Seahawks’ defense faces familiar challenge: Turning around another poor start

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks underwent their most vital defensive transition of the Pete Carroll period this offseason. They revamped their teaching employees, put in a refreshed scheme and made a number of large additions by way of free company, the commerce market and the draft.

New protection. All-too-familiar drawback.

The Seahawks are as soon as once more off to a depressing begin on that aspect of the ball. It hasn’t been as extended as their struggles out of the gates the previous two seasons, which lasted past September earlier than they turned issues round. Nor has it been fairly as pronounced because it was when their 2020 and ’21 defenses had been yielding yards at historic charges early on.

However it’s been dangerous. And the problems have been throughout the board — missed tackles, missed assignments, communication breakdowns, penalties and losses in one-on-one matchups — and should be corrected when the Seahawks play on the Detroit Lions on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox).

“We’ve got to do higher,” stated Josh Jones, who took over at robust security when Jamal Adams went down, after the Seahawks fell to 1-2 with a 27-23 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. “That is what it’s, extraordinarily disappointing. It isn’t how we needed to begin the season off.”

By means of three video games, the Seahawks’ protection ranks thirty second in yards allowed per move try, twenty second in yards per rush, twenty ninth in yards per play and tied for twenty ninth in third-down conversion price. Their move rush has been OK, rating thirteenth in sacks per dropback, and their purple zone effectivity has been a saving grace. They personal the fourth-best price at stopping touchdowns from contained in the 20.

Two of these stops got here by way of a pair of compelled fumbles on the objective line of their Monday evening opener towards the Denver Broncos, serving to them grasp on for a 17-16 win however masking what was in any other case a suspect debut. A few of their poor play in a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers six days later may have been a product of an emotional hangover from their thrilling — and particularly significant — win over Russell Wilson and the Broncos. Carroll and basic supervisor John Schneider stated it was an actual factor they needed to take care of on a brief week.

However there was no such excuse towards Atlanta.

Receiver-turned working again Cordarrelle Patterson gashed Seattle for 141 yards on solely 17 carries. Marcus Mariota accomplished six passes of not less than 20 yards, together with a 26-yard acquire that transformed a third-and-19. The Falcons scored on 5 of their first six possessions (excluding a drive that started with 5 seconds left within the first half). The exception was a three-and-out within the second quarter, the one one the Seahawks have compelled this season. They had been the final group to take action, in line with ESPN Stats & Info.

“I’m upset that we’re not beginning quicker,” Carroll stated. “I might’ve preferred to have gotten off to a quicker begin with what we’re doing. The third-down numbers aren’t in good condition, and the working numbers aren’t both. There are just a few errors that do spell the novelty, and you’ll see it.”

One such error got here on the third-and-19 completion, when rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen did not drop practically deep sufficient in his zone, permitting the receiver loads of open area between him and Jones. Woolen, a fifth-round choose, has been up and down. So has fourth-rounder Coby Bryant, who’s began the previous two video games at nickelback. Identical for cornerback Mike Jackson and linebacker Cody Barton, fourth-year gamers who’re full-time starters for the primary time.

“We’ve got lots of younger guys taking part in, however that is no excuse,” veteran defensive finish Quinton Jefferson stated. “You are knowledgeable and also you’re anticipated to carry out. We’ve got to go on the market and carry out, or guess what? We will lose.”

However the errors have not been restricted to the kids. Outdoors linebacker Uchenna Nwosu — the Seahawks’ high free-agent pickup this offseason and their most impactful defender by three video games — took the blame for one of many key performs Sunday. Nwosu stated he was at fault for permitting Patterson a wide-open cutback lane on a 40-yard run that arrange Atlanta’s go-ahead landing within the third quarter.

“I do not suppose it is youth. It is simply all people studying to play collectively on this new system,” stated linebacker Jordyn Brooks, a returning starter who’s taken over for Bobby Wagner because the defensive signal-caller. “We will be nice, but it surely takes time. It’s important to undergo these items early so when it will get to the top of the season, we have made all of the errors we wanted to make.

“I am not panicking about something. I am truly in an excellent spirit proper now as a result of I do know we will be alright. Simply must hold engaged on the little stuff and hold going.”

Carroll appeared put the onus for enchancment totally on his gamers postgame, saying the coaches may give them “solutions to the take a look at” and that it is on them to execute. However on his Seattle Sports activities 710-AM radio present Monday, Carroll stated he and his employees should do extra to place gamers in place to succeed, that they’ll “alter a pair issues” scheme-wise.

They will change up their personnel as properly. Carroll made it clear that outdoors linebackers Boye Mafe and Darryl Johnson will play extra. He strongly hinted that their elevated snaps will imply fewer for Darrell Taylor, who had a strip-sack towards Atlanta however has struggled towards the run.

“We’ve got to suit issues up extra precisely, extra persistently,” Carroll stated of the run protection. “We simply have to scrub up the best way it is taking place there … It is the fellows up entrance, it is the linebackers and the DBs all becoming collectively. We will not surrender the area that we’re giving up. It seems prefer it’s too straightforward for them. It is one thing that we have been specializing in, however we’ve not modified it but. We have to get that completed.”

Brooks, who was a part of their final two defensive turnarounds, is assured they will do it once more.

“I believe it is simply a part of the journey,” he stated. “What story is not nice if you haven’t any lows? So we’ll look again on it on the finish of the season and we’ll be like, ‘Oh man, we was f—king up in Week 2, 3, no matter. After which we flipped the script.’ That is the best way I see it turning out for us.”