Pick Six: The battle of the Bartons highlights matchup in Seattle

Nov 25, 2022 at 01:00 PM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

Barton vs. Barton

I have a good feeling who Jackson Barton will be doing a jersey swap with after the game.

The Raiders' offensive tackle could go head-to-head with his younger brother, Cody, this Sunday. Cody Barton, a Seattle Seahawks linebacker, is a year younger than Jackson, and the two were high school and college teammates in Utah. The linebacker has 71 total tackles, three passes defended and two sacks this season.

"I know it's a really big moment," said Jackson Barton. "I know a lot of people can't say this, having two brothers play in the NFL. So, I'm really excited for the opportunity. ... We got to play each other back in 2020, but there [weren't] really any fans there so it was kind of like a big 'ole scrimmage. But we love seeing each other. We talk to each other every week, catch up on how each other is doing. I'm excited to see him."

Turning the corner with injuries

The Raiders seem to be nearing the return of Nate Hobbs, as well as Kolton Miller.

The young cornerback has been on injured reserve since leaving the Chiefs game in Week 5 with a broken hand. He was designated to return this week, and Head Coach Josh McDaniels said the team is in "wait and see mode" on whether Hobbs will be able to return Sunday.

The Silver and Black is also preparing for the potential return of starting left tackle Kolton Miller, who missed his first game last Sunday since 2020. McDaniels said he's optimistic Miller will be ready to play, as the left tackle has been a limited participant in practice this week.

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The reign of Josh Jacobs

Josh Jacobs is looking to continue his strong 2022 campaign against the Seahawks' run defense.

The Seahawks are in the bottom 10 in the league in rushing yards allowed and rushing touchdowns allowed. As for Jacobs, he's been flourishing against most defenses he's seen this season, as he's third in the league in carries (183), rushing yards (930) and rushing yards after contact (745). With 70 more rushing yards, he'll become the third player in franchise history with three seasons of at least 1,000 rushing yards, joining Marcus Allen (1983-85) and Mark van Eeghen (1976-78).

"Josh has really grown into one of my favorite players on the team," offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi said Tuesday. "Obviously, because of the person he is and all those kinds of things, but just because you can see that he exudes the love of football. He's a football player, just old school, wants to get the ball downhill, and wants the ball. You give him a new thing and he takes full advantage of it and just wants to go and go and go and go and go; and is all ball."

"He's very smart, can take coaching, wants to be coached hard," continued Lombardi. "Coach Kennedy [Polamalu] is on him non-stop on the sidelines and at practice about anything, whether it's ball security, run reads, whatever it is. And I think he's done a great job of taking the coaching. Just his ability to kind of just want to get better and continue to play and take everything in whatever his role is."

Sleepless in Seattle

The Raiders will try to break a two-game losing streak to the Seahawks, as their last victory against them came in 2010. The Silver and Black also haven't defeated them on the road since 1998, when the Seahawks were still a part of the AFC West.

In the Raiders' previous two losses to Seattle, Derek Carr totaled a combined 336 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and 40 rushing yards.

Look out for No. 14 in blue

A big challenge for the Raiders defense is how to contain DK Metcalf.

The wide receiver has been a problem for defenses since being drafted out of Ole Miss in 2019. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder that ran a 4.33 at the combine can be hard to handle – according to McDaniels. The Pro Bowler has 33 touchdowns and 264 receptions in his career.

"He catches the ball when you're on him. I think he's like the top of the league in terms of contested catches," McDaniels said Friday. "Even if you have tight coverage, it doesn't really mean that you stop the ball from being thrown to him for sure, and it doesn't mean that you've stopped the ball from being completed, so that's one.

"Two, getting him on the ground once he has the ball is an entirely different conversation. This is as good of an athlete and as tough of a football player to get to the ground as you're going to see, generally. There might be a couple other guys in that category, but I mean he's big, he's fast, he's strong, he's tough, he's physical. So, getting him to the ground once he has it is going to be a task, and we're going to need as many guys to the ball chasing the ball as we can."

Rock Ya-Sin, and the potential return of Nate Hobbs, could be beneficial in the Raiders' efforts of combating Metcalf.

10K for King Cole

2021 First-Team All-Pro AJ Cole is 49 yards away from reaching 10,000 career punting yards. He would become the seventh punter in franchise history to accomplish the feat.

Cole currently has the highest career yards per punt average (47.6) in franchise history, and is second in the league (averaging 50.9) in that same statistic in 2022.

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4), head strength and conditioning coach A.J. Neibel, quarterback Chase Garbers (15) and quarterback Jarrett Stidham (3) during practice at Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center.