The winless Detroit Lions will travel to Century Link Field to face the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. The Seahawks will look to pick up their second consecutive win after starting 0-2, and the Lions will be desperate to get a win, as starting 0-4 would likely end their chances at winning the NFC North division.
The Seahawks will be without star running back Marshawn Lynch due to a hamstring injury. Seattle will look to Fred Jackson and Thomas Rawls to carry the load Monday against a weak Lions defense. Detroit's defense ranks 28th in the league in terms of yards given up per game, as they give up almost 400 yards per game.
The Seahawks will likely look to Rawls to pick up where he left off last week. Against the Chicago Bears last Sunday, the rookie running back rushed for 104 yards on just 16 carries.
Rawls will likely be their first and second down back, but look for Jackson to come in on third-and-long situations, as he provides a better receiving ability. Jackson has five receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown through three games, and he will likely be the target of some short passes on Monday night.
The Lions will likely lead with Joique Bell as their starting running back, but he has clearly struggled this season averaging just over a yard per carry. If Bell isn't producing, Detroit will probably get rookie running back Ameer Abdullah involved quickly. Abdullah is averaging 3.9 yards per carry and scored a touchdown in Week One.
Some believe Abdullah can be an every down back, but he will need to prove that will every touch he gets.
Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford will need to be smart with the ball against Seattle's secondary. Stafford already has five interceptions this season, and with a ball-hawking defense like the Seahawks', turnovers could be a major key on Monday night.
Detroit will be looking for its first win of the season, but playing Seattle at Century Link is a tough test for any team.
The game starts at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, and you can watch the live broadcast here.
To listen to the Seahawks radio broadcast, click here, and for the Lions radio broadcast, go here.
