You're listening to the Seahawks Insiders, getting you ready for Seahawks Football every Sunday, presented by Delta, the official airline of the Seahawks.

Now here's your host, Jen Mueller.

Welcome to a new episode, John Boyle.

I feel re energized.

I feel rested.

I also feel like, once again I have no idea what Dave of the week it is because we did not play on a Sunday.

It's Thursday, Jen, it is it is Thursday.

Well, yeah, thank you to help yep.

I feel like that mini buy that was a gift, guys.

I also feel like this week's matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that is a gift as well, just because of what it means for both franchises.

Yeah.

I mean, we're celebrating the fiftieth season this year, obviously, and playing the team that also is celebrating its fiftieth season, a couple of nineteen seventy six expansion teams, and my goodness, that uniform matchup we have going on the throwbacks.

It is gorgeous.

And let me just point out out for those of you who don't know how NFL schedules are set, this was predetermined years ago.

Just the way the rotation works, just so happened that it worked out perfectly that both teams that played in the nineteen seventy six Expansion Bowl are once again going to be on the field together.

Steve Rabel part of that game, Yes, unfortunately, no stats recorded.

And I know, well because everybody was thinking it.

I know that you were thinking of what did Steve.

Do in that game.

I haven't the slightest idea he's going to tell you about it in the game's.

Find the video.

I'm sure he ran.

Right side.

Note.

I was thinking nineteen seventy six, that's been a while.

That was two years before I was born.

Coach mentioned on the podcast.

I know, I know, I'm just.

I'm just.

And then coach mentioned was eleven years before he was born, and I said, well, we got a young head.

I'm out of this conversation, and history is happening at the Ticketmaster tailgate, Welcome back to the top fifty players in Seahawks history as they walk the blue carpet, and do not miss a special performance by Seattle's own Sir mix a Lot presented by tripa A Washington, starting at eleven am.

This is also just a really interesting matchup in general, John, when you take a look at how the defenses stack up, the extra rest the Seahawks have gotten, and just kind of where these teams are after four games.

Yeah, I mean two teams three and one that have won different ways.

The Buccaneers are like the art attack team.

They I think they all three of their wins they score inside the final minute to take the lead.

As Mike pointed out, some similarities defensively between these teams, just stylistically and kind of the way they attack.

But yeah, I mean this is a really good test really for both teams and kind of to figure out the pecking order of the NFC.

Yeah.

When you talk about a really good defense, the Bucks, well, they are among the best in the league when it comes to rushing defense.

In fact, they have not allowed a running back to go for more than fifty yards in a game this year, and they are averaging just eighty five rushing yards a game allowed.

It is going to be a tough test two really good run defensive Seahawks.

That's been a big story this year from where they were last year.

I think components are at three point six of carry Nobody's scored a rushing touchdown on the Seahawks so far this year.

That's us knocking on.

But yeah, what we believe to be would yep, there might be some wood in there.

Yeah, in Factice five and six, right, if you're looking at run defense, Tampa Bay's five Seattle six, it is right there.

And it was pretty easy for coach Mike McDonald to point to the similarities that he has with Todd Bowles and his defense.

Well, I guess said, I think I think we share a lot of the same principles.

They play really hard, they play physical, he calls it aggressively.

They got great personnel, they play complimentary ball, they attack the football, a lot of great stuff that they're doing on defense.

Yeah, I mean, again, it's too Todd Bowles is a great defensive coordinator who's done a lot of good things.

And it turns out Mike McDonald tried to recruit his son we found out to Michigan, But that's neither here nor there.

But yeah, I mean, these are two defenses that will find ways to make things confusing on a quarterback.

They will be aggressive and as we just said, they're going to be tough to run on.

So get good tests for both offenses.

They are, however, an injured group on that Tampa side of things.

There were six Bucks players that were injured last week against the Eagles, five of those on defense.

We obviously won't know everybody's status until game day, but I am wondering how next man up looks With a defense that wants to be aggressive, that wants to attack, that knows that they're in for a really loud environment on Sunday, this might not be the same Bucks team that we've seen.

Yeah.

I mean, to their credit, they've played through a lot of injuries, especially some you know, big names on offense, some of their best offensive linemen, Mike Ut.

A lot of these guys have been banged up and they've found ways to keep winning.

So I think they probably much like we talked about the Seahawks and kind of the mentality they've had when they're missing a bunch of guys in their secondary and you know, you had guys tyokatad' Anthony Bell, Darrin Kendrick stepping up like that's good teams figure out ways to win through that, and Tampa Bay so far has.

But you had another tough test, a big advantage for the coming off the Thursday game.

Pretty healthy.

They got a few injury question marks, but pretty healthy.

Interested Tampa Bay so beat up they had to do a walk through yesterday instead of regular Wednesday practice, So that's you know, the plus.

