One Issue With Seahawks' Mike Macdonald Ahead of Super Bowl

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is in his second season with the team, and he is hoping to finish it off in style as Super Bowl LX champions.

Macdonald has pushed all the right buttons so far this season, leading the Seahawks to a 14-3 record in the regular season, which led to home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. That helped them win games against the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams en route to the Super Bowl.

However, ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell believes that Macdonald is not as ballsy as other coaches when it comes to decision-making, especially on fourth down.

"The only hole I can poke in Macdonald's coaching is his habit of being too conservative on fourth down. But given the defense he wields, you can understand why he trusts it. The Ravens got the next best thing by hiring fellow former Michigan assistant Jesse Minter as their head coach, but Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta & Co. have to wish that they found a way to keep Macdonald in the building two years ago," Barnwell wrote.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald looks on after defeating the Los Angeles Rams. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Mike Macdonald Slammed For Fourth Down Decisions

If that's all that Macdonald is being criticized for, that's pretty good. It is almost as if the Seahawks need to look under a microscope to find the flaws Macdonald has brought to the table in his first two years with the team.

The year before he came to the Seahawks, Macdonald led the number one defense in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens, and he has brought that same tenacity to the Pacific Northwest. In just two years, the Seahawks are now a top-tier defense, ranking number six in the league behind the Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers.

The New England Patriots have beaten three of those opponents en route to the Super Bowl, so that means the defense will have to be clicking on all cylinders to dismantle a Patriots offense that is led by MVP candidate Drake Maye. If the Seahawks defense can play up to the standard Macdonald has set for the squad, they should be hoisting the Lombardi trophy at the end of the night on Feb. 7.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald speaks in a press conference. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Mike Macdonald Slammed For Fourth Down Decisions

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