Wild Card 2019: Seahawks @ Cowboys
- FootballNewsLeague
- Jan 3, 2019
- 4 min read
Hey-a. If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you’re interested in the NFL playoffs (starting this Saturday!) Well, you better believe I am too, and right here right now I want to talk about momentum. We hear it used as a qualifier or explanation in countless areas of life. In the world of competition, momentum is an especially popular concept, and for good reason. Whether in a victory or a loss, momentum is crucial. Ultimately the only momentum that truly matters is the tide of battle on the field come game time. However, week-to-week performances will and do inherently affect future performance. Certain elite players have the self-control and mastery over their bodies to start each week as calculating and deadly as the last. But to me, that goes into the “X-Factor” category with guys like Earl Thomas who also happens to be a talking point in this write-up.
Having laid that groundwork, I want to compare the state of the Seahawks to the state of the Cowboys, not only in terms of momentum gained/lost since their last match-up, but also in terms of how drastically different certain parts of each team are. It’s an entirely different match-up on all sides for these two teams.
The date was September 23rd, and the 2018 season was still freshly underway when the Cowboys marched into Seattle to face what would end up being their 2nd loss in 3 games. Since then, each team has clawed tooth and nail to earn this playoff opportunity, so in terms of direct momentum from the last week or two, neither team has any blatant advantage.
Now, let's take a look at some key players that each team either had or didn't have in Week 3 that will be participating this time around.
Seahawks:
Earl Thomas – This is a pretty big one. Being without Earl Thomas due to a season ending lower leg fracture is a downgrade through and through. Thomas is not only a generational talent at Free Safety, he also added to his career stat-line, nabbing 2 circus-catch, momentum-swinging interceptions.
Doug Baldwin – Doug Baldwin is Seattle’s clear #1 Wide Receiver. Did you know he didn’t play a single snap in Week 3? Well, this should not excite Cowboys fans that he will be on the field, especially considering Russel Wilson didn’t have too much trouble getting the job done through the air even without Baldwin. He may not have gaudy stats this season, but he’s been hot to end the season and nobody should doubt his ability to weave through coverage. His footwork on the sidelines is also impressive, and he has a QB who’s throwing dimes left and right.
Justin Britt – An under-the-radar talent at a very important position, Britt has been solid as the Seahawks' Center for over two years now. He will be returning to the fray.
Cowboys:
Sean Lee – Turn back the clock one year ago. If any Cowboys fan heard Linebacker Sean Lee was going to be missing time, they would be panicking. Now, as crazy as it sounds, it might be a net positive. In reviewing tape from the first game, Sean Lee got beat on multiple plays, both in coverage and in the running game, because he simply couldn’t keep pace physically. This normally wouldn’t signify a net positive, but considering LVE…
Leighton Vander-Esch – Now, middle linebacker LVE did play in the Week 3 match-up, but he was still only seeing around 50% of the snaps that he would be taking for the rest of the season – 33 snaps in Week 3 compared to his average of 59 since then (excluding week 7 and week 17, where he was held out the majority of the games for injury and for rest, respectively). He is a full-fledged starter, and he is a full-fledged monster.
Amari Cooper – The real key difference, in my opinion, is right here. It’s also the primary reason why I’m picking the Boys to win this time around. I can’t say enough good things about Cooper. When I first was notified of the trade, even seeing the cost of a first-round pick, I was ecstatic as a Cowboys fan. Even so, he surpassed my high expectations. His nuanced route running ability is off the charts. His footwork is disciplined to the extreme. He grabs contested catches often. He's also a very willing and dangerous runner after the catch. And, something I believe is going under the radar slightly, is his consistent execution as a blocking receiver.
Final Verdict
Daniel Dycus: It’s true, I’m picking the Cowboys. Homer influence? Not at all. Okay, maybe slightly. The Seahawks' Linebackers KJ Wright and Bobby Wagner would have to be good enough to stop Cowboys' Running Back, Ezekiel "Zeke" Elliott, at a moment’s notice AND drop back in coverage all game. If they can't, I don’t think the Seahawks have the secondary to stop the Cowboys from driving down the field over and over; a feat which the offense managed to do without Amari Cooper (and against Earl Thomas) in Week 3. Having said that, Russel Wilson can’t be allowed to run free all game. He’s a wizard with the football, so it’s little more than a toss up, it seems to me. Even so, I like the way the Cowboys’ defense has come together, and I’m riding with the Cowboys nation.
Josh Alvarez: I think the Cowboys will win because even though their defense is young, it's very fast and plays smart. Zeke and Cooper should have huge impacts in this game too.
Ryan Baucum: I believe the Seahawks will win. Both teams have had a strong resurgence late in the season, but the Cowboys offense is still too inconsistent for me to have faith in them this year.
And don’t worry, I may be fresh meat in this industry, but give me time and I’ll show you the power of perspective, even if it means picking against my heart (aka Cowboys) one day. Until then, enjoy the Wild Card ride!
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