It’s been an NFL season of disagreeable surprises. We thought Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers would stave off Father Time ceaselessly. Now, they’re each combating him. We thought Matt Ryan would lastly finish the Colts’ quarterback carousel. As an alternative, he took a shorter experience than most who’ve ridden it. We thought the 2021 quarterback class would turn out to be the following great point. They’re all nonetheless looking for their footing.

One of many few nice surprises this season has been the Seattle Seahawks. They have been purported to be the butt of the Russell Wilson joke, because the Denver Broncos rode their franchise quarterback to the AFC playoffs. However one other disagreeable shock: Denver is dangerous (like, actually dangerous). As an alternative, it’s Seattle who appears like a possible playoff squad, with consecutive wins in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers which have put the crew atop its division at 4-3.

At this stage, Seattle remains to be a plucky upstart—however with a house recreation in opposition to the New York Giants, a rematch in opposition to the Cardinals, and a Munich bout with the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers awaiting them earlier than their bye week, Seattle can go from cute story to actual postseason contender fairly rapidly. Having watched the movie of their current video games, I feel they are going to. Seattle’s stunning begin is the results of high quality teaching and performances from a myriad of locations, and as all of these items proceed to coalesce, the Seahawks will solely get higher.

Right here I’ll spotlight the three issues which have led to Seattle’s pleasantly stunning begin to the season, ranked in ascending order of pleasantness and surprisingness.

3. They’re evolving defensively.

It could appear pedestrian, however this is a crucial quote from Seahawks defensive sort out Quinton Jefferson.

Gamers speak so much about coaches “letting them get extra aggressive”—however within the case of the Seahawks, we will really see this in apply. This previous offseason, the Seahawks fired defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. and promoted defensive position coach Clint Hurtt to take his place. However with that inside promotion got here a schematic change. Hurtt, who has a background in Vic Fangio–model defenses, introduced in one other Fangio disciple in Sean Desai and started putting in a radically completely different defensive method in Seattle. Much less Cowl 3; extra quarters. Fewer penetrating, upfield rushes; extra gradual, managed rushes with a watch on the operating recreation.

A few of it labored. Lots of it didn’t. By means of 5 weeks of the season, the Seahawks protection ranked thirty first in anticipated factors added per play surrendered. This, regardless of high quality play from newly acquired gamers like Tariq Woolen, Coby Bryant, and Uchenna Nwosu.

The difficulty was scheme, and the Seahawks made the change. Up entrance, Seattle went again to the bear fronts that they had typically performed within the 2021 season, placing their defensive tackles extra instantly into gaps and giving them license to get upfield to disrupt. We will see that change instantly in Jefferson’s alignment, as he himself highlighted.

The change within the entrance has been a transparent profit to the Seahawks run protection, which was third greatest by EPA per rush surrendered in weeks 6 and seven. As an alternative of making an attempt to carry the purpose of assault and maintain the linebackers clear, the defensive position is disrupting upfield, and the linebackers are taking part in quick into the gaps created by that inside havoc. This does put a brand new problem on the Seahawks’ linebackers: to stay disciplined in opposition to play-action and keep away from surrendering an excessive amount of room within the passing recreation. However thus far, the returns on the funding are optimistic.

As soon as put right into a place to succeed, the expertise on Seattle’s entrance turns into extra evident. Ex–nostril sort out Poona Ford continues to construct a powerful résumé of reps in huge alignments over guards and even tackles. Quinton Jefferson, initially a Seahawks draft decide who struggled to seek out success at different touchdown spots, appears like his outdated self in a Seahawks uniform once more. Off the sting, free-agent addition Uchenna Nwosu is coming off a career-best 11 pressures in his Week 7 revenge recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers.

With Shelby Harris, Darrell Taylor, rookie Boye Mafe, and Al Woods, the Seahawks defensive position isn’t an elite, star-studded unit—however it’s proficient and deep. What instantly was a legal responsibility looks like a energy.

