GAME: Tennessee Titans (3-2, 2nd, AFC South) at Seattle Seahawks (4-1, 1st, NFC West). TYPE. Regular season. WEEK: 6. WHEN: Sunday, 1:05 p.m., CenturyLink Field. MEETING: 16th (Seahawks lead 9-6). STREAKS: Titans L 1; Seahawks L 1. HEAD COACHES: Mike Munchak, Tennessee; Pete Carroll, Seattle. LINE: Seahawks by 13½. TV: CBS. RADIO: ESPN 710 AM, KIRO 97.3 FM.
After allowing 10 points in their first two games (Carolina, San Francisco), the Seahawks have surrendered 17, 20 and 34 in their past three and shown a vulnerability, especially against the pass, uncharacteristic of a secondary that bills itself “The Legion of Boom.” Last week against Indianapolis, T.Y. Hilton and Reggie Wayne embarrassed Seattle’s DBs, especially on a pair of Andrew Luck TDs to Hilton, who first beat Richard Sherman and then Brandon Browner.
“It’s really important that we turn that around,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. “I don’t want to get good at (recovering from losses). No team plays well when you give up big plays. We have really come to expect that we’re going to make the right choices so that doesn’t happen.
“It’s not characteristic of us at all, and I don’t think that it’s going to continue. So it might have been a little wake-up shock. We have to stay with the basics of everything to make sure that we make our fundamental plays. I’m curious to see how we do.”
Sherman doesn’t believe that the big passing plays the Seahawks surrendered last week are a cause for concern.
“We just have to correct the mistakes,” he said. “We went over the couple of plays that we needed to fix and we move right on. It’s no different than after a win, you correct the mistakes and move on to the next game. It was just some miscommunication on a couple of plays. That was what it came down to at the end. We miscommunicated and had a couple of busts. It wasn’t anything in particular, it was just a bad communication day.”
Due to a hip injury suffered by former Huskies quarterback Jake Locker, the secondary will draw Tennessee’s backup, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Sunday. Fitzpatrick, in his first year with the Titans after spending 2009-12 with Buffalo, has two TD passes, two interceptions and a 69.7 passer rating.
The Seahawks, looking to rebound from their first regular-season defeat in 10 games, will also be looking to start 5-1 for the second time (also 2003) and extend their CenturyLink Field winning streak to 11 games. In the last six of those 11, the Seahawks have outscored their opponents 222-53.
Tennessee (3-2) snapped a five-game losing streak to the Seahawks with a 17-13 road win in the teams’ last meeting (Jan. 3, 2010), but has dropped three straight road contests against NFC opponents since. The Titans were outscored 85-14 at Minnesota and Green Bay in their two games last season.
Tennessee will also be looking to bounce back from a loss, 26-17 to undefeated Kansas City.
“We know going to Seattle, how hard it is,” head coach Mike Munchak said. “We have to go reload, and we will, and play better.”
The Seahawks are inching closer to full health and will probably have Pro Bowl center Max Unger back for Tennessee.
“It’s really good to have him back,” Carroll said. “Lemuel Jeanpierre has done a fine job for us filling in, but Unger is really the guy that has the greatest command of what we’re doing up front. He’ll help other guys play well and make the right decisions. It will make a difference in our pass protection. Max Unger coming back is a big deal for us.”
Zach Miller (hamstring) is a game-time decision while LB Bobby Wagner (high ankle sprain), RB Spencer Ware (ankle) and OT Breno Giacomini (knee) are doubtful.
SERIES: Dates to Nov. 20, 1977 when the Houston Oilers defeated the Seahawks 22-10 in the Kingdome in a game in which Seattle’s points came on a two-yard run by Sherman Smith and John Leypoldt’s 51-yard field goal. Seahawks have won five of the past six, but the Titans won the last meeting 17-13 Jan. 3, 2010 in Seattle. Chris Johnson scored twice for Tennessee in that game. Seattle’s only TD came on a six-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck to TE John Carlson.
Seahawks: Scored 137 points (27.4 per game), ranking 7th; allowed 81 points (16.2 per game), 6th; differential of +56 points ranks 5th. Titans: Scored 115 points (23.0), ranked 15th; allowed 95 (19.0), 10th; differential of +20 points ranks 8th.
SEAHAWKS HEAD COACH: Pete Carroll (62-55 career, 29-24 Seattle) is in his fourth season. In 2010, he directed Seattle to the NFC West title, the Seahawks becoming the first team in NFL history to win a division with a losing (7-9) record. Prior to joining the Seahawks, Carroll served as head coach at Southern California, where his Trojans won seven Pac-10 titles.
