The Seattle Seahawks defense falls prey to Shanahanigans, againahan

Issues I’m not involved about: the Seahawks protection wanting worse in opposition to higher offenses than they noticed in Weeks 1-3.

Issues I’m additionally not involved about: profitable sufficient video games to make the playoffs in 2023. This staff isn’t a contender, as at present constructed.

Issues I’m involved about: just about (purdy a lot?) all the things else, which incorporates the Giants sport and a lot of the Niners sport, as a result of, ew.

The Seahawks have been struck by lightning on the defensive position, and never within the great way. Within the killing method. Which implies they’ve been with out Uchenna Nwosu all season minus 1 / 4, and with out Byron Murphy for a number of weeks, with Boye Mafe at one thing nicely below 100% too. And now, simply because the DL will get considerably wholesome, the DB room has caught the bug — three starters are prone to be out in opposition to Atlanta.

I imagine Mike Macdonald would additionally say this, in a second of uncovered honesty: you must win with the fellows you could have, and your depth has to step up when it’s their flip. To cite a current thinker, all people hurts, typically. When a Deebo Samuel or Jahmyr Gibbs sprints previous, you completely can not stand within the place you have been, then face north, take into consideration course and marvel why you haven’t earlier than.

Anyway. Whereas it’s no shock to see the Week 6 trackers in worse form than the Week 3 ones, it’s additionally alarming that the depth can’t actually deal with full time duties. Perhaps subsequent yr. No person needs to listen to that, so I’ll kind it once more. Perhaps subsequent yr?

Pete Carroll’s Seahawks gave up mountains of yards and factors to the 49ers in 2022-2023, as they amassed an ugly five-game dropping streak. It was disagreeable to look at. So disagreeable, in actual fact, that the typical SF output was — checks notes — oh, 29.6 factors.

Macdonald’s Seahawks are permitting a mean of 36, which after all is ridiculous as a result of it’s been one undermanned sport, however,,,, the onerous fact is, with out containing the SF and LAR offenses, there isn’t a path to the division title.

To the trackers, which nonetheless paint an image of enchancment, albeit considerably muted now.

Tracker 1

All of the arrows are going the incorrect method. Reasonably sturdy efficiency on third down and within the pink zone are protecting the Seahawks in video games. Which solely leaves different essential elements like turnover differential and explosives to determine it.

Nonetheless, 2023 was so widespreadedly dangerous in these areas that 2024 comes out method forward, and definitely nonetheless will after Week 17.

Tracker 2

Seahawks have been prime 3 DVOA for the primary three weeks. They have been prime 1 in success fee. They have been prime 3 in lots of classes. Now we’re seeing extra down arrows, and actually no above-average performances. The best rank in that chart is fifteenth. Two metrics are underwater in contrast with 2023.

Want a get-well sport, however it’s honest to concern all of the get-well video games have been performed. Perhaps the ultimate tracker accommodates excellent news?

Tracker 3

Sacks are steady. Passes defensed ticked barely up. The place are the picks although? Let’s speak about that. I do wish to synthesize the low turnovers (simply 4 complete) and first rate sack charges with the strain stats, in an effort to finish on one thing vaguely resembling a constructive notice.

Seahawks protection is:

eighth in complete sacks
fifth in hurry proportion
third in strain proportion
and second in QB knockdowns

whereas rating simply sixteenth in blitz frequency. There’s actual expertise on this roster, profitable typically sufficient when it’s wholesome sufficient, all throughout the defensive position, and people wins are merely not but translating into turnovers. It’s actually unsustainable — in a great way — {that a} cross rush within the prime 10 of a number of metrics has not generated an interception since Week 1.

Falcons may nicely be the sufferer of mentioned regression. It’s true, Kirk has been enjoying much less like the lovable cousin you had an harmless crush on as a child and extra just like the nasty cousin who’d beat you up on the household reunions when no person was watching. However the sport has a ruthless method of pulling underachievers up and overachievers down. So far as we listed below are involved, it could begin doing that anytime.