennessee offense find ways to exploit them?

[Baze]

The end of this season is really revving up the drama. These last three games have been nuts. I would be losing my mind playing through them myself. Good stuff Baze, really running the show here.

Glad you're enjoying the ride brother! Maybe I can wrap up the regular season this week.

[Baze]

WEEK 16: TENNESSEE TITANS vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Nissan Stadium // Nashville, TN
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | OT || FINAL
SEA (11-4) | 3 | 17 | 0 | 17 | - || 37
TEN (9-6) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - || 3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Jordyn Brooks and Derick Hall celebrate a scoop and score after a Titans turnover on a kickoff return.

// Seahawks force 3 turnovers in 37-3 rout of Titans
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - It was a game so lop-sided that even the fiery Seahawks safety Jamal Adams was left at a loss for words during the post-game conference.

"What can I say, man. We blocked out all that noise about us on defense and I hope the league takes notice after today."

The Tennessee Titans were able to muster just 3 points on their opening drive from a Nick Folk field goal, but after that, it was all Seattle. The Seahawks scored 37 unanswered points and forced 3 turnovers in the process to win their 11th win of the season and come closer to clinching the NFC West as well as a playoff spot.

Seattle's defense have now allowed just 6 points in the last 6 quarters of play. Against the Titans, the Seahawks gave up a season-low 233 yards of total offense, which includes limiting Derrick Henry to 39 rushing yards on 12 carries. The Titans, who have typically controlled the game with Henry and the running attack, fell behind so early that they had to abandon it and turn to Ryan Tannehill. He didn't fare much better, throwing for just 144 yards before being taken out of the game for Will Levis. The rookie proceeded to throw an interception on his first drive of the game to Adams late in the 4th quarter.

The tide started to turn very quickly for the Seahawks after linebacker Jordyn Brooks stripped the ball away from Chris Moore during a kickoff in a second quarter that was recovered by Derick Hall for a touchdown, widening Seattle's lead to 17-3. The Seahawks offensive starters were pulled from the game after DeeJay Dallas' 9-yard rushing touchdown in the 4th quarter that gave them a 27-3 lead. Seattle would go on to score one more touchdown under the command of backup quarterback Drew Lock, who hit a wide open D'Wayne Eskridge on a play-action crossing pattern for 42 yards.

The Seahawks got 214 yards and a touchdown from Geno Smith before he left the game. Their running game was relatively muted by Tennessee's defense, holding Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet to 30 and 31 yards, respectively. Dallas led the Seahawks with 41 yards. Tyler Lockett eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark with his 6 reception, 64 yard performance, while D.K. Metcalf caught his 11th touchdown of the season.

With the extra playing time, Hall recorded 5 tackles and 1.5 sacks in addition to his fumble recovery for a touchdown. He also forced a fumble that was recovered by the Titans. Devon Witherspoon, Dre'Mont Jones, and Boye Mafe also sacked the Tennessee quarterbacks.

Now, it's a waiting game for both teams - Tennessee is hoping the Buccaneers can defeat the Jaguars to maintain a 2-game lead in the AFC South, while the Seahawks can clinch the NFC West title with a 49ers loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.

Scoring Summary

• 1st Quarter
  [TEN] Nick Folk, 38-yard field goal [9:30]
  [SEA] Jason Myers, 48-yard field goal [3:13]

• 2nd Quarter
  [SEA] D.K. Metcalf, 6-yard pass from Geno Smith (J. Myers kick) [6:08]
  [SEA] Derick Hall, 19-yard fumble recovery (J. Myers kick) [6:01]
  [SEA] Jason Myers, 27-yard field goal [3:46]

• 3rd Quarter
  No Scoring

• 4th Quarter
  [SEA] DeeJay Dallas, 9-yard run (J. Myers kick) [14:18]
  [SEA] D'Wayne Eskridge, 42-yard pass from Drew Lock (J. Myers kick) [11:13]
  [SEA] Jason Myers, 37-yard field goal [1:56]

