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Overview
After finishing the season with a mediocre record of 9-7, Pete Carroll and his team somehow found their way into the playoffs where they knocked off the Lions in the Wildcard Round winning 26-6. But that is where their luck ran out as the Falcons beat the Seahawks 36-20 the following week ending their season. After plenty of roster changes, Seattle is entering a rebuilding period in 2018.
Key Departures: Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Jimmy Graham, Paul Richardson, Jeremy Lane
Key Additions: Rashaad Penny, Rasheem Green, Shaquem Griffin, Ed Dickson, Barkevious Mingo, Jaron Brown, Sebastian Janikowski
Rankings
2017: 15th in total offense, 11th in points per game with 22.9
2017: 11th in total defense, 13th in points per game with 20.8
Key Matchups
Raiders passing attack VS Seahawks secondary
With Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor gone, the Legion of Boom is officially history. Now that Earl Thomas is the lone remaining member, Seattle will hope that former Raiders cornerback Neiko Thorpe and Shaquill Griffin can step up and keep the secondary in decent shape.
The Raiders meanwhile have some new faces in their passing attack as well, with Jordy Nelson, Martavis Bryant, and Ryan Switzer recently added to a receiving corps that will feature Amari Cooper as the number one option. Derek Carr and the offense should have the advantage in this matchup.
Raiders defensive line VS Seahawks offensive line
Seattle has long had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, but that hasn’t stopped Russell Wilson from emerging as one of the top quarterbacks in football. If Oakland wants to contain Wilson, they will have to consistently win the battle up front. That means a big game from Khalil Mack, Bruce Irvin, and rookie defensive tackle Maurice Hurst.
Sebastian Janikowski VS Raiders kicker
After an incredible 17 seasons in the Silver & Black, Seabass will face his former team for the first time going up against either his replacement Giorgio Tavecchio or rookie Eddy Pineiro. It will be interesting to see who wins this battle, and could show whether Oakland made the right decision to release the Raiders legend.
Conclusion
This Seattle team will be unrecognizable from years past, as they are clearly entering a rebuilding period. While anything can happen across the pond in London, I would expect the Raiders easily take a victory against a team searching for a new identity.
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