Thursday games are tough to get ready for, but the PLUS says you come off of that and it's a pretty nice little edge.

Which is why when everybody said, man, I wish they would have won by a larger margin, I would just see Thursday nights.

All you're trying to do is survive in a game with win, just survive in advance.

And well, things look pretty good on the injury front for the Seahawks, at least right now.

It is challenging for the Bucks.

It might even be challenging for your fantasy team, but don't worry.

We have you covered with our Fantasy Insiders Scott's Ingle.

Thanks Jenny John, and welcome back to Fantasy football Week five.

We have buys and a lot of injuries to deal with, so I'm gonna give you some streamers and guys you can plug in.

All of my recommendations are based on fantasy points against, NFL defensive rankings, etc.

And we start a quarterback.

Justin Fields is a must start this week for the New York Jets against the worst pass defense in the NFL as the Jets face the Dallas Cowboys.

Also consider Jackson's Dart of the New York Giants.

The rookie last week showed some rushing potential and it is a very good matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

At running back, Michael Carter of the Arizona Cardinals, who was a hot pick up of the week.

He's a top twenty five running back this week for me.

He's got a really good matchup against Tennessee.

Plug him in if you need a plug in starter or a flex.

Also Zach Charbonne of the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks offense score a good amount of points against Tampa Bay, and Charbonne could get in the end zone once or twice.

Don't hesitate to stream him this week.

Nice deep wide receiver play.

Alex Pearce is coming back from a concussion for Indianapolis.

He's got a really good matchup against the Raiders.

Plug him in if you need wide receiver help.

And Jamison Williams you have to start him against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals are always a good target to start fantasy players against, and at tight end Darren Waller two touchdowns last week in his Dolphins debut.

Roll them out there this week again for more information from me.

Seahawks Fantasy Insider now runs twice a week, waivers on Monday, start them on Friday, where you can check out everything in depth and also check out my lineup rankings and my features on rotobowler dot com.

Thanks and back to you Jen and John for Week five Seahawks and Buccaneers.

All right, thank you Scott.

Now, of course, one of the reasons that Tampa has stayed in those games and has been the version of the heart attack.

Kids, you have to look at Baker Mayfield and a few years ago, I would not have been saying that, Yeah, I didn't know what was gonna happen with Baker.

No, I mean he's a guy number one pick things.

You know, we play a lot of games in Cleveland, did some really good stuff, but didn't really work out there for him.

And I mean we can tie this back to the quarterback we've been watching every week in Seattle.

Like as Cooper Cup told us, it's a hard position to play when you're young, because there's a good points like every rookie, every young player makes mistakes.

It's just so magnified as a quarterback.

So if you're not in the right setting, you know, teams either they give up on guys or they just try to find a new solution.

And it's always cool to see these guys who get that.

So that was a Gino Smith here a few years ago.

Now we've seen it Sam Darnold Minnesota, we're seeing Baker.

It's like to see these guys are like, oh, they were top picks for a reason.

They're they're actually pretty good.

When they're supported well, they have a chance to grow and develop.

And now we're seeing two of the top quarterbacks in the NFC matching up who were drafted two picks apart and kind of flamed out with their first teams.

Well, and it's a lot of pressure on the quarterback.

It's a lot of pressure on the people who made that selection right.

And so you've got all different levels of an organization who are trying to be right about their pick, and sometimes it takes a while to prove that you are right.

And it has been really cool, you know, I thought the story that Cooper told yesterday, and I'd kind of forgotten about this, But when the Rams brought Baker in at the end of the season, when everybody was banged up, and he comes in and he wins a game after being a practice for four days, and I remember all of us talking about it, going there's no way, and then he totally lights the world on fire.

Yeah, and you're like, wow, Like, you have to be not just a good football player, you have to be able to plug in at a different level to find that success.

Yeah, And that's going back to your initial point about their late game success.

The same kind of mentality that can allow you to kind of just the confidence you need and the trust and your ability to come in on you know, less than a week of preparation and lead a team to a win.

That also shows up late in games when the game's on the line.

You know, one of these wins they had, you know, fourth down, you know, the fourth down game on line, and he's make scrambled around making plays like he's he's going to present some unique challenges to Seahawks defense.

Well, certainly because when you look at the numbers since twenty thirteen, he has the fourth highest quarterback rating in the final two minutes of regulation, which is pretty impressive.

He's also got the most games with two passing touchdowns are more since twenty twenty three, and right now he is tied for third with passing touchdowns in the league.

And we talk so much about.

What you need to do to stop a guy like Aaron Rodgers, right or some of these big names.

No, Baker Mayfield is an all around player that presents plenty of challenges.

He's one of those guys that like bio metrics on the extended play, how he plays extended plays, he's probably he's probably the best in the league right now, and so that's something you have to deal with.

