Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks vs Dolphins, 3 burning questions

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

If the Seattle Seahawks have designs on making it to the Super Bowl, there are a few things they’ll have to prove on the field, beginning this Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

None of us saw 2015 coming. Optimism reigned. We’re going to get to our third straight Super Bowl!!

But then Kam Chancellor happened, and Drew Nowak, and the schedule. Next thing we knew our team was 2-4 and spent the rest of the season digging out of that hole.

In the end it was just too much to overcome as they were bounced out in the divisional round of the playoffs.

In the NFL, particularly the rough and tumble NFC, home field throughout the playoffs is crucial. And the best way to get there is with a good start out of the gates.

For the Seahawks, that all starts Sunday at CenturyLink Field against the new-look Miami Dolphins.

It’ll be the first time we get to see the team at full strength (err….almost) for an entire game after the mirage that is the preseason.

So let’s take a look at the 3 things we need to see from the Seahawks against Miami this weekend:

Jan 10, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings fullback Zach Line (48) runs past Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril (56) in the first half of a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

WITHER THE PASS RUSH?

It was spotty last year and didn’t seem to show up at all this preseason. But the Hawks played most of August without Michael Bennett and never showed much with their gun fully loaded. Cliff Avril showed flashes of being as explosive as ever, but 2nd year DE Frank Clark was mostly invisible. Big things are expected from Clark in 2016, but it felt like the team was being purposeful in how vanilla they were on defense. As if they were holding back the A team.

Another unknown is what kind of impact Cassius Marsh can have as the guy who’ll get most of the pass rush opportunities from the OLB spot.

With 2nd round pick Jarran Reed and Ahtyba Rubin clogging up blockers in the middle, the triumvirate of Bennett, Avril and Clark should have opportunities to get to the passer.

The concern is depth. The team isn’t as deep with solid edge players as they want to be. It’s a little-talked-about position group that could come back to damage any title hopes should a key guy or two go down to injury.

Aug 18, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls (34) warms up before a game against the Minnesota Vikings at CenturyLink Field. Minnesota defeated Seattle, 18-11. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

ARE GRAHAM AND RAWLS HEALTHY?

It seems increasingly likely we’ll see Jimmy Graham on Sunday. Despite Pete Carroll’s coyness he’s been a full go in practice this week. Thomas Rawls has also been given the green light to play. With both players coming off major injury, snap counts will be monitored, and limited.

We don’t necessarily need to see either player have a key role against the Dolphins, but if both play and look good, it bodes well for an offense that needs as many dynamic weapons as they can gather.

Because of the 3rd thing……..

Jan 3, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks guard Mark Glowinski (63) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

HOWTHEHELL WILL THE OFFENSIVE LINE LOOK?

It’s been talked about ad naseum this off season, but for good reason. The failure of this unit to perform at even an adequate level was the primary contributor to that 2-4 2015 start.

And just when it looked like there was finally some continuity with this group, 1st round pick Germain Ifedi goes down with a high ankle sprain during Wednesday’s practice. The rookie may have been having the best camp of any O-lineman.

As a result, 6th round pick Joey Hunt will start at center as a rookie, with Justin Britt sliding over to RG, making it the 4th different position Britt has now played as a starter. Garry Gilliam won the RT job with Bradley Sowell at LT and 2nd year player Mark Glowinski at LG.

Ifedi’s injury could not have come at a worse time. The combination of Glowinski, Britt and Ifedi was at times dominant this preseason, and gave us hope that a good O-line was in the offing. Now the team has to prepare for the good defensive fronts of the Dolphins, Rams and 49ers with another new patchwork lineup.

There’s hope. Britt looked reborn at center, and maybe that confidence will carry over to his guard play. Hunt and Glowinski had excellent preseasons, and Gilliam was playing well at right tackle at the end of last year.

The real question mark is Sowell. Never a starter during his years in Arizona, he doesn’t exactly project to be a long-term solution for the Seahawks. His play has been uneven, at best.

The keys to getting through until Ifedi is back will be quick decisions by Russell Wilson, and an effective running game.

We will find out the answers to these burning questions soon enough. Sunday is almost here.