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The Seattle Seahawks bounced back with a 20-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7, largely in part due to a dominant performance by the team’s defense.
However, the Seahawks defense took a hit when linebacker Uchenna Nwosu exited the game after making a tackle on Cardinals running back Emari Demercado. He was ruled out with a pec injury.
After taking MRI tests, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Monday, October 23, that Nwosu’s pec injury will “probably require surgery,” which would be a season-ending procedure. “That’s what we’re hearing right now.”
While Carroll told reporters after the game on Sunday that Nwosu suffered a “pectoral strain,” it sounds much more severe, possibly a tear.
According to Sports Clinic NQ, “Most pectoralis major strains heal without complication within a matter of weeks. However, a proportion of injuries can result in longer-term effects depending on the severity of the injury and the extent of damage. Complete tears of the muscle rarely heal by themselves and may require surgery to reunite the torn ends of the muscle.”
Nwosu, who signed a three-year, $45 million extension with Seattle in July, has recorded 11 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles, thus far this season, earning an impressive 72.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
“Uchenna is a fantastic football player and a great team member,” Carrol said. “He’s such a tough guy, a heady player, and so consistent. Always very physical, so he always sends the right message and all that. We’ll really miss him.”
Last season, Nwosu led the Seahawks with 9.5 sacks. In 17 games, he recorded 66 tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 26 quarterback hits.
The Seahawks Will Count on a ‘Rotation’ With Darrell Taylor in Uchenna Nwosu’s Absence
Carroll shut down the idea of looking for outside help or facilitating a trade to replace the team’s best edge rusher. “We aren’t thinking like that, yet,” he said. “We are going to try to absorb it.”
“We’ve got to count on a rotation, we’ve had a rotation going the whole time,” which means the team will look toward Darrell Taylor, Boye Mafe, and Derick Hall to step up.
The News Tribune wrote, “Taylor is likely to move into Nwosu’s role as an every-down outside linebacker on the edge of the defensive line, against the run and pass,” while Mafe and Hall “will also rise in plays and importance in Seattle’s defense… Taylor had the every-down role at outside linebacker opposite Nwosu early last season. He often ran straight up the field out of run lanes, or got easily blocked out of them. Mafe then replaced Taylor on run downs.
Carroll sounded confident Taylor, who recorded 1.5 sacks, 3.0 tackles, 2.0 quarterback hits, and 1.0 pass defensed against the Cardinals, can step up. “He sure is capable of making things happen,” the coach said. “So, we’re calling on him to be part of it… He’s got to find his consistency with (run defense).”
If/when Nwosu is placed on injured reserve, the Seahawks will have a free spot on the 53-man roster to possibly elevate Tyreke Smith or Levi Bell from the practice squad for additional depth.
The Seahawks Defense Will Look to Shut Down the Cleveland Browns in Week 8
Seattle’s defense held the Cardinals to just 249 total offensive yards. Over the past three games, they’ve kept opponents to just 30 points. Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who recorded nine tackles against Arizona, credited their success to several factors.
“I think it’s a lot of things in one: violent, disciplined; as far as being where we need to be gap wise and pass fits,” he told reporters after Sunday’s win. “I think we need to limit the flags, myself included, but other than that I think we’re disciplined, we’re fast, we’re violent, all those things in one.”
The Seahawks (4-2) will look to keep the momentum going when they host the Cleveland Browns (4-2) at Lumen Field on Sunday, October 29.
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