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Seattle Seahawks Week 18 Analysis

January 4, 2007 @ 16:00:00

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Nicholas Minnix

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VS DALLAS COWBOYS

With a playoff game already assured, the Seattle Seahawks (9-7) didn't have much to play for last week aside from pride. They also didn't have a tough matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12), who seemed destined for a top-five draft pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Their offensive superstars, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and running back Shaun Alexander, both put in a workmanlike effort against the Buccaneers, which bolstered hopes that they are back to their 2006 playoff form. It was on defense, however, that they would have liked to have come out better. They lost cornerback Kelly Herndon (ankle) to a broken ankle, while linebacker LeRoy Hill (concussion) suffered a concussion and cornerback Jimmy Williams (knee) left the game late with a knee injury. Herndon and Williams are on Injured Reserve, while cornerback Marcus Trufant (ankle) has been ruled out. In the end, they came out 23-7 winners over the Buccaneers, although the losses on defense could come back to haunt them.

The win meant they are set to face the Jekyll-and-Hyde team of this year's playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys (9-7). The Cowboys stumbled into the playoffs, losing their last two and three of their last four. They were embarrassed in both of their last two losses, a 23-7 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) on Christmas Day and a 39-31 loss to the lowly Detroit Lions (3-13). This team does have talent (as well as some huge egos) but who knows which team will show up. It should make for a great game this week, with some definite fantasy starters.

PASSING MATCHUP: QUARTERBACKS

Hasselbeck comes into this matchup after having completed one of his better performances of the season, albeit against a weaker opposition. Against the Buccaneers, he completed 17 of 29 passes for 216 yards and one touchdown. He also spread the ball around well, hitting eight different receivers for receptions. Over the past four weeks, Hasselbeck is averaging 217 passing yards, 1.3 passing touchdowns and one interception per game. He is also running for 11 yards per game. The Cowboys have been decimated by opposing quarterbacks lately, especially in the past two weeks, and with the Seahawks able to throw at least three solid wide receivers at them, it could be a big day for Hasselbeck. If Lions quarterback Jon Kitna can throw for 306 passing yards and four touchdowns against the Cowboys (as he did in Week 17), who knows what Hasselbeck can do. He should be used as a No. 1 wide receiver this week, and he is considered a strong play.

Since Week 14, the Cowboys have allowed 300 passing yards, 3.5 touchdowns and one interception per game to this position.

RUSHING MATCHUP: RUNNING BACKS

As stated above, Alexander put in a workmanlike effort against the Buccaneers, rushing the ball 28 times for 92 yards and one touchdown. He also caught one pass for 14 yards. Over the past four weeks, Alexander is averaging 95 rushing yards and one touchdown per game. In that time, he is also averaging 27.8 utilizations (39 percent) per game, with 3.8 per game (46 percent) coming in the red zone. He also has 1.3 utilizations per game inside the 5. Alexander should find plenty of rushing room this weekend, particularly if Hasselbeck back can open things up a bit with the pass. Alexander should be used as a No. 2 running back, and is a strong play.

Running back Maurice Morris doesn't get the rock much with Alexander back in the fray. Since Week 14 he has averaged 18 total yards and no touchdowns per game. In that time the team has utilized him 5.5 times per game (7.8 percent), with none coming in the red zone. Morris is a strong play and could serve as a No. 3 for you this Sunday, although the better alternative is probably to leave him on the fantasy pine.

Fullback Mack Strong's greatest value in this offense is as a lead blocker for Alexander, something that earned him a Pro Bowl nod last season, as well as this season. However, with only 0.3 rushing yards and 5.5 receiving yards per game over the past four weeks, he is a weak play and should be benched this week.

The Cowboys are allowing 114 rushing yards, 77 receiving yards and 1.8 total touchdowns per game to this position over the past four weeks.

RECEIVING MATCHUP PART I: WIDE RECEIVERS

Wide receiver D.J. Hackett (hip) has established himself as the top Seahawks receiver over the past four weeks. He solidified that with four catches for 63 yards and one touchdown last week. Since Week 14, Hackett is averaging 73 receiving yards and 0.5 receiving touchdowns per game. He is also being targeted 7.5 times (11 percent) per game, with one (12 percent) coming in the red zone per game. There is some worry as to whether or not Hackett will play this week as he has already missed some practice. He is listed as questionable. Keep an eye on KFFL, as if he does play, he should be used as a No. 1 wide receiver and is a strong play.

