Getty One cornerback for Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks had a message for Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on November 3.
The Seattle Seahawks have already beaten the Arizona Cardinals this season, but the rematch in Week 9 will likely prove to be more difficult for the Seahawks.
For one, the second matchup on November 6 will be in Arizona, not Seattle. Secondly, Cardinals 3-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will play. He was serving a suspension the first time the Seahawks-Cardinals squared off this season.
Hopkins’ return, though, doesn’t appear to be as big of a concern for the Seahawks as it might be for some.
“Yeah, he’s a dog,” Seahawks cornerback Michael Jackson said on ESPN Radio in Seattle when referring to Hopkins. “But I’m a dog too.”
Jackson Improving in Coverage
A lot of the attention in the Seahawks secondary this season has gone to the two rookie cornerbacks — Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant. But Jackson, who was a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, has been steadily improving this season too.
In each of the last three games, Jackson has earned an above average coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. PFF has also earned at least a very good tackling grade during every game except one since Week 3.
During each of those last three contests, the Seahawks have not allowed a pass catcher to reach 100 receiving yards in a game. In fact, Seattle has not permitted a receiver to post more than 100 receiving yards since Week 1, and only one pass catcher has reached that total since the seasons opening game.
Jackson’s coverage skills, along with the rest of Seattle’s secondary, will be put to the test versus Hopkins, who returned two weeks ago from a six-game suspension.
Hopkins has posted 22 catches, 262 receiving yards and a touchdown in just two games this season. His touchdown was one for the highlight-reel, as he hauled in a one-handed reception in the end zone against the Minnesota Vikings.
Hopkins’ Success Against Seahawks
Three-time All-Pro receivers typically do well against every team in the league. That’s true for Hopkins historically against the Seahawks.
In four games versus Seattle, Hopkins has 25 receptions, 405 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Two of those four contests were when the receiver was with the Houston Texans. As a member of the Cardinals, Hopkins has 15 receptions, 154 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks.
This will be the first time the Seahawks will have to face Hopkins since the middle of the 2020 season. Hopkins played all 16 games during the 2020 season, his first with Arizona. But over the last two years, the 30-year-old receiver has missed 13 contests.
In those 13 games, the Cardinals have struggled on offense, averaging just 20.1 points per game. When Hopkins has played over the last two seasons, Arizona has scored 30.8 points per contest.
As a result of the extra points per game, Arizona is 9-3 with Hopkins over the last two years. Without him, the Cardinals have gone 5-8 since the start of 2021.
The Cardinals beat the Seahawks without Hopkins in Week 11 last year, but they’ve lost each of the last two meetings against Seattle in which the All-Pro receiver didn’t play.
In Week 6 this season, the Seahawks defeated the Cardinals 19-9. Marquise Brown led the Arizona receivers in that contest with 68 receiving yards on five catches.
Seattle is 1-1 against Arizona with Hopkins on the field.