Clayton: Seahawks’ trades over last 2 years paying off in big ways

All the numbers were right for the Seahawks in Week 12.

Pete Carroll Show: Adams has his best game, Metcalf ‘dominant’

They beat the Philadelphia Eagles 23-17 on Monday night in a game that really wasn’t that close. The defense registered six sacks of Carson Wentz and Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said it could have been 10. The Eagles’ offense was limited to 250 yards, and it would have been 217 were it not for a 33-yard Hail Mary.

Elsewhere in the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals both lost, and one of those teams should get another loss on Sunday because they play each other in Week 13. The 8-3 Seahawks, meanwhile, lead the division by one game.

Two of the most impressive numbers from the Seahawks’ win over Philadelphia involved DK Metcalf and Jamal Adams.

The Eagles put one of the best cornerbacks in football on Metcalf in man coverage. Darius Slay tried and failed to stop him. Russell Wilson targeted Metcalf 13 times, and he responded with 10 catches for 177 yards. He also angered Slay enough to draw an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Metcalf was in such a groove that he might have been able to go over the 200-yard mark.

What can you say about Adams’ numbers? He had nine tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss and two quarterback hits. In his seven games as a Seahawk, Adams has 6.5 sacks. Could a safety have a double-digit sack season? Adams has a chance.

A lot of these successful numbers can be attributed to general manager John Schneider.

In 2019, Schneider traded for the last pick of the second round to select Metcalf. He was the ninth receiver taken, lasting 64 picks into the draft.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz made an apparent mistake by going up to Metcalf before the game and saying he coached Calvin Johnson in Detroit and that Metcalf is going in the right direction, but he’s not yet “Megatron.” Metcalf used that as motivation with a career-high in receiving yards Monday night, putting him atop the NFL for the season with 1,039 yards. He also has nine touchdowns.

In his two years and 27 games in the league, Metcalf has 116 catches for 1,939 yards and 16 touchdowns. His numbers match up with Hall of Fame receivers such as Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and so many others.

The extra motivation for Metcalf was playing the Eagles. The Eagles made J.J. Arcega-Whiteside the eighth receiver taken in the 2019 draft, taking him in the second round before Metcalf. In his rookie season, Whiteside caught 10 passes for 169 yards. Metcalf caught that may passes and even had a few more yards than Arcrega-Whiteside’s entire rookie season in the one game against the Eagles this year. This year, Arcega-Whiteside has two catches for 45 yards. The numbers speak for themselves.

The trades for Metcalf and Adams by Schneider have given the Seahawks incredible new playmakers.

Metcalf should be a lock for the Pro Bowl. He’s already a No. 1 receiver, but it’s still possible Tyler Lockett could sneak into the Pro Bowl. They have become the best one-two wide receiver duo in the league, topping Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in Tampa Bay. Adams, meanwhile, is the best play-making safety in the league and should be heading to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl.

The final numbers that looked good Monday night were the sacks and pressures. Thanks to the trade for Carlos Dunlap, the Seahawks have 19 sacks in the past four games, including 3.5 for Dunlap. Against the Eagles, the Seahawks had six sacks and 12 hits on the quarterback and now have 31 sacks for the season. The only worry is a foot injury to Dunlap. It’s too early to say if it will sideline him for any period of time.

The Seahawks’ next three games are against football teams who have combined for an 11-36 record. The numbers are working out for Seattle.

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