The Seattle Seahawks will be shorthanded against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the secondary on Sunday. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon has a knee injury and is doubtful play, almost certainly ruling him out. Meanwhile, key rookie safety Nick Emmanwori is out with a high ankle sprain.
Witherspoon is the team’s star cornerback, and he routinely shadows No. 1 wide receivers. This becomes even more paramount when considering the struggles of Riq Woolen opposite of him.
With DK Metcalf on the table for the Seahawks, they would likely have Witherspoon on him at all times, but with it being likely he will not play, that would open things up for the Steelers to attack the defensive backs at a higher clip.
Metcalf has a lot of respect for both Woolen and Witherspoon, two players that he routinely faced in practice over the years with the Seahawks.
“Our practice reps going against each other, we have history. Just the way they play the game, I know Coach Macdonald is going to have them ready. Whatever scheme they play, they’ll play it to the best of their ability,” Metcalf said.
Emmanwori has been helping the Seahawks in the box, but has played in their big nickel packages. Without him around, the Seahawks will likely turn to less of their big nickel package, which could change how they end up playing the Steelers. They elevated safety D’Anthony Bell who could serve in that role.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.