Newly acquired linebacker Ernest Jones might spend time with both offensive and defensive staffs this week. The Seahawks’ newest player, obtained in a trade with Tennessee Wednesday, started the Titans’ game against the Bills last week.
This week, Jones gets Josh Allen again when the Bills (5-2) visit Seattle (4-3) on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX).
Ryan Talbot of NYUp.com noted that during Buffalo’s 34-10 win over the Titans last week, Jones was caught trash-talking Allen, telling the quarterback: “You can’t f— with me, yo.”
In that loss, Jones broke up a deep pass intended for Dawson Knox that forced a second-quarter punt. Jones, who had five tackles in the game, helped the Titans limit Buffalo to just seven points, three first downs and 90 yards in the first half. Through seven weeks, Tennessee owns the NFL’s No. 1 defense, allowing just 272.2 yards per game.
The Titans actually acquired Jones in another trade from the Rams on Aug. 27. Seattle gave up linebacker Jerome Baker along with draft-pick compensation in exchange for Jones. The Rams selected Jones in the third round of the 2021 draft and later that season started him in their Super Bowl win.
Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday he expects Jones to start at middle linebacker against the Bills on Sunday at Lumen Field. To accommodate the arrival of Jones, the Seahawks are expected to move Tyrel Dodson to weakside linebacker.
The move could improve Seattle’s 13th-ranked pass defense but getting an interception against Allen will be difficult. The quarterback hasn’t thrown one this season, even though he’s said multiple times defenders have dropped them.
Officially, though, he’s the only quarterback in 2024 to throw 100 passes without an interception. With another 11 unblemished passes at Seattle, he’d be the fifth quarterback in NFL history with 200 attempts and no interceptions in his team’s first eight games of a season, joining Alex Smith (2017), Brian Hoyer (2016), Jason Campbell (2008) and Bernie Kosar (1991).
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