Shaquill Griffin, Seahawks Take 'Huge Step' Forward Defensively in Week 4 Victory
Since coach Pete Carroll arrived in 2010, the Seahawks have been known primarily for their dominant defensive play. From 2012 to 2015, they finished first in the NFL in scoring defense four consecutive seasons, becoming the first team since the NFL/AFL merger to accomplish such a feat.
In the first month of the 2020 season, Seattle again found itself making history, but not in a good way. Despite opening with a 3-0 record the first time since 2013, the team was winning games in spite of its defense, which had given up an NFL-record 1,249 passing yards through the first three games.
At the root of the Seahawks' defensive problems, Carroll's squad once again struggled to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks up front. On top of that, in part due to communication issues and injuries, the secondary had been exposed by giving up a league-worst 18 completions of 20 or more yards and six completions of 40 or more yards.
While Seattle still gave up 315 yards through the air to Ryan Fitzpatrick in a 31-23 win over Miami, however, there were noticeable signs of growth for Carroll's unit.
Just one week earlier, an uncharacteristically dejected Shaquill Griffin struggled to find positives for Seattle's defense despite holding on to beat Dallas. But as he took the podium at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, he exhibited a far different tone and was all smiles after an improved performance in Week 4.
"The main thing, the main objective was to come and show we can play from the first play all the way to the end and be as aggressive as we was in the beginning," Griffin said. "I feel like that showed today. I feel like we had one big play that we gave up and that's something we gotta continue to build off. We talking about going from between 10 and 12 big plays in the past game to one. So that's something we gotta continue to build off of. We're definitely not where we want to be at yet, but I feel like we're making progress."
As Griffin cited, Seattle surrendered just two completions of 20-plus yards, helping hold Miami to five field goals and keep the opponent out of the end zone until the final two minutes of regulation. Only one of those two plays went to a receiver, as DeVante Parker reeled in a 21-yard reception. The other explosive happened on a check down to running back Matt Breida, who picked up most of his yardage after the catch on a 26-yard play.
After being burned to a crisp by the Cowboys, who had five players produce at least one 25-plus yard reception and scored three touchdowns of 40-plus yards, rebounding in such fashion was a monumental step forward for Griffin and the Seahawks one quarter of the way through the season.
"It was a huge step for us," Griffin commented. "I feel like today we came in and we believed more in each other. So we had hook droppers, buzz droppers. I feel like one thing the DBs had to do was just play their coverage."
At the center of Seattle's improved performance, Griffin bounced back in a big way from a rough start to the season to play arguably the finest game of his four-year NFL career back in his home state of Florida.
One week earlier, midway through the third quarter, Griffin allowed receiver Michael Gallup to get behind him on a vertical for a 52-yard completion. A few plays later, Cedrick Wilson beat him inside on a crossing route and caught a pass from Dak Prescott in stride, racing 40 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys scoring drive went 94 yards on just three plays, with 92 of those coming on two passes with Pro Bowl cornerback in coverage.
Though Griffin had made a key interception late in the first half to set up a Russell Wilson touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett, his overall play had been underwhelming at best through the first three weeks. Per Pro Football Reference, he had surrendered three touchdowns and 348 yards on just 36 targets during that span, allowing quarterbacks to post a 102.5 passer rating against him.
While admitting the Seahawks were far from perfect in Miami, Griffin on his own accord was damn near close on Sunday. Per ESPN's Seth Walder, Fitzpatrick targeted him a total of five times and the veteran cornerback allowed one completion for 11 yards. On the other four plays, he produced three passes defensed and an interception. Two of those pass deflections, as well as the pick, came at critical times in the fourth quarter.
The first breakup happened in coverage against tight end Mike Gesicki running down the seam, as Griffin executed a tricky maneuver reaching around him with his left arm without impeding the receiver and knocking the pass away in the end zone. Two plays later, Miami had to settle for yet another field goal.
"It's very risky, but it's something that had to happen," Griffin explained. "The type of coverage we was in, I know I had to take the inside seam, and I know it's kind of tough for the safety to play back side and help me on the play. So I was kind of assuming that he was going to bend away from me or run away since I'm playing outside leverage. But I know sometimes on those plays I have to dive, so I try to be smart where I put my hands at and my placement. So I try to jump first, and then I kind of guide myself so I don't mess up the receiver for him trying to catch the ball and trying to make a clean play."
Moments later, after Wilson connected with David Moore on a 17-yard touchdown pass to extend Seattle's lead to 24-15, Griffin struck again. Fitzpatrick tried to hit Isaiah Ford down the seam, but the cornerback undercut the route and intercepted the pass, returning it 16 yards to set his team up with excellent field position. Just two plays later, Chris Carson was diving into the end zone to push the lead to 16.
Though Miami wound up scoring a garbage touchdown on the ensuing play, Griffin wrapped up his fantastic afternoon swatting away another pass in the end zone from Fitzpatrick to Preston Williams right before the two-minute warning.
Looking forward after the Seahawks best defensive showing as a team to this point, Griffin acknowledged the unit still has a long way to go to reach their potential. But cutting down on explosive plays substantially and generating a pair of turnovers in Miami was a good start. With the secondary leading the way, he's hoping to see the performance carry over into next week's prime time matchup against the Vikings and beyond.
"I feel like when the secondary plays well, I feel it kind of trickles down to the linebackers, the D line. It starts with us. That's something that I preached today right before we started doing pregame. I said, just be us. Let's just be great and do what we gotta do. Start with us. I feel like we play a good game and everybody else is going to kind of follow along. That's something we've been focusing on. The offense is playing great, and now it's time for us to step up, and I feel like we're on the right track and making great progress after this game."
