RENTON, Wash. - Chatting with reporters for the final time before Sunday's kickoff at Lumen Field, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald wasn't ready to commit to edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu making his season debut against the New York Giants.
Nwosu, who has been sidelined since late August by a knee sprain suffered in Seattle's preseason finale on an illegal chop block, returned to practice this week in limited fashion, opening the door for his return after a four-game absence. But Macdonald, who rarely spills the beans when it comes to providing specifics on injured players, thought the veteran defender was still on the final injury report, leading to him being coy when asked about what he would bring to the table if healthy.
"I don't have to explain what Chenna brings to the team if he plays," Macdonald responded. "Excited for him, if he's out there, and if he's not, then won't be as excited."
Fortunately for the Seahawks, Macdonald's intel on the injury report wasn't correct, and Nwosu's name didn't show up on Friday's injury report, confirming he will indeed suit up for the first time in nearly a calendar year. He appeared in six games before tearing his pectoral muscle against the Cardinals in Week 7 last October and has not played in a regular season game since.
The return of a healthy Nwosu would provide a boost for Seattle regardless of the situation, but after the team was missing four key defensive linemen in last week's loss to Detroit, his comeback couldn't have come at a better time. And while there's no such thing as an easy game in the NFL, based on previous track record, his comeback couldn't have come against a better opponent.
Since joining the Seahawks prior to the 2022 season, Nwosu has record four multi-sack games, with three of those coming in his first season with the organization. Two of those performances came against the Giants, including a dominant two-sack effort in a 24-3 road win at MetLife Stadium last season where he and his teammates terrorized Daniel Jones all night long to the point where he may be having PTSD now preparing for Sunday's rematch.
Per Pro Football Focus charting, aside from his impressive sack production, Nwosu tallied six pressures, two forced fumbles, and a pass rush win rate north of 16 percent, torturing New York's tackles with a blend of speed and power. In addition, he also held his own stuffing the run and blowing up plays in the backfield as well as at the line of scrimmage, recording three total tackles for loss and five combined run stops with an average depth of tackle of less than one and a half yards.
Looking at the Giants offensive line through four games, Nwosu should be licking his chops once again. Replacing former first round pick Evan Neal as the starter at right tackle, Jermaine Eluemenor has allowed four quarterback hits thus far, tied for the second-most by a tackle in the NFL through four weeks. Opposite of him, long-time starter Andrew Thomas has yielded 10 pressures, three quarterback hits, and a sack, posting solid, yet unspectacular numbers.
If there's a silver lining for New York, Thomas did not play in last year's game due to an injury, which played a key role in Seattle tying a franchise record with 11 sacks on Monday Night Football. The ex-Georgia standout only allowed one pressure and no sacks when the two teams met in 2022 as well, so he hasn't been the problem protecting Jones or been the victim of Nwosu's wrath.
But on the flipside, Nwosu will be rejoining an edge rushing group that has taken a substantial step forward with the continued growth of Boye Mafe and breakout sophomore season from Derick Hall. Even after missing Monday's game with a bruised knee, Mafe produced three sacks in Seattle's first three games, while Hall has been wreaking havoc with a relentless motor to the tune of a team-high four sacks so far, adding even more pass rushing punch to Macdonald's front line.
Assuming Mafe plays after receiving a questionable designation on Friday, the Seahawks should be at full strength for the first time this season with their full arsenal of edge rushers available to play at the same time, further upping the challenge for a Giants offensive line that ranks 19th in PFF's Pass Blocking grade and 15th in ESPN's Pass Block Win Rate metric.
Considering his disruptive past against them, Nwosu undoubtedly will now be a focal point in New York's game plan with the goal of preventing him from taking over as he did each of the previous two years against them. With running mates in Mafe and Hall ready to feast on Jones as well, that will be easier said than done, setting the stage for Seattle to enjoy another fun afternoon of quarterback hunting versus a familiar foe.
