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| The Seahawks were 4-2 last season in games when Marshawn Lynch carried the ball 22 or more times. (US Presswire) |
Cowboys at Seahawks -- Week 2
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle (FieldTurf, outdoors)
When: Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET (Fox)
Spread: Cowboys by 3
Forecast: Sunny, mid-70s
Records: Seahawks (Overall: 0-1, NFC West: 0-1); Cowboys (Overall: 1-0, NFC East: 1-0)
Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Nov. 6, 2011: Cowboys 23, Seahawks 13; Nov. 1, 2009: Cowboys 38, Seahawks 17. Series record: Cowboys hold 9-5 edge.
What matters: The Seahawks need a win on Sunday to avoid their third 0-2 start in five years and second consecutive 0-2 start under coach Pete Carroll. What does an 0-2 start mean? Nothing good if you want to make the playoffs. Since 1990, 184 teams have started an NFL season 0-2 and only 22 of them have made the playoffs (11.9 percent). If the Seahawks can't knock off the Cowboys on Sunday, they'll be facing long odds to reach the postseason for the second time under Carroll.
Who matters: RB Marshawn Lynch. If Lynch's back can handle it, the Seahawks need to go Beast Mode early and often on Sunday. During the 2011 season, Seattle was 4-2 in games when Lynch carried the ball 22 or more times and 3-6 when he didn't. One of the over-22 carry losses came against Dallas when Lynch rushed for 135 yards. However, Lynch's effort was offset by quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who threw three interceptions in the 23-13 loss. If Lynch gets going on Sunday, it will take considerable pressure off quarterback Russell Wilson. Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will want to pressure the rookie, but that will become considerably more difficult if Lynch is eating up chunks of yardage.
Key matchups: Seahawks offensive line vs. Cowboys front seven. The Seahawks offensive line could be slightly hobbled on Sunday, which isn't good news for a unit that surrendered three sacks against the Cardinals. Left tackle Russell Okung exited last week's game against Arizona with a bruised knee and will be a game-time decision Sunday. Right guard John Moffitt will be seeing his first regular-season action of 2012 after undergoing minor elbow surgery on Aug. 10. The Seattle line will have to stop a Cowboys defense that was in the New York backfield so often last week they looked like invited guests. Eli Manning was sacked three times and faced pressure all game. If the Cowboys were able to frustrate a two-time Super Bowl winning QB like Manning, there's no telling what they'll be able to do to Wilson, who's making only his second career start.
Injuries of note: Carroll said on Friday that Okung (bruised knee) will be a game-time decision Sunday. If Okung can't go, that would be a tough loss for an offensive line that had trouble protecting Wilson against Arizona. Wide receiver Charly Martin (chest) has already been ruled out for the Cowboys game after bruising a lung against the Cardinals. With Martin out, the Seahawks receiver depth will be tested; Sidney Rice (knee) didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday, but he did practice Friday and is listed as probable for Sunday. Rice was one of Wilson's top targets last week, catching four passes for 36 yards. He also caught the rookie QB's only touchdown pass. Rice and Martin aren't the only hobbled receivers; Golden Tate has been battling a sprained knee. After sitting out the Arizona game, Tate is expected to start against Dallas. One other target Wilson could be missing on Sunday is tight end Zach Miller (foot). Miller didn't practice Thursday or Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game. Miller's 40-yard receiving performance against Arizona last week was second on the team.
Inside stuff: The Seahawks' last win in this series came in a Wildcard playoff following the 2006 season. Tony Romo might remember that game; it's the one where he botched the hold on a 19-yard field goal that would have potentially won the game for Dallas. The Seahawks won 21-20.
Stat you should know: The 12th man gives Seattle one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL. Since 2003, the Seahawks are 8-1 in home openers. If not for a 33-30 overtime loss to San Francisco in 2008, the Hawks would be 9-0.
Stat you should know 2: Dating back to last November's game with the Cowboys, Lynch is the NFL's leading rusher over the last 10 regular season games with 1,026 yards. Lynch has gone over 100 yards in six of those 10 games, including 135 yards in the Seahawks Nov. 6 loss to Dallas.
Record watch: It's highly unlikely that the NFL record for most penalties in a game will be broken on Sunday, but if any two teams can combine to do it, it's Dallas and Seattle. The Cowboys and Seahawks were each penalized a league-leading 13 times in Week 1. If each team can draw a few more flags on Sunday -- and hey, these are replacement officials, so who knows -- the two teams could challenge the league record of 37 penalties in one game, a record that's stood since 1951.
Looking ahead: A win against Dallas on Sunday would be huge because the schedule doesn't get any easier for the Seahawks in Week 3 with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers (1-1) coming to town for a Monday night showdown.
Prediction: Seahawks 24, Cowboys 20
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from Seahawks blogger John Breech follow @JohnBreech and@CBSSeahawks
