Seahawks WR DK Metcalf says he’s forgotten Week 1 loss to Rams

RENTON — Almost nothing was memorable about Seattle’s season-opening 30-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field on Sept. 10.

It was a game in which the Seahawks were outscored 23-0 in the second half and outgained for the game 426-180.

About the only thing anyone in Seattle was left talking about was an incident late in the game when Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf pushed Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon from behind, then drew a penalty for taunting during the stoppage in play while Witherspoon was being tended to on the field.

Metcalf was later fined for both the push of Witherspoon and the taunting penalty for a total of almost $22,000.

But with a smile on Wednesday as he held his regular weekly meeting with Seattle media, Metcalf said he’d pretty much wiped that whole day from his memory.

“I cannot even remember Week One,” he said. “It’s been quite some time since then and it was a good time to forget it.” 

Those fines were two of five Metcalf received in the first five games of the season, when he also received five penalties.

After the last of those five games — against Cincinnati — Metcalf said the flags and fines wouldn’t change the way he plays. He sat out the following game against Arizona due to a hip injury.

But in the three games since, Metcalf hasn’t committed a penalty while also chipping in two game-changing plays — a block that helped spring Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the winning TD against Cleveland and a 27-yard catch-and-run that set up Jason Myers’ game-winning field goal Sunday against Washington, a 29-26 Seattle victory.

“His focus was great today,” Carroll said after the game. “He was just tuned in. I don’t know if you noticed how much he was hustling around and all that, but his focus was excellent. There wasn’t a play that seemed like he wasn’t there and available for it.”

Metcalf made another attention-getting play after the game, with NFL Films picking up an interaction he had with Washington tight end Logan Thomas. Thomas approached Metcalf and told him that his 15-year-old son was a big fan of Metcalf’s. Metcalf told Thomas his son could have his jersey, and took it off and signed it on the field.

“I think anybody that looks up to me and their dad also plays the game I think is a big blessing and accomplishment, just to my work ethic and what I’ve done,” Metcalf said. “I would look up to Logan Thomas if I was his kid, but it’s always just a blessing that other people look up to you, not just your family members or people in your city. But you got a bigger impact outside of the place you live or the place you play. I just thought it was just a blessing that he acknowledged me, had put his pride to the side just to come up to me and say that to me.”

Myers named NFC Special Teams Player of Week

To no surprise, Seattle kicker Jason Myers was named as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after hitting all five of his attempts in the victory over Washington, including a 43-yarder to win it as time ran out.

It’s the second time Myers has won the award, also doing so with the Jets in 2018, and he is the first Seahawks kicker to win it since Sebastian Janikowski in 2018.

Myers also is the third Seahawks player to earn player of the week honors this season along with running back Kenneth Walker III and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon also was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors for October. 

The game was one of six decided by a game-winning field goal, a record for an NFL weekend.

“There were a lot of great kickers that kicked this weekend and a lot of great things that happened,” Carroll said. “He stood out obviously, they picked him. He had a fantastic game, he’s having a great season for us, and we’re really excited for that kind of recognition.”

Right tackle Lucas returns to practice

As expected, second-year right tackle Abraham Lucas returned to practice Wednesday after sitting out since the first Rams game with a knee issue.

That means he can now practice for 21 days before the team has to put him on the 53-man roster or he reverts back to injured reserve for the rest of the season.

Carroll said it was too soon to say when Lucas might be able to play. 

“He’s going to practice this week and we’ll find out what that means,” Carroll said. “We’ll just take it one day at a time and see what happens. It’s great to get him back out there. It’s been a long haul and I’m anxious to see him go.”

Lucas was listed as limited in practice.

Five sit out, but three just resting

The Seahawks don’t have too many injury issues heading into the week.

Five players sat out practice Wednesday, but three were listed as resting — safety Jamal Adams, defensive end Leonard Williams and linebacker Jordyn Brooks. Also sitting out were WR Tyler Lockett, who has been playing through a nagging hamstring injury, and tight end Colby Parkinson, still dealing with a biceps injury that he also played through against Washington.

Listed as limited were Lucas, punter Michael Dickson (right hamstring) and guard Damien Lewis (back)

Everyone else practiced fully including receiver Dareke Young, who felt some pain in is surgically-repaired abdomen during Sunday’s game but appears not to have suffered any significant re-injury. Sunday’s game was the first this season for Young since he had the surgery before the start of the regular season.

“He’s running today,” Carroll said before practice. “I think he is going today at practice; he was good in the walk-through. He’s a little bit sore still from the weekend, but they think they’ve got it figured out what it is and it’s nothing to hold him back as long as he can make it through the week. We’ll see how the week goes.”