In Week 4 versus the Detroit Lions, the Seattle Seahawks defense was crippled by injuries. The team was missing two players alone - Leonard Williams and Boye Mafe - who were in the top ten in the NFL among quarterback pressures heading into Week 4. Seattle was also missing edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu who has missed every game so far this year. The team lost safety Julian Love during the game.
In other words, what 12s saw from the Seattle defense against Detroit was probably a lie. Head coach Mike Macdonald's scheme is solid, but it also needs quality pieces to work. No offense to Seattle's backups, but the defense simply isn't the same without Mafe, Williams, Byron Murphy II, and Jerome Baker.
Many players were listed on the injury report on Wednesday. Murphy, Tyrel Dodson, Johnathan Hankins, and Mafe did not practice. Hankins was just resting. Dodson will likely be fine for Week 5 and was mostly resting as well, one might safely guess. Murphy is going to be out for a while.
The biggest worry might be Mafe. He has ranked among the top 20 of the NFL at edge rusher for both pass-rush win rate and run-block win rate. He is the kind of versatile player the Seahawks have to have for Macdonald's defense to work at peak efficiency.
Thursday's injury report is probably more of a truer indication of where players are in terms of being able to play against the Giants, however. If guys cannot go on Thursday then they probably don't have a wonderful chance of playing in the game. Williams and Nwosu were at least listed as limited participants.
The New York Giants appear more unlikely to have rookie receiver Malik Nabers. He is dealing with a concussion and has yet to practice for Week 5. The Giants might be smart to hold him out for the game. If they do, that is certainly a break for the Seahawks.
