Rashid Shaheed has helped put the “special” in 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 Sunday when they play the NFC South-leading Carolina Panthers (8-7) in Charlotte, N.C.
“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 sense of focus and energy on special teams, just knowing that he can return a kick at any moment.”
Shaheed, acquired from New Orleans at the trade deadline, also returned the second-half kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown Dec. 7 at Atlanta.
The Seahawks are tied for fourth with 27.9 yards per kickoff return and are fourth in average punt return at 15.6. Kicker Jason Myers leads the NFL with 37 field goals.
“I mean, our special teams’ unit has just been a massive catalyst for us,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said.
The Seahawks will try not to look ahead to their regular-season finale at 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, really excited to be in the dance. Anything can happen once you get in, but we got a division title on the line that we need to go capture.”
The Panthers are coming off a 23-20 victory against visiting Tampa Bay that gave them a one-game lead over the Buccaneers in the division. Those teams will also meet in Week 18.
“The playoffs are a couple weeks away. We don’t have the luxury to be able to think about that and play ‘what-if.’ We have to focus on (this) week,” Carolina quarterback Bryce Young said. “Right now, it’s fun in the locker room, we get to perform, but for all of us, after 24 hours, next week will be the biggest game of the year. That’s always how it will be. That’s always going to be our approach.”
Young drove the Panthers down the field for a go-ahead field goal with a little more than two minutes remaining last week. It was the 12th game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime in three seasons for Young — the most of any QB over that span.
Young was 21 of 32 for 191 yards and two touchdowns against the Bucs. The Panthers relied on him with Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard combining for just 56 yards rushing on 15 carries.
“He threw it away 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).
