Why watch: It’s another quirky week where most of one division meets most of another division, and its between divisions that don’t exactly face off all the time. Last week it was AFC West (trouncing) the NFC East. This week it may be NFC West trouncing AFC South. And of these games, this is the best of the bunch. The Colts look ready to make a power move past the skidding Texans, and the Seahawks are trying to maintain a nice lead over the 49ers. Seattle showed it can do some special things on the road by rallying to shock Houston. The Seahawks go a little further east this time to Indy. Can the Colts plow through the brutally physical Seahawks the way they overpowered the 49ers in San Francisco a few weeks back? Can the Seahawks, labeled homers for so long, start 3-0 away from Seattle, all trips that have sent them a time zone away or more? If so, then things set up nicely for them down the stretch.
What to watch for: You could have made the case for either Russell Wilson or Andrew Luck as NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season — personally I would have gone for Wilson — and they get a chance to face off here in what could be the game of the week. Wilson’s ability to run on third down could give the Colts fits. Luck hasn’t had the passing game as cranked up as it was last season, especially vertically — I’m discounting anything teams show against the Jags this season — and against this physical group of corners, I’m not sure it starts here. … Is this the week Marshawn Lynch gets it going? I think it just might be. … Robert Mathis is still a force at this stage of his career, and I would try to get him over the tackles with Seattle Pro Bowl left tackle Russell Okung still out. Protection was an issue last week and this dome will be rocking. … Seattle ball-hawking corner Richard Sherman, who turned the Texans game with a pick six, should have a pretty good book on Luck from their time together at Stanford. … Seattle pass rusher Bruce Irvin returns from his four-week suspension and will see the field. These conditions could benefit him, with the Colts’ tackles still a work in progress.
Game Time Nation (206) 