Analysis: 5 Reasons Seahawks Improved Defensive Performance Isn't a Mirage
As the Seahawks went to the locker room trailing the Rams 17-13 at halftime in Week 10, they found themselves in the midst of yet another disappointing defensive performance.
Under minimal duress most of the first two quarters, quarterback Jared Goff was on pace to torch a struggling Seattle secondary to a tune of 442 passing yards and had completed passes to seven different receivers. Meanwhile, Los Angeles averaged five yards per carry and scored a pair of touchdowns on the ground. It was more of the same for a defense poised to shatter the NFL record for passing yards yielded in a single season.
But after giving up a quick touchdown drive midway through the third quarter, something changed for the Seahawks. Though Russell Wilson and the offense couldn't capitalize on countless opportunities, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr.'s unit forced three consecutive punts by the Rams, keeping them within striking distance until the final horn sounded in a 23-16 loss.
This performance proved to be anything but an aberration for Seattle. Despite falling short in Carson, the team finally figured things out that afternoon defensively and the stellar play has carried over into the second half of the schedule.
Once one of the NFL's worst defenses, the Seahawks have given up a league-low 73 points while going 4-1 in the past five games. During that span, they've produced 18.0 sacks, tied for the second-most in the league, while only giving up 922 passing yards and 470 rushing yards, which are both in the top 10.
An easier schedule has certainly helped Seattle's numbers, as the team has faced the likes of Colt McCoy, Dwayne Haskins, and now-benched Carson Wentz during that five-game stretch. But due to improving health as well as several key personnel changes made by the coaching staff at all three levels of the defense, this recent success shouldn't be viewed as a fluke.
As the team prepares for a pivotal rematch with Los Angeles in Week 16, here are five reasons why Seattle's defensive resurgence isn't a mirage:
1. Seattle's once-maligned pass rush has evolved into more than simply Carlos Dunlap.
When the Seahawks traded a seventh-round pick and center B.J. Finney to the Bengals for Dunlap in late October, the team had only 9.0 sacks through six games, ranking among the NFL's worst pass rushes. Immediately upon his arrival, everything changed. Though Seattle gave up 44 points in a loss to Buffalo, the team produced a whopping seven sacks in that contest, including one from Dunlap himself. Even as he's dealt with a sore foot for the past three weeks, his acquisition has elevated the play of other rushers, as Benson Mayowa, L.J. Collier, and Jarran Reed all have at least 1.5 sacks apiece during that span and have racked up numerous quarterback hits. Rookie Alton Robinson got into the act last Sunday with a clutch strip sack in the fourth quarter. Norton has also remained more aggressive blitzing, as K.J. Wright and Jamal Adams have combined to produce 5.0 sacks in the past five games.
2. Damon Harrison's massive presence in the middle has brought out the best in Poona Ford and Jarran Reed.
Though it took longer than the player hoped to finally get elevated to the active roster from the practice squad, Harrison has quietly made a significant impact in a reserve role at the nose tackle position for the Seahawks. Teams have struggled to run between the guards with his 350-pound frame eating up space in the middle and most importantly, his signing allowed Seattle to slide Ford out to 3-technique more often, which has allowed him to shine as an interior pass rusher. Per Pro Football Focus, the third-year defender has 11 quarterback pressures and 2.0 sacks since Week 10. Reed has been equally as disruptive, amassing 15 quarterback pressures and 1.5 sacks since Harrison made his debut in Los Angeles. An improved edge rush has helped Seattle's defensive tackles, but Harrison's arrival cannot be understated from a personnel standpoint.
3. The arrival of Jordyn Brooks has brought much-needed speed to the middle of the Seahawks defense alongside Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright.
During his rookie season, Brooks has endured his share of struggles. The first-round pick out of Texas Tech opened the year playing minimal snaps and after Bruce Irvin suffered a torn ACL, he injured his own knee in his first career start as a replacement and missed a pair of games. But as he has grown acclimated with extended playing time, the athletic linebacker has continued to improve in coverage and his speed chasing down ball carriers has been undeniable on film. He produced a career-high 11 tackles in a loss to the Giants two weeks ago and though he hasn't gotten as many snaps the past two games with the Seahawks playing more nickel, he has a chance to make a real impact down the stretch and into the postseason.
4. Despite injuries to Tre Flowers and Quinton Dunbar, the cornerback trio of D.J. Reed, Shaquill Griffin, and Ugo Amadi have been sensational of late.
In an unexpected turn of events, Seattle's misfortunes in the secondary seemed to change when the 5-foot-9 Reed was thrust into the starting lineup as an outside cornerback in Week 10. Since then, he's started four of the past five games, allowing 15 receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown on 27 targets. He's shown a knack for getting his hands on the football, registering four passes defensed and an interception. Quarterbacks are posting a mediocre 74.1 passer rating when targeting him in eight games. Coming off a hamstring injury that cost him four games, Griffin has been equally impressive since his return. In four games, the cornerback has been playing at an elite level, allowing just nine receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets while producing four passes defensed and an interception. In the slot, Amadi has continued to play well in place of Marquise Blair, producing a pair of pass breakups and giving up no touchdowns in the past five games. This group should be even stronger depth-wise when Flowers and Dunbar return from injured reserve in the near future.
5. With both players healthy, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs are finally playing to their potential as a top safety tandem.
All season long, the Seahawks have struggled to build chemistry and cohesiveness in the secondary in large part due to injuries. Adams missed four games with a groin injury, while Griffin, Dunbar, Amadi, and Flowers have all missed at least two games due to injuries. Being a new addition just before the start of training camp, Adams has endured his share of growing pains getting adjusted to a new defense, but he's been playing like the All-Pro talent the Seahawks thought they were acquiring back in July as of late. The unique Swiss army knife now has 9.5 sacks in just 10 games and has surpassed 70 tackles on the season, bolstering Seattle's pass and run defense. Ball-hawking in center field, Diggs has also returned to his 2019 form at free safety, intercepting a pair of passes and producing six passes defensed over the past five games. One of those pass deflections led to an interception by Griffin last Sunday, showcasing how far this defensive backfield has come in the past month. It shouldn't be a surprise with Adams and Diggs playing at their best that the Seahawks defense has turned the corner.
