Cowboys vs. Seahawks: The latest news from the Seattle side of things

We take another look at the Seattle Seahawks.

Seahawks dealing with 2 straight losses, funky schedule preparing for Dallas – AP Staff, The Associated Press

Back-to-back Thursday games throw a wrench in Seattle’s usual routines.

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — While most of the rest of the league played on Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks were treating it like a Wednesday while starting to get ready for another Thursday game.

“We’re right in the midst of it. It’s just turning your brain around because you feel like you’re on a different planet here,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Sunday. “So yeah, there’s a challenge to that. But that’s why we tried to get right back into the routine so it feels the same regardless. It’s kind of like a bit of a time warp and we just go at it.”

On top of losing two straight, the Seahawks are facing the most difficult section of their schedule and a calendar they’ve never experienced. The Seahawks (6-5) were thumped 31-13 by San Francisco on Thanksgiving night at home and will turn around and play on a second straight Thursday when they play at Dallas in just a few days.

“It’s weird watching the games on right now and we’re going to practice,” Seattle wide receiver DK Metcalf said. “It just feels weird practicing a Wednesday on a Sunday, but I’m ready to get back to work.”

Veteran Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner said the holiday also threw in another wrinkle to the recovery in the couple of days following the 49ers loss.

“You have this week where the holiday, you’re working on the weekends, some places are closed if you want to use them. People’s schedules are different on the weekend,” Wagner said. “So I just think it’s part of being a professional and figuring out how to maximize your time, and it’s our job to make sure we’re ready when we play.”

Identity Crisis? Seattle Seahawks Still ‘Trying to Find It’ vs. Dallas Cowboys, Says DK Metcalf – Adam Schultz, Sports Illustrated

Two-thirds through the season, Seattle is still finding out who they are.

DK Metcalf, in maybe somewhat surprising fashion, said the team is still trying to find its identity 11 weeks into the season.

“Still trying to find our identity, we still haven’t played a complete game,” Metcalf said. “I think that’s the only positive we can take away from this point of our season. We still got work to do still have some areas to improve, But I think our best ball is still in front of us, and we still have room to improve, whether that’s playing as a team or playing a complete game as a offense.”

After not having to play Sunday, the Seahawks will have more time to improve and get things right before facing the Cowboys than they would on a normal short week of prep for a Thursday night game.

Defensively, Dallas is one of the better teams in the league and, in the last three games, hasn’t conceded more than 17 points in each. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has got his unit in a rhythm.

That makes the Seahawks’ offensive woes against the 49ers even more troubling, as the Cowboys possess a defense on equal footing with San Francisco.

“Well, they got speed everywhere on their defense, and they’ve been in a couple shootouts, and then they’ve blown some teams out,” Metcalf said. “It’s hard to get a good grip of who they really are when you watch film, but they’re a fast group who can get to the ball in a hurry, and they have a pretty stacked group of corners on their team.”

NFC Playoff Picture: Seahawks benefit from Bears’ comical upset win over Vikings – Mookie Alexander, FieldGulls.com

Seattle got some help with playoff positioning without even playing.

In a week in which the Seattle Seahawks didn’t get a lot of outside help in the playoff race, Week 12 ended on a high note in one of the worst games of the NFL season.

The Chicago Bears got a late field goal from Cairo Santos to win 12-10 over the Minnesota Vikings. It was spectacularly awful. Do you like pointless screen passes? Both teams gave you that in bunches. Are you a fan of horrible quarterback play? Josh Dobbs and Justin Fields were seemingly in competition for the most baffling turnover and misfired pass of the day, but Dobbs was able to double up Fields on the turnover scoreboard by a count of 4-2.

We’ve seen a lot of horrible football in prime-time this year, and that was a sight to behold.

What does it mean for the Seahawks? Well hopefully you care to make the playoffs, because if you don’t then I highly recommend reading our many non-playoff related articles.

Of course, this is all moot if/when the Seahawks lose to the Cowboys on Thursday. They would return to the No. 7 seed entering Sunday, and would fall out completely with a win by either the Los Angeles Rams or Green Bay Packers.

An upset win, however? Some semblance of optimism is back on the menu!

Kenneth Walker out, Leonard Williams limited at Seahawks practice – Josh Alper, NBC Sports

Key injuries once again plague the Seahawks.

It looks like the Seahawks will be without running back Kenneth Walker again this week.

Walker missed last Thursday’s loss to the 49ers with an oblique injury and he missed his second straight practice on Tuesday. Injury designations for the matchup with the Cowboys will come on Wednesday and the lack of work would make it a surprise to see Walker listed as anything other than out.

The Seahawks did get defensive lineman Leonard Williams and tight end Will Dissly back for limited practices. Williams sat out Monday with an ankle injury while Dissly was sidelined by a hip issue.

Wide receiver Dee Eskridge (ribs) and guard Phil Haynes (toe) did not practice Tuesday. Safety Jamal Adams (knee) and wide receiver Dareke Young (abdomen) were limited participants.

Here is Tuesday’s injury report for the Dallas Cowboys.