2. The rookie class has been unimaginable.

It’s heresy to match any rookie class to the 2012 class that introduced Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and Russell Wilson to Seattle and outlined Seahawks soccer for a decade. Or the 2011 class, which introduced in Okay.J. Wright, Richard Sherman, and Byron Maxwell—all on day three. And even the 12 months earlier than that, when the crew obtained Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, Golden Tate, and Kam Chancellor. That run of unbelievable drafts despatched Seattle to a number of Tremendous Bowls, and putting such an expectation on another Seattle draft class could be unreasonable.

OK. With that stated. Man, the Seahawks 2022 draft appears particular. No team has gotten more snaps out of their rookie class this season, and the Seahawks have two who’ve began each recreation: Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas. These aren’t simply two random ol’ rookies—they’re the Seahawks’ beginning sort out duo!

Seattle entered the draft with main wants at offensive sort out after letting 2021 starters Duane Brown and Brandon Shell stroll final offseason, and thus far, rookies Cross and Lucas look superior. Normally when groups power picks at positions of want and shove these rookies into beginning roles, the rookies play poorly as they develop their sea legs. Maybe at no place is {that a} extra affordable expectation than at offensive sort out, the place early-drafted gamers just like the Panthers’ Ikem Ekwonu and Cowboys’ Tyler Smith have taken vital lumps to start out the 12 months as they modify to NFL pace. Each of the Seahawks’ offensive tackles have had their shaky moments, however over seven weeks, this is likely one of the league’s higher sort out duos.

Cross particularly has settled into high-quality play the previous few weeks, together with a rock-solid efficiency in opposition to star Chargers move rusher Khalil Mack.

Lucas didn’t include the identical pedigree as Cross, however as a third-round decide, he’s instantly settled in as a top quality move protector. Offensive line analyst Brandon Thorn referred to as Lucas the most effective rookie sort out via the primary month of the season.

Lucas can also be a function on most of the explosive runs ripped off by the Seahawks in current weeks. And talking of explosive runs … Kenneth Walker III appears superior.

Compelled into the first operating again function following a season-ending damage to starter Rashaad Penny, Walker has heeded the decision with gusto. An aggressive runner who challenges tacklers with an awesome mix of agility and phone stability, Walker has each the power to show a 3-yard run right into a 5-yard run and a 10-yard run right into a 70-yard home name. Whereas the latter is actually sexier, it’s the previous that retains the Seahawks offense on schedule and offers the teaching workers religion in utilizing Walker as a 20-plus-carry choice on any given recreation day.

Cross, Lucas, Walker—already a first-rate class, and we haven’t gotten to maybe the most effective decide of the lot. The decide most paying homage to these early 2010s drafts that John Schneider dominated: fifth-round cornerback Tariq Woolen.

Woolen appears … I imply, he simply appears superior, man. He was billed as an enormous mission popping out of UTSA, however one worthy of funding given his elite measurables—and I imply elite measurables.

However regardless of that day-three draft capital and mission label, the Seahawks began Woolen in Week 1 and haven’t taken him off the sphere. That’s a credit score to Woolen’s work within the preseason, however extra importantly, it highlights a be aware for all of those Seahawks rookies: Seattle obtained them taking part in time instantly. The preliminary plan was simply developmental reps: Get some younger gamers out on a rebuilding crew and allow them to develop. However when your rookies hit the bottom operating, these developmental reps instantly turn out to be high quality reps, and so they raise the ground of your crew altogether. Seattle is significantly better than they thought they’d be, and the play of Woolen (and fellow rookie CB Coby Bryant, who stepped into the beginning nickel job following an damage to Justin Coleman) is an enormous cause why.

The on-ball manufacturing from each Woolen and Bryant was the saving grace of the Seahawks protection early. Seattle’s 12 pressured turnovers are tied for the third-best mark of the season, and of these 12 turnovers, seven have seen the rookies concerned: 4 interceptions from Woolen and three fumbles pressured by Byrant that have been recovered by Seattle. (Bryant has pressured 4 fumbles on the 12 months, greater than another participant within the league.)

