Rashid Shaheed helped bring the “special” to the Seattle Seahawks’ special teams.
Shaheed returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown last Thursday against the Los Angeles Rams, sparking a 16-point fourth-quarter comeback in Seattle’s 38-37 overtime victory.
The NFC West-leading Seahawks (12-3) will look to extend their five-game winning streak on Sunday when they take on the NFC South-leading Carolina Panthers (8-7) in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“It gave us life,” Seahawks safety Julian Love said of the punt return. “We felt like, for this game, our special teams was a weapon. We have a really good unit. When we got Rashid this year, it gave us a whole new feeling of focus and energy on special teams, just knowing he can return a kick at any time.”
Shaheed, acquired from New Orleans at the trade deadline, also returned the second half kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown on Dec. 7 in Atlanta.
The Seahawks are tied for fourth with 27.9 yards per kickoff return and fourth in punt return average with 15.6. Kicker Jason Myers leads the NFL with 37 field goals.
“I mean, our special teams unity has just been a huge catalyst for us,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said.
The Seahawks will try not to anticipate their regular season finale in San Francisco, a game that will determine the division champion and perhaps the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
“Our next goal is to win the division,” Macdonald said. “Now you can’t do that unless you win the next one, so it’s the same message. Obviously, I’m really excited to get in on the dance. Anything can happen once you get in, but we have a division title on the line that we have to go capture.”
The Panthers are coming off a 23-20 victory over visiting Tampa Bay, which gave them a one-game lead over the Buccaneers in the division. These teams will also meet in Week 18.
“The playoffs are a few weeks away. We don’t have the luxury of being able to think about it and play simulations.” We have to focus on (this) week,” Carolina quarterback Bryce Young said. “Right now it’s fun in the locker room, we can play, but for all of us, after 24 hours, next week is going to be the biggest game of the year. It will always be like this. That will always be our approach.”
Young drove the Panthers down the field for a go-ahead field goal with just over two minutes left last week. It was Young’s 12th game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime in three seasons – the most by any QB in that span.
Young finished 21 of 32 for 191 yards and two touchdowns against the Bucs. The Panthers were counting on him with Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard combining for just 56 rushing yards on 15 carries.
“He threw it when he had to, extended the play when he could,” Carolina coach Dave Canales said of Young.
Panthers inside linebacker Trevin Wallace (shoulder) and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (hamstring) missed practice time this week, as did Seahawks safety Coby Bryant (knee) and left tackle Charles Cross (hamstring).
–Field level media
