For the Seahawks, this is what you might call a makeup game. As in, it’s their chance to make up ground they have lost in the NFC West since Week 1. 

Even with five losses in their last six games, the Seahawks are only two games behind Arizona in the West. If the Seahawks can beat Detroit this week, and if Arizona loses at Chicago, Seattle would go to Arizona next week with a chance to catch the Cardinals and be tied for first (depending on what the 49ers do against Tennessee and Chicago the next two games). So while it might seem all hope is lost, it certainly is not yet.

It all starts with the Seahawks living up to their status as 10-point favorites and beating Detroit at Qwest Field.

The Lions have won just one game this season, and they are coming off a 17-10 loss to previously winless St. Louis. That’s the same Rams team the Seahawks blew out 28-0 in the season opener.

As much as the Seahawks have struggled this season, particularly in the past two games, this is a great chance to finally gain some confidence as a team. With left tackle Sean Locklear possibly returning, this could be the first time since the opener that the Seahawks have their entire starting offense together. 

There’s been a lot of talk this week: Mora talking about holding his team accountable, T.J. Houshmandzadeh talking about showing his frustration at an inability to hook up with Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch talking about his comments after scoring his touchdown in Dallas. All of that means nothing. It’s just there to placate fans and media who pay attention to the drama more than the game.

The simple fact is this: The offense has been disrupted this season, much the same way it was last year, and it has affected the rhythm. Hasselbeck is still playing with broken ribs, and it was quite apparent they were bothering him when he threw against Dallas. He even admitted this week that his early return has slowed the healing process and that he is still playing in pain. But he is playing pretty well, despite the injury. Now he just needs to get some time from his linemen and start connecting with his receivers more consistently.

The Lions should provide a good chance for the Hawks to get it together. Detroit has the second-worst scoring defense in the league, giving up 29 points per game.

On the other side, the Lions get stud receiver Calvin Johnson back after he missed the past two games with a knee injury. But rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford just came back himself, and he is still playing like a rookie. That all bodes well for a Seattle defense that should be better than last week, when cornerback Marcus Trufant had a bad first game of the season and linebacker Leroy Hill did not impact the game in his first game back either.

All in all, everything is aligned for the Seahawks to win going away. It’s hard to imagine them losing this game, but if they somehow do, that will be the official death knell for the season.

Win as expected, and the Hawks are looking at a make-or-break game in Arizona next week.

Three and out: Q&A

Q: How are the three former Seahawks – Julian Peterson, Maurice Morris and Will Heller — doing in Detroit?

A: Well, they’re not winning. Peterson, who was traded for Cory Redding, leads the Lions with 3.5 sacks and is fifth on the team in tackles. Morris has filled in at times for banged-up starting running back Kevin Smith. Morris is averaging 4.1 yards on 26 carries this season. Heller has 10 catches for 141 yards as the team’s No. 2 tight end. The Lions also have safety Marquand Manuel, who played a key role in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run in 2005. Manuel is third on the team in tackles.

Q: What impact will Locklear have if he starts at left tackle?

A: This is the best kind of game in which to ease him back from his high ankle sprain. The Lions don’t have any marquee pass rushers (they have only 15 sacks), so Locklear shouldn’t have a tough time getting into the flow if his ankle lets him. That said, we aren’t that confident that he will be able to play the entire game. Damion McIntosh will probably rotate with him.

Q: Will Mora’s challenge motivate the players?

A: It certainly wasn’t surprising that Mora is trying anything he can to get his players to focus and perform. But there are reasons the team has not won, and they have mainly to do with the lack of cohesion caused by injuries along the offensive line. With everyone back that they’re going to get back, they can only improve from here (barring more injuries, of course). In fact, Mora and his coaches need to do better themselves. The defense needs to get pressure on young Stafford this week, and the offense needs to do a better job of moving the ball on first down.