GMEN HQ: What are the key matchups for this game on both sides of the ball?
12th Man Rising:
The key matchups to me in the Seahawks versus Giants are both run offenses against run defenses. The Giants are good defensively and as great as Russell Wilson can be, he must have help from the run game.
One reason the Seahawks struggled in four games in the middle of the season is they had no healthy, good running backs. When Carlos Hyde returned a couple of weeks ago, it made a big difference but Seattle’s best running back by far is Chris Carson and Carson simply makes the offense better. If Seattle can pick up yards on the ground against the Giants, great. If not, the offense can struggle.
The same goes for the Seahawks on defense. Seattle has been really good at stopping the run this year and the one obvious way the Giants can score enough points to win in Week 13 is to have New York run the ball effectively. If Seattle can continue to stop the run with interior linemen Jarran Reed, Snacks Harrison, and Poona Ford, then Seattle should win. Otherwise, this game could flip towards the Giants.