Season of Boom

[Soapy]

let's see it han

[Baze]

WEEK 12: SEATTLE SEAHAWKS vs. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Lumen Field // Seattle, WA
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Team | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | OT || FINAL
SF (5-6) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | - || 14
SEA (9-2) | 0 | 13 | 0 | 3 | - || 16
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Jamal Adams walks off the field after Quandre Diggs' interception late in the 4th quarter.

// Seahawks defense stars, defeat 49ers in Thanksgiving showdown
SEATTLE, Wash. - It took everything from the Seattle Seahawks defense to stop Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers from scoring the game-winning field goal in the 4th quarter, leading to the team's 9th win of the season that extends their lead in the NFC West.

It's bittersweet revenge for the Seahawks, whose last game against the 49ers ended in a 23-41 loss in the 2022 NFC Wild Card game that eliminated them from the playoffs. Purdy had 4 touchdowns in that contest.

It was undoubtedly the Seahawks' best defensive showing of the season - the unit, without one of their leaders in veteran Bobby Wagner, held the 49ers to 206 yards of offense, aided by an injury to running back Christian McCaffrey. He left early in the 1st quarter and did not return, leaving the 49ers running game in the hands of Elijah Mitchell (5 carries, 28 yards). The 49ers had just 63 rushing yards. Seattle also held Purdy to 152 passing yards.

"It's a testament to the work we've put in during this short week to be prepared," head coach Pete Carroll said of his defense. "To hold the 49ers to 14 points is not easy to do. I'm very proud of the way we fought until the very end."

The receiving trio of George Kittle (54 yards, TD), Brandon Aiyuk (32 yards), and Deebo Samuel (26 yards) had difficulty finding any type of separation from the Seahawks secondary after the opening drive touchdown. Mike Jackson (4 tackles, 1 pass breakup) and Tre Brown (4 tackles, TFL) were instrumental in assisting in pass coverage on the Niners playmakers.

The Niners defense proved to also be challenging for the Seahawks. Playing against the league's 3rd-best rushing defense, Seattle's running game compiled 138 yards and averaged only 3.2 yards per carry. Their 16 points scored is the lowest amount this season.

The Thanksgiving clash between the division rivals was a spectacle to watch from beginning to end. Both teams kicked off the night with 14-play scoring drives, foreshadowing the fact that this game would come down to the final possession. It was San Francisco's defense that cracked first when a blown defensive assignment allowed Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf to get wide open on the final play of the 2nd quarter for a 40-yard touchdown as time expired.

Seattle extended their lead to 9 points in the 4th quarter after Jason Myers converted a 49-yard field goal, his longest of the season. San Francisco immediately responded on the ensuing kickoff, with Ray-Ray McCloud III finding space for a 96-yard touchdown return to cut the lead to 2.

A Myers missed field goal gave San Francisco an opportunity to take a late 4th quarter lead. However, Quandre Diggs made the game's biggest play when he intercepted Purdy near midfield as the 49ers were marching down into field goal position.

Diggs stepped in front of fullback Kyle Juszczyk on an underthrow from Purdy, who faced pressure from a blitzing Devon Witherspoon. The Seahawks were able to run out the clock thanks to the turnover.

Seattle remains in firm control of the NFC West with 6 games remaining in their season. They play the Dallas Cowboys next Thursday before a rematch with San Francisco the week after.

Scoring Summary

• 1st Quarter
  [SF] George Kittle, 8-yard pass from Brock Purdy (J. Moody kick) [8:09]

• 2nd Quarter
  [SEA] Deejay Dallas, 1-yard run (J. Myers kick) [14:16]
  [SEA] D.K. Metcalf, 40-yard pass from Geno Smith (missed PAT) [0:00]

• 3rd Quarter
  No Scoring

• 4th Quarter
  [SEA] Jason Myers, 49-yard field goal [9:32]
  [SF] Ray-Ray McCloud III, returned kickoff 96 yards (J. Moody kick) [9:20]

