Bradley McDougald Reaffirms Value in Seahawks Wild Card Win
Welcoming Quandre Diggs back into the starting lineup after a two-game absence, the Seahawks’ defense responded by holding the Eagles to three field goals in a 17-9 wild card win on Sunday.
While Diggs’ return impacted the entire defense in a positive manner, no player may have been happier about his return from a high ankle sprain than fellow safety Bradley McDougald. The veteran defender turned in his finest game of the season, finishing with a season-high 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack.
Coach Pete Carroll wasn’t able to assess how McDougald played immediately following the game, but after watching film, he credited reporters on Monday for noticing his standout performance.
“Oh, he played a really good game. You guys were on it,” Carroll commented. “You knew better than I did coming out of watching it. He was really active in a number of ways. Off the edge tackling was really good. Made good solid tackles in open field. Everything he did was really on point.”
In his third year with the Seahawks, McDougald has dealt with a lot of turnover alongside him at the other safety position. Tedric Thompson opened the year as the starter at free safety, Marquise Blair earned three starts in the middle of the season after Thompson landed on injured reserve, and Lano Hill replaced Diggs in the final two regular season games.
All of the moving parts played a role in Seattle's defensive struggles for large chunks of the season, including surrendering over 750 passing yards to lowly Atlanta and Tampa Bay in back-to-back weeks.
Despite all of the upheaval around him, McDougald quietly put together another solid season, finishing with 70 tackles and six passes defensed in 15 games.
McDougald hasn’t been shy about voicing how much Diggs' presence has helped Seattle’s defense from a communication standpoint since he arrived via trade. This has allowed him to focus solely on doing his job rather than lining up teammates play to play and there’s a noticeable difference in his level of play as a result.
With Diggs in the lineup for the first matchup against the Eagles in Week 12, McDougald recorded his second interception of the season and the Seahawks limited their opponent to nine points. In six starts together as the starting safety tandem, McDougald has noticeably been more active around the line of scrimmage as a run defender and registered four passes defensed in coverage.
On the practice field, Carroll has seen the veteran safeties mesh quickly and the ability of both players to identify plays and routes before the snap has helped the entire defense substantially. There’s a reason the team has gone 5-1 when Diggs starts, as they’ve given up just 17.2 defensive points per game with both players in the lineup.
When Diggs hasn't been on the field? McDougald doesn't deserve the blame, but the Seahawks have given up 23.8 points per game, or nearly a touchdown more.
“I’ve heard on the practice field, I can hear Quandre calling out routes. He’s telling Bradley what’s coming as it’s happening as Bradley’s seeing it, too. It just reaffirms and allows you to play more confidently, more committed. I think that’s an example of how some guys help other guys play better.”
In Sunday’s game specifically, Carroll applauded McDougald for his coverage against standout tight end Zach Ertz, who was limited to two receptions for 44 yards.
“The one big catch that Zach [Ertz] gets, that was a zone that he [McDougald] wasn’t part of covering him up. It was a really good matchup for us, and he came through well.”
Bracing for a tough divisional matchup with the Packers, McDougald will likely be tested again by ex-Seahawk tight end Jimmy Graham. Remaining an overlooked key to Seattle's chances of advancing in postseason play, his veteran leadership and versatility will be crucial slowing down a talented opponent with a bevy of weapons.
