4 Seahawks the Bills should be concerned about ahead of the Week 8 clash

The Buffalo Bills are about to make their first of two trips to the West Coast of the season as they face the 4-3 Seattle Seahawks this Sunday at Lumen Field. This is a match that doesn’t happen often; the last time these teams faced off was in 2020 – without fans in attendance. Buffalo won that game 44-34. The last time fans were in the stands to watch this game was in 2016, when Buffalo lost to Seattle 25-31.

A lot has changed for both teams since then, and it’s understandable if you’re not up to speed on the current state of the Seahawks. For starters, this is an important game for both teams – for Buffalo, a win gives them an extra cushion in the AFC East and would shake off the idea that the Bills can’t beat a team above .500. For Seattle, a win on Sunday would also extend their lead in their division and end a two-game home losing streak. Both teams will rely on key players to get the job done this weekend. With that, here are four players the Bills should be concerned about on Sunday:

This one shouldn’t be a surprise. In what is one of the most surprising stories in the league in recent years, Geno Smith has found a home in Seattle. The former New York Jets second-round pick currently leads the league with 1,985 passing yards and has thrown for eight touchdowns this year. Buffalo ranks in the bottom half of the league in passing yards allowed, so expect to see a lot of plays through the air for Seattle.

Related: Bills standout rookie DT to miss ‘several weeks’ as wrist injury requires surgery

In the rare case of a player playing the same team for two different clubs two weeks in a row, Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones IV will now get a second chance at the Bills’ offense. The 2021 third-round pick was traded to the Seahawks earlier this week and hopes to make an immediate impact on some familiar faces, in addition to providing information about the Bills in the film room. Last week against Buffalo, Jones had five tackles and one quarterback hit, along with two pressures.

There should be an asterisk here – the bills should address the status of WR DK Metcalf going into effect this week. In their 34-14 win over the Atlanta Falcons last week, Metcalf was carted off the field and later diagnosed with an MCL sprain. He has not been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Bills, but he still has to log a practice this week. The 6-foot-4, 235 lb wideout has shredded opposing secondaries this season — he ranks third in the league in receiving yards at 568 and has scored three touchdowns in his first seven games this season.

Related: Starting LB, key rookie DT was ruled out for the Bills Week 8 game against the Seahawks

Byron Murphy II, who missed the three games leading up to Seattle’s win over Atlanta last week, made his presence felt when he returned to play. The 16th overall pick recorded four tackles in his first game in almost a month, one of which was a tackle for loss. An important stat to know about the rookie: the Seahawks are 4-0 when Murphy plays, and 0-3 when he doesn’t. Needless to say, the Seahawks are excited to get him back on the field, and fully healthy at that.

— Enjoy free Buffalo Bills Bills coverage on SI —