Notable Player Stats

• San Francisco 49ers (5-6)
  Brock Purdy, QB: 23 of 32 (71%), 152 yards, TD, INT (79.1 passer rating)
  Elijah Mitchell, HB: 5 carries, 28 yards
  George Kittle, TE: 8 receptions, 54 yards, TD
  Dre Greenlaw: 15 tackles, TFL
  Fred Warner: 14 tackles, TFL
  Talanoa Hufanga, S: 12 tackles, 2 TFL
  Javon Kinlaw, DT: 4 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 sacks

• Seattle Seahawks (9-2)
  Geno Smith, QB: 22 of 28 (78%), 240 yards, TD (114.2 passer rating)
  Zach Charbonnet, HB: 22 carries, 93 yards
  Deejay Dallas, HB: 10 carries, 13 yards, TD
  D.K. Metcalf, WR: 6 receptions, 88 yards, TD
  Tyler Lockett, WR: 5 receptions, 83 yards
  Quandre Diggs, S: 5 tackles, INT
  Jamal Adams, S: 5 tackles
  Uchenna Nwosu, LB: 4 tackles, TFL, 1 sack

[Captain Canada]

CMC going down definitely didn't hurt, but wow. That must have been one hell of a tight game.

[Baze]

let's see it han

signed, sealed, delivered.

CMC going down definitely didn't hurt, but wow. That must have been one hell of a tight game.

I'm almost positive it would've been an L with a healthy CMC

[Baze]

// AROUND THE NFL - WEEK 12 \\

// Winless No More: Lions defeat Packers on Thanksgiving for first win
Detroit responded to the loss of Aidan Hutchinson with a huge upset over their division rival to win their first game of the 2023 NFL season and ensuring that no team will finish 0-17 for the first time in NFL history. While having no chance of making the playoffs any further, the Lions could certainly play spoiler to many teams looking to make it to the postseason...the loss knocks Green Bay down to second place in the NFC North after the Bears picked up a shutout victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night. Wide receiver Jameson Williams led the way offensively for the Lions with 9 receptions for 106 yards while Tracy Walker III and Cameron Sutton each intercepted Jordan Love.

Here were other things to note for Week 12:

• Joe Burrow and Cincinnati pick up their 3rd straight win...
  ...Vaulting them into 2nd place in the hotly-contested AFC North. Cincinnati is now behind just the Baltimore Ravens (9-3) and just ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4) thanks to three huge offensive performances during their winning streak. In the past 3 games, the Bengals have scored 118 points - an average of 39.3 points per game - and that includes wins over the Ravens on the road as well as the Steelers at home. An in-form Bengals offense headlined by Joe Burrow is something no defense wants to face down the stretch.

• Jalen Ramsey activated off injured reserve, expected to play next week
  The Dolphins finally get their prized free agent acquisition back from injury after activating him off injured reserve, and the shutdown corner has what looks like an opportunity to easily get back to game speed when his team faces the hapless Washington Commanders offense next week. Miami dropped their most recent game to the New York Jets and are now 2 games behind the Buffalo Bills for the lead of the AFC East. Ramsey's return will likely improve Miami's 11th-ranked defense.

• Falcons overcome 13-point 4th quarter deficit to defeat Saints, hang tight in NFC South race
  It wasn't pretty, but Atlanta managed to get behind Desmond Ridder for their 6th win of the season in dramatic fashion. A Saints win would have forced a 3-way tie for second place in division, but the Falcons had other ideas...the win solidified their 2nd-place position behind the Carolina Panthers, who now share the same record with Atlanta but sit in first due to their head-to-head win.

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NFL Scores: Week 12, 2023

• [18] Green Bay Packers // Detroit Lions [21]
• [14] Washington Commanders // Dallas Cowboys [38]
• [14] San Francisco 49ers // Seattle Seahawks [16]
• [13] Miami Dolphins // New York Jets [21]
• [27] New Orleans Saints // Atlanta Falcons [28]
• [30] Pittsburgh Steelers // Cincinnati Bengals [38]
• [7] Tampa Bay Buccaneers // Indianapolis Colts [31]
• [35] Jacksonville Jaguars // Houston Texans [25]
• [31] New England Patriots // New York Giants [28]
• [20] Carolina Panthers // Tennessee Titans [28]
• [28] Los Angeles Rams // Arizona Cardinals [16]
• [20] Cleveland Browns // Denver Broncos [17]
• [38] Buffalo Bills // Philadelphia Eagles [24]
• [28] Kansas City Chiefs // Las Vegas Raiders [27]
• [24] Baltimore Ravens // Los Angeles Chargers [21]
• [20] Chicago Bears // Minnesota Vikings [0]

