The Seattle Seahawks (8-3) are well into preparations for their Week 13 home game against the Minnesota Vikings (4-7). The Seahawks rebounded from their tough Week 11 loss at the Los Angeles Rams with a 30-24 road win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
There are a lot of areas to address after that close win against the worst team in the league. The Seahawks are hoping to have their starting linebacker back on the field this Sunday against the Vikings. Tacoma News Tribune’s Gregg Bell asked Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald about the possibility of Ernest Jones IV playing against Minnesota.
Macdonald didn’t give a firm answer on his potential return:
“Hopefully,” and that Jones is “itching to play.”
Jones suffered a knee injury in Week Nine’s road 38-14 win at the Washington Commanders. He was only able to miss the Seahawks’ Week 10 dominating 44-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals before returning for the entire Week 11 game against the Rams.
Jones was listed as questionable in the Thursday injury report leading up to last Sunday’s game against the Titans. He was officially inactive, along with Tyrice Knight (concussion). It wasn’t determined if Jones had suffered a setback in-between the beginning of the game versus the Rams and preparing for the Titans.
The Seahawks can’t afford to lose Jones to a setback for his knee injury, especially with the injury to Knight and Chazz Surratt. There is hope for Jones to return to this strong and surprisingly deep inside linebacker corps that includes Jones, Knight, Drake Thomas, and even Connor O’Toole playing well.
O’Toole was pulled up from the practice squad to go into the game against Tennessee after Jones and Knight were inactive. Shortly into the game, Surratt suffered an ankle injury that kept him out for the remainder of the game. Luckily, O’Toole was an efficient and active playmaker for the Seahawks’ defense.
While the questions of Jones’ availability will be raised all week, it sounds like Knight might be back in the lineup for the Seahawks. Knight suffered the concussion in the loss to the Rams and wasn’t able to return for last Sunday’s game.
In the event that Jones is out on precaution for any further damage to his knee injury on Sunday when the Seahawks take on the Vikings, Knight and Thomas could be the two main inside linebackers. The absence of both Jones and Knight was noticeable in zone defense in the middle of the field.
If there is any concern that Jones might not be 100%, he shouldn’t be risking his health for the long-term health of the Seahawks’ defense. All signs lead to the Vikings starting former undrafted rookie Max Brosmer at quarterback, with J.J. McCarthy was placed in the league’s concussion protocol.
The Vikings are likely going to have running back Jordan Mason be the main producer of the offense on Sunday. They may also try to get the short-passing game with designed screens to wide receiver Jordan Addison, going to take pressure off Brosmer.
The Seahawks will need their healthy impact players on the field for run support and short-passing plays. Time will tell if Jones is fully healthy enough to help shut down a mentally fractured Vikings offense, but the Seahawks shouldn’t risk Jones’ health.
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