But he also plays on time.

He's extremely accurate, he's got great arm talent, and then when he extends plays, obviously he's a great competitor and he's got a play making, you know, element to his game later on in plays.

So it's a tough guy to defend.

As Mike pointed out, you know, he does the offscript stuff, but he also he has one of the faster times average times to throw in the league this year, so he is really good on schedule.

And then when he needs to make the plays, he can do it, which is just that's a really deadly comba for a quarterback who can do all the stuff you know I'm doing in the pocket process getting the ball out, but then when stuff goes south, he can improvise and do a heck of a job.

You know.

He was talking to Derek Hall about kind of the challenge, and he said, when he decides to extend the play by running, he runs like a running back.

And so you really do because said the only other guy in the league that has a similar running style is Josh Allen.

And you watch, he said, Lamar a little bit.

Of course, Lamar hurt right now with hamstring injury.

You watch just kind of how they do it.

They're not going to give themselves up.

You have to be ready to attack.

The other thing I think is interesting is because of his ability to extend plays, that rush really has to be in sync.

Playing the Bucks in Week five, huge advantage for that Seahawks pass rush because they've had four weeks to get together, whether it's the presentations right before the game or it's just them in game making those adjustments on rush lanes and rush plans way better.

Suited to face a guy like Baker Mayfield.

And I was talking to Drew Locke, Scout team quarterback, and I was like, Okay, what are you gonna do?

He goes, Oh, I love to run around, and you know what, they can't hit me at practice, so it doesn't matter if I run like a running.

Back round not.

And I think it also really helps who you just played in your last game.

You've just played a very mobile, creative quarterback who you have to rush with a lot of discipline in Kyler Murray, so that should help getting that under their belt.

I happen to concur and I also think that it's time to take a break and hear.

A word from our presenting sponsor.

Seattle is a city wired for change, where innovation drives the every day, and Delta is prone to invest in that momentum.

With NonStop flights to over sixty global destinations from Seattle.

Delta connects you to the world with thoughtfully designed cabins, premium service, and a seamless travel experience, all while supporting the community you call home, so your travel time feels more like me time.

Delta flind Seattle Forward, Visit Delta dot com or download Delta's app to book your next trip.

We will be celebrating fifty seasons of Seahawks football this week, and at halftime, we are honoring the top fifty players in Seahawks history with a special on field ceremony presented by Triple A Washington.

By the time we get to halftime, I hope that there are a couple of Seahawks takeaways, John, because I've been really good on that.

There.

Yeah, haven interceptions.

I looked this up.

What is that rank in the league.

It's up two number two, tied for two or two, but either way of interceptions through.

I remember last year this time, conversation was, oh, we're not getting the takeaways we need.

They had had a few in the opener and then they went multiple games on a turnovers.

So what Well, No, But remember like Mike last year saying, Yeah, you just got to trust the process.

You just got to keep going.

You just got to keep going.

This year, he can point to that as proof that the process works, but also just that the effort that he wants to see on defense has been there week in and week out.

Let's keep it going.

You know, we got several games to play.

I mean, I think I think takeaways are a function of like how well you're playing on defense, how like how like the speed and the like aggressiveness, physicality.

The ball seems to come a life when you play with that type of energy.

And our guys are doing that right now, which is great, and we got to keep doing it.

And it comes with a complimentary football understanding when you can take your ops attacking the ball when it's in the air, and there's a lot of things that go into it, and our guys are determined to attack the rock right now, which is something we need to keep going.

I'm actually disappointed because so often if we ask Mike McDonald about interceptions or the pass rush, he always connects.

He did say Calformorian football, but he loves to talk about pass rush and coverage working together, and I'm kind of surprised he didn't drop that into that answer.

Is that what you're hoping for?

I just I was expecting it, like yeah when the questions asked, like, oh, he's definitely gonna this is true.

Like a big reason you're making all these plays on the back end is that front four is playing so well and getting pressure with four, which obviously leaves you got you more guys in coverage to make these plays.

You Know what I found interesting when I was listening to Mike talk about that is you're talking about kind of the overall effort of the defense and it should be showing up like that.

Look at Tampa's numbers.

Tampa's numbers, they have one interception on the year, they have one dropped interception against the Eagles last week, they had zero takeaways.

They've had one fumble recovery, one interception in four games.

Which is interesting when you look like the overall defensive sets.

These guys are playing good defense, It's like where where are they going?

What I'm saying right, Sometimes that number is not indicative of how they're truly playing.

But in this case for the Seahawks, I think that it is one of those prime numbers to look out for.

And you know, I think that goes right into the conversation on Leonard Williams.

I'm going to join not the bandwagon.

I am going to join the crowd of people that wants to see Leonard Williams recognized for how good he really is.