Key Matchups for Week 13

• Seattle Seahawks (9-2) vs. Dallas Cowboys (9-2)
• Los Angeles Chargers (5-6) vs. New England Patriots (5-6)
• Carolina Panthers (6-4) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6)
• Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) vs. Green Bay Packers (7-4)
• Cincinnati Bengals (8-3) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-5)

Players of the Week

• Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles: 24 of 36, 342 yards, 2 TD // 9 carries, 57 yards, TD
• Darnell Savage, S, Green Bay Packers: 6 tackles, 2 interceptions
• Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills: 22 of 29, 275 yards, 4 TD
• Alex Highsmith, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers: 10 tackles, 2 sacks

Notable Transactions

• [TEN] Signed DE Justin Zimmer
• [TEN] Signed G Andrew Norwell

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)
• Frankie Luvu, LB, Carolina Panthers: 4 weeks (foot)
• Xavier McKinney, S, New York Giants: 2 weeks (shoulder)
• Tyler Conklin, TE, New York Jets: 4 weeks (foot)
• Charles Cross, OT, Seattle Seahawks: 1 week (elbow)
• Cameron Hayward, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers: 6 weeks (ankle)
• Shaq Mason, G, Houston Texans: 2 weeks (chest)
• Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions: 4 weeks (knee)
• J.K. Dobbins, HB, Baltimore Ravens: 4 weeks (knee)
• Antonio Gibson, HB, Washington Commanders: 4 weeks (back)
• Nelson Agholor, WR, Baltimore Ravens: 7 weeks (ankle)

[Soapy]

a defensive masterpiece, absolute cinema

[Baze]

a defensive masterpiece, absolute cinema

showing up for the big games, but got some tough ones coming up: Dallas, SF, and Philly

[Baze]

[Baze]

// Pre-Snap Reads, Week 13: Metcalf eclipses 1K mark, Shane Waldron rumors, and key players return from injury
// BY TERRENCE ROBINSON

RENTON, Wash. - Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf became the first player in the the NFL to surpass 1,000 receiving yards after an 88-yard performance against the San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving, marking the 3rd time in 5 seasons he's recorded at least 1,000 yards. Metcalf is on pace to set a new career-high, which he set back in 2020 with 1,303 yards through the air. He also needs 5 touchdowns in Seattle's final 6 games to set a new career-high for receiving touchdowns in a season (12).

The 5th-year receiver has been a reliable target for Geno Smith ever since the season started and he has been the Seahawks' main weapon through the air. Metcalf, however, attributed most of his success to his teammates, including fellow receivers Tyler Lockett and rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

"They're doing a lot to help me get 1-on-1s because of how good they are too," Metcalf said. "They've made my job a lot easier and I'm sure Geno's job is a lot easier thanks to them."

Metcalf isn't wrong - Lockett is working on a 1,000-yard season himself, which if he does would be the 5th consecutive season he's eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark. The team captain currently sits at 756 yards. And while Smith-Njigba sits at a somewhat distant 3rd with 569 yards, the rookie has proven to be a reliable target as well. He trails just Minnesota's Jordan Addison in most receiving yards for a rookie.

While Metcalf gives credit to Lockett and Smith-Njigba, it is Smith who has probably been the biggest beneficiary under Shane Waldron's high-powered offense...he currently leads the NFL in passing yards (3,139) and ranks second in completion percentage (69%) as well as passer rating (115.0). It is rumored that Waldron's name has been tossed around the league as a future NFL head coach due to his recent success with Seattle.

Team News

• Bobby Wagner, Kenneth Walker III, Darrell Taylor, and Noah Fant were all full participants in this week's practices while the Seahawks prepared for a second consecutive Thursday night game, this time against the Dallas Cowboys. Expect no snap count limit for any players, says head coach Pete Carroll: "They all look great."
  
