The Seattle Seahawks are either a fringe-playoff team that still has a long way to go before becoming a contender, or they’re on the cusp of having something special, depending on who you ask. Which way they go will largely depend on how well their remodeled defensive front-seven performs. Improving the run defense will be a significant part of that, but even more importantly they’ll have to produce pressure as a group more often and more consistently than they did last season.
Here’s what defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt had to say about how Seattle’s pass rushers performed last year, per Mike Dugar at the Athletic.
“Imagine if you get more opportunities to rush by defending the run game better… That’s the part nobody ever talks about. They act like we finished with three sacks in the season, but we finished tied for seventh. But, it’s always that nobody thinks Seattle can play.”
Hurtt is right about the sack numbers. The Seahawks posted 45 last season, tied with the Buccaneers and Jets for the seventh-most in the NFL.
Of course, there’s more to pass rushing than sack totals, as Hurtt knows. And unfortunately Seattle did poorly in just about every other way that there is to measure pressure on a quarterback.
To name a few, ESPN’s pass rush win rate had them at just 34%, which ranked No. 28 in the league. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus gave Seattle a 65.1 grade for team pass rushing, also ranking No. 28. Their hurry percentage was just 5.4%, also ranking… No. 28. You get the idea.
Turning those 3-28s around will require a total team effort. For one thing, Hurtt has to find more ways to manufacture pressure. The interior will have to produce much more in general, inexperienced edge rushers like Boye Mafe and Derick Hall will have to step up and it would help alot if Jamal Adams can stay healthy.
To be continued…
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