SEAHAWKS QUARTERBACKS: Russell Wilson vs. Carolina, 25 of 33, 320 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 115.7 passer rating; vs. San Francisco, 8 of 19, 142 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 63.9 passer rating; vs. Jacksonville, 14 of 21, 202 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, 117.5 passer rating; vs. Houston, 12 of 23, 123 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 48.7 passer rating; vs. Indianapolis, 15 of 31, 210 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT78.7 passer rating; season, 91.2. Tarvaris Jackson vs. Jacksonville, 7 of 8, 129 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 158.3 passer rating.
SEAHAWKS STATS / NOTES
- REGULAR SEASON SUMMARY: Record: 4-1-0. Home: 2-0. Road: 2-1. Vs. NFC: 2-0. Vs. AFC: 2-1. Vs. NFC East: 0-0. Vs. NFC North: 0-0. Vs. NFC South: 1-0. Vs. NFC West: 1-0. Points For: 137 (27.4). Points Against: 81 (16.2).
- NFL RANKS: Scoring Offense — 27.4 (7th); Total Offense — 366.4 (12th); Rushing Offense — 159.0 (2nd); Passing Offense — 207.4 (25th); Scoring Defense — 16.2 (1st); Total Defense — 303.6 (6th); Rushing Defense — 109.0 (19th); Passing Defense — 194.6 (3rd).
- Won four games in September for the second time in franchise history (1984, 4-1) and also had its fourth undefeated September (3-0 in 2003, 2004 and 2006).
- Russell Wilson has the second-highest passer rating (108.4) since Week 9 of the 2012 season. Peyton Manning: 115.9.
- Over his past 13 starts, Wilson has produced an 11-2 record. He has exceeded a 100.00 passer rating nine times.
- Wilson has seven fourth-quarter comebacks in his NFL career, the most recent against Houston Sept. 29.
- Marshawn Lynch leads the NFL with 17 100-yard game games since 2011 and has rushed for 100 or more yards in 17 of his last 30.
- Since Week 9 of 2012, Lynch has rushed for 2,941 yards and 23 touchdowns, both totals leading the NFL (Adrian Peterson 2,693 yards, 20 TDs).
- Rank third in the NFL and first in the NFC with a +7 turnover differential (Kansas City is +10 and Tennessee +9).
- Seattle’s +62 point differential ranks first in the NFC and second in the NFL (Denver +88).
- Through four games, Seattle has limited opposing quarterbacks to a 68.2 passer rating, lowest in the NFC.
- Richard Sherman has picked off 14 passes since 2011, most in the NFL. His two picks this year are tied for first in the NFC. Sherman has also defensed 48 passes since 2011, most in the NFL.
SEAHAWKS 2013 OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Rushing
| Player | G | Att. | Yards | TDs | Long | Y/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshawn Lynch | 5 | 96 | 410 | 3 | 43 | 82.0 |
| Russell Wilson | 5 | 40 | 233 | 0 | 25 | 46.6 |
| Robert Turbin | 5 | 19 | 71 | 0 | 15 | 14.2 |
| Christine Michael | 1 | 9 | 37 | 0 | 11 | 37.0 |
| Team | 5 | 173 | 795 | 4 | 43 | 159.0 |
| Opponents | 5 | 135 | 545 | 3 | 27 | 109.0 |
Passing
| Player | G | Att. | Cmp. | Yards | TDs/INT | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Wilson | 5 | 127 | 74 | 997 | 8/4 | 91.2 |
| Team | 5 | 135 | 81 | 1126 | 9/4 | 96.7 |
| Opponents | 5 | 167 | 94 | 1071 | 5/7 | 68.2 |
Receiving
| Player | G | Rec. | Yards | TD | Long | Y/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Tate | 5 | 18 | 236 | 1 | 30 | 47.2 |
| Doug Baldwin | 5 | 17 | 296 | 1 | 51 | 59.2 |
| Sidney Rice | 5 | 10 | 146 | 2 | 23 | 29.2 |
| M. Lynch | 5 | 9 | 96 | 1 | 35 | 19.2 |
| Zach Miller | 4 | 8 | 76 | 2 | 18 | 19.0 |
| Luke Willson | 4 | 7 | 104 | 0 | 35 | 26.0 |
| Team | 5 | 81 | 1126 | 9 | 51 | 225.2 |
| Opponents | 5 | 94 | 973 | 5 | 73 | 194.6 |
SEAHAWKS 2013 DEFENSIVE LEADERS
| Category | Skinny |
|---|---|
| Tackles | Thomas 35, Wagner 34, Wright 27 |
| Sacks | Bennett 2.5, McDonald 2.5, 2 tied with 2.0 |
| Quarterback Hits | Bennett 9, Clemons 5, McDonald 4 |
| Interceptions | Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor all 2 |
| Passes Defensed | Sherman 7, Browner 5, 3 with 3 |
| Forced Fumbles | Thomas 2, 4 tied with 1 |
| Fumbles Recovered | Chancellor, Mebane, McDaniel, Wright 1 |
TITANS NOTES: The Titans defeated Pittsburgh (16-9), San Diego (20-17) and the Jets (38-13) and lost to Houston (30-24) and Kansas City (26-17) . . . Titans rank 26th in total offense (318.0), 13th in rushing offense (116.8), 26th in passing offense (201.2), 15th in scoring offense (23.0), 9th in total defense (321.2), 14th in rush defense (103.2), 9th in pass defense (218.0) and T10 in scoring defense (19.0) . . . Prior to going down with a hip injury, former Washington quarterback Jake Locker completed 69 of 111 throws (62.2 percent) for 721 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions for a passer rating of 99.0 . . . Chris Johnson has rushed for 294 yards and 0 TDs . . . Kendall Wright is Tennessee’s leading receiver with 26 catches for 266 yards and one touchdown . . . Mike Munchak, a former All-American at Penn State and a 10-time All-Pro with the Houston Oilers, is in his third season as head coach of the Titans.
