Seahawks' Quandre Diggs on Run Defense: 'I Thought We Fixed It' After Loss vs. Raiders
Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs started off Sunday's matchup at home against the Las Vegas Raiders on fire.
He intercepted Raiders quarterback Derek Carr on the first play of the game and got another pick on Vegas' third drive of the game to secure the second multi-interception game of his career.
But it was the Raiders who got the last laugh, as running back Josh Jacobs sprinted past Diggs and fellow safety Josh Jones for the game-winning 86-yard touchdown in overtime to give Las Vegas a 40-34 win.
Diggs, the last line of defense on the play, was met with a block from Raiders receiver Mack Hollins as he had to watch Jacobs end what had been a brutal day for Seattle's run defense. The Seahawks surrendered 283 rush yards to the Raiders and offered little resistance against Jacobs, who had 229 of those yards.
"Everybody's gonna expose it if we don't fix it," Diggs said of the run defense. "We fixed it for a little bit, but it shows its head again."
Seattle's defense started the season as one of the league's worst units before rising from the dead during the recent four-game winning streak. Diggs thought the early-season troubles were behind him and the defense. But Sunday's loss proved that the defense is far from a one-game fix.
"I thought we fixed it. I just have to look at it, it's not for a lack of effort. We just got to figure it out again, that niche that we had for a while there."
The Seahawks' defense had some inspiring performances during their four-game win streak. Seattle held the Arizona Cardinals without an offensive touchdown in a 19-9 division win on Oct. 16. The Seahawks then held the offensive firepower of the Los Angeles Chargers in check during a 37-23 win a week later. Limiting New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley to 20 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown in a 27-13 win was the cherry on top of what appeared to be a complete 180-like for Seattle's defense.
But instead, the Seahawks are now facing some familiar demons headed into the final stretch of their season. Sunday's performance dropped Seattle into abysmal statistical territory, as the run defense is now allowing the fourth-most rushing yards per game (153.8) after Jacobs' career day.
The Seahawks will look to quickly turn things around in Week 13 against the Los Angeles Rams (3-8) at SoFi Stadium.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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