NFL Seattle Seahawks

Doug Baldwin Is Seattle Seahawks’ X-Factor In Week 10

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By @Tidow1212

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The Seattle Seahawks have been an organization in a bit of turmoil in recent weeks, particularly with schisms growing throughout their locker room. Most of this, however, can be attributed to the reigning Super Bowl champions being 3-3 and seemingly a shell of the team who made the Denver Broncos look silly last February.

However, the reeling New York Giants set up to be a perfect opponent to makes things nice and peachy again, as those guys have no luck lately and have now lost cornerback Prince Amukamara for the remainder of the 2014 season. To do so, however, they will need to take advantage of the Giants’ recent unfortunate development and establish the passing game early and often — particularly with their No. 1 WR Doug Baldwin, who now becomes the Seahawks’ x-factor in this NFC contest.

Expecting Baldwin to draw coverage from Giants No. 1 CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is a fair assumption, but unlike other weeks, the Giants’ secondary will be fairly barren due to Amukamara’s absence. This should lead to plenty of single coverage opportunities for Baldwin, particularly as the LBs and safeties cheat forward in attempts to build a bubble around Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch, who oftentimes can seemingly penetrate even the most impregnable defensive walls.

Plain and simple: Rodgers-Cromartie is on his own with Baldwin throughout most of this game.

Once Seattle establishes the run with the aforementioned Lynch, the Giants will be biting on a flurry of play action schemes that head Baldwin’s way, and they will essentially have no chance. Baldwin clearly has an opportunity to prove to NFL fans and media alike exactly why the Seahawks’ front office folk felt they could part ways with WR Percy Harvin just a few weeks ago.

QB Russell Wilson has locked in on Baldwin particularly since Harvin has been gone, and it is not unusual for him to see 11 targets per game. And when Baldwin sees 11 targets in a game, it is typically a terribly unfortunate day for opposing defenses, as he torches them for 100 yards and a TD.

Timothy Downs is a fantasy sports writer for www.RantSports.com. You can ‘like him’ on Facebook add him on Google or follow him on Twitter @Tidow1212.

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