TITANS QUARTERBACKS: Ryan Fitzpatrick has completed 24 of 49 passes for 355 yards and two touchdowns in two games, including one start (last week against the Chiefs). Fitzpatrick is a Harvard graduate who was selected in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams.
2013-14 KEY DATES: Oct. 27 — Trade deadline; Jan. 4-5, 2014 — Wild-card playoff games; Jan. 11-12 — Divisional playoff games; Jan. 19, 2014 — AFC and NFC Championship games; Jan. 26, 2014 — AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, Honolulu; Feb. 2, 2014 — Super Bowl XLVIII, MetLife Stadium, New York; Feb. 18-25, 2012 — Scouting combine, Indianapolis; March 11, 2014 — Free agency begins; May 8-10, 2014 — NFL draft.
NFC West Standings
| Team | Overall | vs. Div. | Next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 4-1-0 | 1-0-0 | Sunday vs. Tennessee |
| S. Francisco | 3-2-0 | 1-1-0 | Sunday vs. Arizona |
| Arizona | 3-2-0 | 0-1-0 | Sunday at S. Francisco |
| St. Louis | 2-3-0 | 1-1-0 | Sunday at Houston |
2013 Seahawks Preseason Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time | TV | W/L | Score | Rec. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/8/13 | at San Diego | 7 p.m. | NFLN | W | 31-10 | 1-0 |
| 8/17/13 | vs. Denver | 7 p.m. | NFLN | W | 40-10 | 2-0 |
| 8/23/13 | at Green Bay | 5 p.m. | CBS | W | 17-10 | 3-0 |
| 8/29/13 | vs. Oakland | 7 p.m. | Fox | W | 22-6 | 4-0 |
2013 Seahawks Regular-Season Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time | TV | W/L | Score | Rec. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/8/13 | at Carolina | 10 a.m. | FOX | W | 12-7 | 1-0 |
| 9/15/13 | vs. SF | 5:30 p.m. | NBC | W | 29-3 | 2-0 |
| 9/22/13 | vs. JAX | 1:25 p.m. | CBS | W | 45-17 | 3-0 |
| 9/29/13 | at Texans | 10 a.m. | FOX | W | 23-20 | 4-0 |
| 10/6/13 | at Indy | 10 a.m. | FOX | L | 34-28 | 4-1 |
| 10/13/13 | vs. Tenn | 1:05 p.m. | CBS | — | —— | — |
| 10/17/13 | at Arizona | 5:25 p.m. | NFLN | — | —— | — |
| 10/28/12 | at StL | 5:40 p.m. | ESPN | — | —— | — |
| 11/3/13 | vs. Tampa | 1:05 p.m. | FOX | — | —— | — |
| 11/10/13 | at Atlanta | 10 a.m. | FOX | — | —— | — |
| 11/17/13 | vs. Minn | 1:25 p.m. | FOX | — | —– | — |
| 11/24/13 | BYE WEEK | —– | —– | — | —– | — |
| 12/2/13 | VS. NO | 5:40 p.m. | ESPN | — | —— | — |
| 12/9/12 | at SF | 1:25 p.m. | FOX | — | —— | — |
| 12/15/13 | at NYG | 10 a.m. | FOX | — | —— | — |
| 12/22/13 | vs. Ariz | 1:05 p.m. | FOX | — | —— | — |
| 12/29/13 | vs. STL | 1:25 p.m. | FOX | W | —— | — |