I know we're going to have a Leonard Williams segment on this show.

Yeah, that's what he's going to do last week.

I mean, he was clearly one of, if not the best material line in football last year, and to not be an All Pro and to have to wait to get the Pro Bowl call as an alternate, Like it's cool that his resume ss Pro Bowl and he deserves it, but like he shouldn't have to wait for those accolades he is.

He is playing so well and he's kind of making that go for all those guys.

And we talk about how you know, Byron Murphy and all these guys are playing like so much of that starts with Leonard.

It does, And Mike McDonald realizes this.

I know that you woult home realize this, But let's just put a fine point on this conversation.

And what Leonard Williams.

Is doing affects it greatly.

I think I think he'd be the one to tell you that.

Like I think where where our front generates their impact, I think is the synergy of how they work together.

So I think a lot of guys deserve recognition for that.

And how like there's a lot of unselfish football going on where the guys are determined to work together and they're determined for the effectiveness of the group rather than just individual like accolades.

And I've answered this before, but like you know, you're not worried about who gets the one on one, who gets to go, who gets the two way go, who's the guy that's gonna drop, Who's It's like, there's no drag with that group.

And it's really it's really cool.

I have no drag with the group.

That's a good friend.

I really like that, right, And that's not I mean, do you feel like I'm dragging you down some days?

John?

This could also less object.

I mean that sounds kind of like coach speak, but that's a real thing at that position group because like guys, look, their paychecks are affected by sacks.

That's exactly what I And so it's one thing like, oh, we're all in the s Like it's easy to talk about getting guys on the same page and working together a team and do it for the team, but like these guys are thinking about their futures as they should be.

We see it all the time in the league, Like careers can be short in this league and things can happen to contracts, and so to get everybody on board, like this is the best way to play as a team, and maybe you don't get all the opportunities.

Like look at the Edge guys right now.

They are playing so well and no sacks out at exactly if you look at Boy, Mafe, Derek Hall.

Well Channa did get to last week, but before he before channing out on the board, that group of Demark, Lawrence, Boy and Derek Hall were playing awesome with no sacks to show for it.

And that's the kind of thing where it's like some guys could pout and be like, create more opportunities for me, make it happen, But they're playing so well together as a group.

It really is fun.

Because I was going to say the exact same thing.

Some of those guys have contracts coming up, and then you go you look at the stats and you go, why would I pay this guy?

And you really have to be kind of in that room or in the organization to see the impact that they are.

So I think that that's really cool.

It all starts with Leonard Williams, and we are going to start with what we think the Seahawks need to do to.

Get a win.

Right after we hear a word from our presenting sponsor.

Seahawks fans, twelve status is back benefiting you this season when passing yard gets you one mile.

All Seahawks season long twelve status members get priority boarding out of seatach.

All Seahawks season long and twelve status members get a twelve percent discount at the Seahawks procham on the twelfth of each month.

Sign up now at twelve status dot com.

John, do you want to go first?

Or would you like for me to go first?

I'm going to you go ooh.

I don't know if that's because he's being kind or because he's still thinking about the.

Team having one I really like, and I have a few others I'm undecided on, So don't take the one I like.

Is it about special teams?

Yes, the fact that Tampa's allowed two blocked punts in the last three weeks.

Yes, and the Seahawks have been one of the best special teams.

Yes, teams in the NFL creating big plays.

Yep, we can share that one.

We'll share that one.

Yeah, I want a big plan teams.

You know what else shows up is the return game, the punt return right, and now, Tory Horton's yards are a little bit skewed because of that big because returning right, because he.

Did something awesome.

So it's really hard to tell, but right now he is third most when it comes to average yards per return with twenty just a little over twenty Cameron Johnson, the Bucks returner, he's fourth best in the league.

So look, we all know that Tory can can get out there and run big.

Special teams play on that.

And for as much as we talked about how great that defense is against the run, I want to see a number of rushing attempts right, because Mike was talking about you can't look at the statistics and change your game plan, right.

I would like to see over one hundred yards rushing and I would like to see K nine be the first running back to go over fifty against him this year.

Well, let's do it.

Could do it too one.

Actually, you know what?

Why limited to wow?

How I both look at us thinking so big and grandiose.

What's the other thing you would like to see?

John We talked about the interceptions earlier, and the Seahawks are getting them.

Baker Mayfield is not throwing them.

Last year he had a great season, but he threw sixteen picks.

I believe that was led the NFL or tied for the lead this year.

He's only thrown one.

He's doing a really good job taking care of the ball.

So let's see the Seahawks continue on there and getting those takeaways and force some bad decisions from Baker Mayfield.

Okay, I feel like John gets the final word on that.

I like it.

We'll see how it all plays out on Sunday.

In our throwback games, we honor the fifty greatest players in Seahawks

History and we'll see you next time.