Any participant with 5 interceptions via seven video games is the beneficiary of some luck, however Woolen’s pace lets him match smaller receivers who would in any other case burn tall corners, and his measurement lets him swallow up these smaller receivers on the catch level. When challenged with measurement and energy, the identical rules apply: Woolen is large enough to hold on the catch level with the NFL’s greatest, and along with his pace, he’ll hardly ever give up separation.

The truth that Seattle’s rookies are contributing this a lot this early is a sign of simply how stunning this Seahawks season is. They didn’t plan for this. For as a lot credit score as we should give John Schneider for his middle- and late-round drafting, no crew thinks they’ll be 4-3 if they’ve 5 rookie starters. That’s a credit score to the standard play of the rookies, but additionally a credit score to the only most stunning a part of Seattle’s season.

1. Geno Smith appears like a multiyear starter and high-end quarterback.

I virtually don’t know what to say right here. I simply wish to run a curated collection of essentially the most spectacular Geno throws from the previous few weeks and allow you to decide for your self.

Go away your preconceptions on the door and inform me that doesn’t appear like a rock-solid beginning quarterback. Neglect about Russ and Eli Manning and the 2023 QB class and inform me you wouldn’t hitch your wagon to that quarterback.

Earlier within the season, essentially the most spectacular factor about Geno was the way in which he was operating the Shane Waldron offense. By hitting digs and benders and seams—routes that developed between the numbers and behind linebackers who have been biting on play-action passes—Geno was maximizing the system in a method that Russ by no means did throughout his time with Waldron in Seattle. Geno wasn’t essentially elevating the offense (save for a throw right here and there), however he was actually serving to the machine run.

However as his confidence has grown and Seattle has performed some robust opponents, Geno has began to really feel it. He’s uncorking extra aggressive throws earlier within the down and earlier within the recreation, trying to assault. He isn’t checking over his shoulder anymore and easily making an attempt to keep away from errors to make sure he doesn’t disappoint as a backup or spot starter. He’s making an attempt to win some soccer video games.

Geno continues to face other than the remainder of the quarterbacking panorama in how he wins. He’s no. 1 within the NFL in completion proportion, discovering a receiver on 73.5 p.c of his passes. And he’s not dinking and dunking; relatively, he’s pushing the ball downfield, averaging 8.14 air yards per passing try, the Twelfth-highest determine amongst passers this 12 months. Put these two stats collectively and Geno’s completion proportion over expectation (a measure of how typically a quarterback completes his passes, adjusted for the problem of these passes) is comfortably forward of the following closest quarterbacks (Kenny Pickett, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow).

Geno finds so many completions downfield due to how a lot belief he has in his arm and his receivers. The number of trajectories that Geno makes use of to ship the ball into tight home windows—typically at a spot solely his receiver can play on the ball—is an indication of a top-tier passer who is aware of his receivers can pay him off if he offers them a shot. The potential lack of DK Metcalf to a knee damage, whereas dangerous information for the offense total, received’t deter Geno—he’s been trusting Colby Parkinson and Marquise Goodwin and anybody else the Seahawks give him downfield.

Discuss a franchise-changing season. Geno shall be a free agent after this 12 months; if I have been Seattle, I’d be blowing his agent’s telephone up with an extension provide proper now. Geno is 32 years outdated and hasn’t signed a serious extension at any level in his profession, so Seattle received’t have to again up the Brink’s truck. However they will safe a number of seasons of above-average quarterback play as they load up the roster with the additional cash (and draft picks) afforded by having a beginning passer already on the roster. Then make a Tremendous Bowl run with Geno. Why not? He’s taking part in effectively sufficient now that the Seahawks—the plucky, younger, upstart Seahawks—are in command of the NFC West.