Here’s how the Seahawks and Bengals look on the injury front heading into their Week 5 matchup:
Out
Questionable
Seattle
Out
RB Marshawn Lynch (hamstring)
CB Tharold Simon (toe)
CB Marcus Burley (hand)
Doubtful
DE Demarcus Dobbs (shoulder)
LB Kevin Pierre-Louis (hamstring)
CB Tye Smith (hip)
Questionable
RB Fred Jackson (ankle)
Probable
DT Brandon Mebane (groin)
WR Ricardo Lockette (shortness of breath)
FS Steven Terrell (hip)
Cincinnati
Questionable
DE Wallace Gilberry (calf)
S George Iloka (ankle)
Probable
CB Adam Jones (groin)
S Reggie Nelson (hamstring)
RB Jeremy Hill (knee)
It’s worrisome to see Seattle this thin at corner. Nickel corner continues to be the Achilles’ heel of the defense, and with Simon, Burley, and Tye Smith all sitting, this will force Kris Richard into some uncomfortably creative territory. Fortunately, this is also where having versatile players like DeShawn Shead could come in handy. Also a boost to the run defense is the return of Brandon Mebane, who will be a nice help in pressuring Andy Dalton.
The offense is mostly healthy with the noted exception of Lynch, who will miss this game but should return for Week 6 against Carolina. Fred Jackson has had what Pete Carroll calls a “miraculous” recovery from what appeared to be a high ankle sprain last week. If he’s able to go, he’ll split carries with Thomas Rawls.
And then there’s the Bengals. They’re almost 100% healthy coming into this game, but even if they had a few injuries, the Seahawks would still be in for a fight. They’re playing some of the best ball in the league right now, but they’re also going up against a defense that’s allowed three points in the past two games.