With by far the most playoff experience of the team's wide receivers, wide receiver Deion Branch could be called upon a lot against the Cowboys. Against the Buccaneers last week, Branch caught three passes for 38 yards. Over the past four weeks, he is averaging 52 receiving yards per game. He is being targeted nine times (13 percent) per game over the past four weeks, with 0.3 per game (3.1 percent) coming in the red zone. The Super Bowl XXXIX MVP comes ranked as a strong play as a No. 2 wide receiver this week.

After missing a few weeks due to an illness, wide receiver Bobby Engram finally made it back for the team's Week 15 game. Since then he is averaging just 31 receiving yards per game, although with the amount of weapons in this offense it could be hard for him to break back in quickly. He is being targeted just 3.33 times (3.6 percent) per game over the past four weeks (three games). Against the Buccaneers last week, Engram caught two passes for 27 yards. He comes ranked as a strong play this week, and is a No. 3 wide receiver.

Wide receiver Nate Burleson (ankle) missed practice Wednesday, Jan. 3, with an ankle injury but is listed as probable to play this week. Over the past four weeks, he is averaging 5.5 receiving yards and 0.3 touchdowns per game. His numbers aren't great, and with the other weapons the team has, he is a weak play and should be benched this week.

Wide receiver Darrell Jackson (toe) has also missed some time, playing in only one of the team's past four games. In that game, he caught five passes for 60 yards and one touchdown. Jackson is listed as questionable for the game against the Cowboys, so keep an eye on KFFL to see if he plays. If he does end up going, he could have some value for your fantasy team, because he would be a strong play.

The Cowboys are allowing 171 receiving yards and two touchdowns to this position per game over the past four weeks.

RECEIVING MATCHUP PART II: TIGHT ENDS

Tight end Jerramy Stevens finished last week's game with four receptions for 54 receiving yards. Over the past four weeks, he is averaging 37 receiving yards and 0.3 touchdowns per game. He is also being targeted 5.5 times (7.8 percent) per game, with 0.8 per game (9.3 percent) coming in the red zone. As many Seahawks fans will tell you, if he could only hold onto the ball when it's thrown his way, he could be among the top tight ends in the conference. As it is, for this week he comes ranked as the top tight end for fantasy purposes. He should be used as a No. 1 tight end and is a strong play.

The Cowboys are giving up 52 receiving yards and 0.3 touchdowns per game to this position over the past four weeks.

KICKING MATCHUP

Place kicker Josh Brown got in a good pre-playoff workout last week, connecting on all three of his field goal attempts, in addition to his two extra point attempts. Over the past four weeks, Brown is averaging one field goal attempt (4-for-4) and 2.3 extra point attempts (9-for-9) per game. Brown also tied a NFL single-season record this season with four game-winning field goals in the final minute, so the team knows he can come through in the clutch if needed. Brown should be used on your fantasy team as a No. 1 place kicker and is a strong play this week.

The Cowboys are allowing 3.8 extra point attempts (15-for-15) and 1.8 field goal attempts (7-for-7) per game to this position over the past four weeks.

DEFENSIVE MATCHUP

The Cowboys offense has potential, with two starter-caliber running backs in Julius Jones and Marion Barber III, Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo and the always-controversial Terrell Owens. Owens and Romo could be a problem this week as the Seahawks defense will be missing both Herndon and starting cornerback Marcus Trufant (ankle). They performed well without Trufant last week, although that did come against a weak Buccaneers offense. Over the past four weeks, the Seahawks defense is allowing 20 offensive points, 190 passing yards and 155 rushing yards per game. They are also averaging only 0.5 sacks, 0.5 fumble recoveries and 0.3 interceptions per game in that time. Those numbers are a far cry from the defense that helped carry them to the Super Bowl last season. This team's secondary is so depleted right now. They should be used as a bottom-tier No. 1 defense this week.

The Cowboys offense is averaging 20 points, 248 passing yards and 88 rushing yards per game over the past four weeks. They are also allowing three sacks, 1.5 interceptions and one fumble lost to opposing defenses per game in that time.

Author Bio

Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.