The Seattle Seahawks are 7-2, and in a very good spot. They are currently tied with the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC West, and with a victory over LA in Week 11, Seattle would control its own fate. The playoffs definitely feel as if they are on the horizon, and the team is humming toward them.
Like every team, however, Seattle isn't perfect. Even worse, while injuries have been a nuisance all season, the problem seems to be on the rise of late. Center Jalen Sundell, who was seemingly getting better each week in his first year as the starter at his position, injured his knee in Week 10. There is no immediate timeline for his return.
One key defensive player was unexpectedly lost in the days leading up to Week 10. Jarran Reed was a full participant in practice throughout the week, but was placed on injured reserve on Saturday. Had he hurt himself after practice on Friday? No.
Mike Macdonald delivers the brutal truth about Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed's injury
Head coach Mike Macdonald was asked about the issue with Reed, as the IR move was surprising. The coach doesn't like to discuss injuries to any player, and that no one knew Reed had a lingering issue is further proof of that.
Macdonald told reporters after Seattle defeated the Arizona Cardinals, "At the end of (Week 7), (Reed) hurt his wrist, so he had an operation during the bye. Look, this just tells you how tough this guy is. He's like an all-time physically tough player, mentally, all of the above. Comes back in two weeks and plays after having -- basically breaking something in his hand or wrist...We thought it was ready, but we had a setback in the game...So we got it re-imaged, and turns out he has to have another operation, so it's a setback for him."
Macdonald also implied that the main concern was to protect the player from himself. Clearly, Jarran Reed handles pain well and wanted to keep playing through a broken wrist. But the player could make the issue even worse by playing, so to keep that from happening, the Seahawks put Reed on IR.
The head coach also didn't give a firm timeline for the defensive tackle's return, but he is unlikely to do so, anyway. Mike Macdonald does not like giving firm timelines because, as he admits, he doesn't know exactly when a player will return. No one does, really, not even medical staff. Each player is different.
While the Seattle Seahawks crushed the Cardinals in Week 10, largely due to a first half barrage, missing Jarran Reed over the course of at least the next month can be a major problem. He supplies the kind of interior pressure that the players backing him up simply are unable to do.