The Seahawks will have to handle the Bears without one of their biggest defensive pieces tonight, as Uchenna Nwosu is inactive because of an ankle injury.
Seattle is coming off a statement win over the Kansas City Chiefs, a game in which the Seahawks’ “Dark Side” defense held Kansas City to just three points. But that unit will be missing a burst against Chicago, with Nwosu among the Week 8 inactives.
Seattle’s inactive list also includes OT Charles Cross (ankle), WR Rashid Shaheed (knee), QB Drew Lock (right elbow, Emergency QB3), RB Velus Jones Jr. (hamstring), NT Brandon Pili (back) and OG Beau Stephens.
There is some good news for the Seahawks, though. Anthony Bradford (knee), Patrick O’Connell (toe) and Connor O’Toole (hamstring) were all listed as questionable, but they will play and are available to play. Drake Thomas and Chazz Surratt are also set to return after missing multiple games, giving Seattle a deep linebacker group even without Nwosu.
Chicago will be missing running back Kyle Monangai for the third straight game because of toe and thumb injuries, which should mean more work for Roschon Johnson. Safety Malik Muhammad, who was limited in practice all week and entered the day questionable with a toe injury, is also out, along with four others.
With the division-leading San Francisco 49ers on bye, Seattle can move within two games of first place in the NFC West with a win. That makes this one of the Seahawks’ biggest games of the season, and they’ll need to navigate it against a Bears team that has won four of its last five. The Seahawks are also set to get a boost in the backfield with Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet returning, but the absences on both sides of the ball leave them in a tricky spot.
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For Seattle, the shift adds another layer to a division game that already carries plenty of weight. LaFleur said the decision was a difficult one, but he also made clear it was driven by what Arizona needed offensively, which leaves the Seahawks preparing for a familiar veteran presence instead of the rookie look they might have expected. [Read more 🡒]