Notable Player Stats

• Seattle Seahawks (11-4)
  Geno Smith, QB: 21 of 28 (75%), 214 yards, TD (108.3 passer rating)
  DeeJay Dallas, HB; 8 carries, 41 yards, TD
  Tyler Lockett, WR: 6 receptions, 64 yards
  D'Wayne Eskridge, WR: 2 receptions, 51 yards, TD
  Noah Fant, TE: 4 receptions, 58 yards
  Jamal Adams, S: 9 tackles, 0.5 sack, INT
  Devon Witherspoon, CB: 8 tackles, TFL, 1 sack
  Jordyn Brooks, LB: 7 tackles, TFL, forced fumble
  Derick Hall, LB: 5 tackles, 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks, forced fumble, fumble recovery, TD

• Tennessee Titans (9-6)
  Ryan Tannehill, QB: 18 of 23, 144 yards (92.7 passer rating)
  Derrick Henry, HB: 12 carries, 39 yards
  Colton Dowell, WR: 5 receptions, 56 yards
  Roger McCreary, CB: 9 tackles, TFL
  Caleb Farley, CB: 6 tackles
  Azeez Al-Shaair, LB: 4 tackles
  

[Agent]

Titans don't even have a bad record & got absolutely SMACKED by the 'hawks

[Baze]

// Merry Christmas: Seahawks win NFC West title on Christmas night
// BY ADAM MILLER

In Seattle's heart on Christmas night,
A tale of triumph took its flight,
The Seahawks soared with all their might,
To claim the NFC West, shining bright.

The 12th Man, with voices loud,
Cheered on their team, a roaring crowd,
Their fervor echoed through the air,
A unity that's truly rare.

And when the final whistle blew,
The Seahawks' victory brightly grew,
The NFC West, a cherished prize,
Under the Christmas Eve-lit skies.

So let us celebrate this feat,
A Christmas gift, both sweet and neat,
The Seahawks triumphed, hearts so light,
Winning the NFC West on Christmas night.

SEATTLE, Wash. - The Seattle Seahawks have won their first NFC West division title since 2020.

With the San Francisco 49ers losing to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night, the Seahawks also guaranteed a playoff berth. They are still in contention for a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs if they can win their next 2 games. Call Lamar Jackson, Santa Claus, if you will - the Ravens quarterback shredded Seattle's division rival for 375 yards as he not only gifted the Seahawks the NFC West, but also helped the Ravens secure their own playoff spot with the win.

Seattle's 11-4 record rides mostly on their league-leading offense, averaging 30.3 points and 435 yards of offense per game. But as of late, it has been their defense that's stepped up to the plate. Their next game is against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lumen Field.

[Baze]

Titans don't even have a bad record & got absolutely SMACKED by the 'hawks

The Titans ain't that good

[Baze]

// AROUND THE NFL - WEEK 16 \\

// Let the dominoes fall - Chiefs, Ravens, others secure playoff berths
The Ravens may have not won their division yet but have guaranteed another postseason appearance under John Harbaugh after defeating the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. It was a performance that gave Lamar Jackson the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award as he threw for 375 yards and 2 touchdowns. Four other teams secured a playoff berth this week: the Kansas City Chiefs (AFC East champions), the Seattle Seahawks (NFC West champions), Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys.

Here were other things to note for Week 16:

• The Packers and Vikings set to duke it out in what is likely the NFC North title game
  The Bears (8-7) had plenty of chances to secure their first division title since 2018 but have almost essentially blown it, losing 3 straight games in the process. Now it's Green Bay (9-6) and Minnesota (9-6) who square off against each other next Monday night, and the winner will most likely win the NFC North unless something crazy happens in the final week of the regular season.

• The race for the number one pick
  Enough talk about the playoffs, let's talk about who is in line for the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Here are the bottom 5 teams in the NFL with their current records:
  
  1. Houston Texans (2-13) - Arizona owns pick
  2. Washington Commanders (3-12)
  3. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)
  4. Detroit Lions (4-11)
  5. Indianapolis Colts (5-10)
  
  If the season were to end today, the Cardinals would hold the first pick. Many mock drafts have them taking USC quarterback Caleb Williams as a replacement for Kyler Murray. The Cardinals also currently hold the 6th overall pick.