  While it is expected that Wagner and Fant will assume their starting roles, it is unclear how Walker and Taylor will be utilized. Walker is undoubtedly Seattle's number one back, but recent performances from rookie Zach Charbonnet gives the Seahawks and opportunity to ease the second-year player back into the running game. In the 4 games Charbonnet has started since Walker's injury, he has rushed for 442 yards and 3 touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Seattle has also seen 2nd-year pro Boye Mafe emerge as a pass rushing threat in Taylor's absence - he's recorded 2 sacks in the 3 games that Taylor has missed.

• The rotation of cornerbacks - Mike Jackson Sr., Coby Bryant, Tre Brown, and Artie Burns - into the nickel/slot position was a major success last week in Seattle's win against the 49ers, and there's no reason to believe that will change against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys. The strategy managed to play a big role in limiting San Francisco's Brock Purdy to 152 passing yards, the lowest number Seattle's held their opponents to all season. Prescott will pose a greater challenge...the quarterback ranks 6th in the NFL with 2,774 passing yards and is tied for 3rd with 23 touchdowns.

[Baze]

// Week 13 Preview: Dallas Cowboys
// BY JEANIE ROTH

ARLINGTON, Tex. - Who gets to 10 wins first? After the Buffalo Bills became the league's first team to hit the 10-win mark of the 2023 NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys are both fighting to be next. The outcome will be decided before the end of Thursday night at AT&T Stadium.

Cowboys Key Performers

• QB Dak Prescott: 2,774 passing yards (6th in NFL), 69% completion percentage (T-3rd in NFL), 23 touchdowns (T-3rd in NFL), 5 interceptions
• HB Tony Pollard: 748 rushing yards, 9 touchdowns (T-3rd in NFL)
• WR Michael Gallup: 65 receptions, 823 yards (7th in NFL), 9 touchdowns (T-3rd in NFL)
• WR CeeDee Lamb: 62 receptions, 812 yards (8th in NFL), 7 touchdowns (T-5th in NFL)
• LB Leighton Vander Esch: 66 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 interceptions
• LB Micah Parsons: 47 tackles, 10 TFL, 15 sacks (1st in NFL)
• DE DeMarcus Lawrence: 36 tackles, 7 TFL, 10 sacks (T-2nd in NFL)

Dallas will be the most complete team Seattle's played up to this point in the season - their offense and defense ranks top 10 and top 5, respectively, and the individual performances show it. Dak Prescott ranks in the top 10 in passing yards, completion percentage, and touchdowns. Tony Pollard's 9 rushing touchdowns are tied for third-most. CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup are statistically ranked in the top 10 in receiving yards and touchdowns. Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence have been a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks, ranking 1st and 2nd respectively in sacks. The Cowboys will be playing without some key defensive starters, however, as leading tackler Leighton Vander Esch (shoulder) and safety Malik Hooker (back) have been ruled out. Each team is aiming for their 10th win of the season.

Things to Watch For

• Dak Prescott vs. the Seahawks pass defense
  Seattle has done a much better job in recent weeks against opposing quarterbacks, with their most dominant performance coming last week against the San Francisco 49ers. They now face a top 10 quarterback in Prescott, who's not only done a good job of facilitating scoring drives for his team, but also limiting his turnovers, an Achilles heel for him last season. He's only thrown 5 interceptions this season and has not fumbled the football.

• Seahawks offensive line vs. Cowboys pass rush
  For as much success as Geno Smith has had this season, he's also been on the receiving end of many sacks...27, to be exact, which is 3rd most among starting quarterbacks. Now they're staring down what has been the best pass-rushing duo of the season in Parsons and Lawrence, who've combined for 25 sacks this year. The Seahawks will likely want to keep their starting quarterback upright for a chance to him to get the ball to his receivers. Seattle will still be without starting offensive tackle Charles Cross, who remains sidelined with a dislocated elbow.

• The return of Seattle's injured players
  Leading rusher Kenneth Walker III, starting linebacker Bobby Wagner, starting tight end Noah Fant, and edge rusher Darrell Taylor are all returning from injury for the Seahawks, replenishing a unit that has reeled off 5 consecutive wins and looking for a 6th. Head coach Pete Carroll told reporters during a press conference this week that there won't be a snap count limit for his players, but it remains to be seen how they will be utilized.