--------------------------------------------
NFL Scores: Week 16, 2023

• [17] New Orleans Saints // Los Angeles Rams [24]
• [24] Cincinnati Bengals // Pittsburgh Steelers [27]
• [23] Buffalo Bills // Los Angeles Chargers [16]
• [21] Indianapolis Colts // Atlanta Falcons [35]
• [31] Green Bay Packers // Carolina Panthers [14]
• [27] Cleveland Browns // Houston Texans [21]
• [14] Detroit Lions // Minnesota Vikings [24]
• [38] Washington Commanders // New York Jets [14]
• [37] Seattle Seahawks // Tennessee Titans [3]
• [38] Jacksonville Jaguars // Tampa Bay Buccaneers [22]
• [17] Arizona Cardinals // Chicago Bears [14]
• [22] Dallas Cowboys // Miami Dolphins [21]
• [20] New England Patriots // Denver Broncos [14]
• [24] Las Vegas Raiders // Kansas City Chiefs [31]
• [24] New York Giants // Philadelphia Eagles [30]
• [28] Baltimore Ravens // San Francisco 49ers [20]

Key Matchups for Week 17

• New England Patriots (8-7) vs. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
• Atlanta Falcons (8-7) vs. Chicago Bears (8-7)
• Carolina Panthers (8-7) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7)
• Miami Dolphins (8-7) vs. Baltimore Ravens (11-4)
• Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) vs. Seattle Seahawks (11-4)
• Los Angeles Chargers (7-8) vs. Denver Broncos (7-8)
• Cincinnati Bengals (10-5) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
• Green Bay Packers (9-6) vs. Minnesota Vikings (9-6)

Players of the Week

• Sam Howell, QB, Washington Commanders: 21 of 25, 216 yards, 4 touchdowns
• Fred Warner, LB, San Francisco 49ers: 10 tackles, 1 interception
• Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens: 30 of 39, 375 yards, 2 touchdowns, INT
• Denzel Perryman, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers: 13 tackles

Notable Transactions

• No transactions

Injury Report

• Ryan Jensen, C, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Season (knee)
• Aaron Rodgers, QB, New York Jets: Season (achilles)
• Chuck Clark, S, New York Jets: Season (knee)
• Cameron Hayward, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers: 2 weeks (ankle)
• Nelson Agholor, WR, Baltimore Ravens: 3 weeks (ankle)
• Semaje Perine, RB, Denver Broncos: 2 weeks (knee)
• Grady Jarrett, DT, Atlanta Falcons: 2 weeks (ankle)
• Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina Panthers: 6 weeks (quad)
• Tyler Allgeier, RB, Atlanta Falcons: 5 weeks (knee)

[Soapy]

The Cardinals have Houston's pick, loc

[Baze]

The Cardinals have Houston's pick, loc

lmao thanks blood, updated.

[Baze]

// Pre-Snap Reads, Week 17: With injuries a concern, how do Seahawks strike a balance?
// BY TERRENCE ROBINSON

RENTON, Wash. - The Seahawks have locked up the NFC West and a playoff berth before the new year, and with two games remaining, they can still secure a first-round bye and home field advantage. The question is, how far are head coach Pete Carroll and the Seahawks willing to go to fight for the #1 seed given all the injuries they have suffered this season?

Seattle has seen at least 5 of their starters miss time due to injury this season. This includes Kenneth Walker III, Noah Fant, Bobby Wagner, Darrell Taylor, Damien Lewis, and Charles Cross, among others. The Seahawks have also had Geno Smith leave a game due to injury, although he has never officially missed a start. Walker was pulled from the game against the Titans after suffering a minor abdomen injury but was not listed on the injury report this week, indicating that he will be ready to go for the Steelers. Lewis and Mario Edwards Jr. have been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season.

Carroll knows he can't afford to lose any more players, but he's also aware of the competitive advantage that a 1st-round bye and home field advantage brings. Last year, the 1-seeded Philadelphia Eagles routed the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 at home to advance to the Super Bowl. Seattle's home field is also arguably unmatched in the NFL, with Lumen Field previously setting records for the loudest stadium and being responsible for causing small earthquakes due to the noise.

Team News

• D.K. Metcalf set a new career-high in receiving yards in one season last week against the Titans, now with 1,323 yards to lead the NFL. He needs just 6 more receptions to set a new career-high in catches and 2 more scores for a new career-high in touchdowns.

• Safety Julian Love was seen lining up at the nickel position more frequently this week during practice after getting some playing time at the position during the Titans game.