Another way in which Seattle’s defense has improved over the second half of the season is in the ability to generate turnovers. The Seahawks had a total of 16 defensive turnovers in the first nine weeks of the season; over their last three games, they’ve generated 11. This includes four interceptions, and the overall coverage metrics since Diggs became a fixture in the back third tell an even more impressive story. From Weeks 1-9, Griffin allowed 28 catches on 46 targets for 388 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and an opposing passer rating of 95.2. Flowers had allowed 29 catches on 46 targets for 379 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and an opposing passer rating of 94.4.
From weeks 10-13, though, Griffin has allowed just five catches on 12 targets for 34 yards, no touchdowns, and an opposing passer rating of 49.3. Flowers has allowed 17 catches on 26 targets for 202 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, and an opposing passer rating of 56.9. During that stretch of time, per Pro Football Focus’ metrics, the Seahawks are the only NFL team with two starting cornerbacks in the top 6 when it comes to opponent passer rating. Overall, only the Steelers, Ravens, and 49ers have a lower Expected Points Allowed in pass defense than Seattle since Week 10, per Sports Info Solutions. From Weeks 1-9, Seattle ranked 21st in EPA allowed.
Another way to quantify Diggs’ effect on the defense is to look at the success rate of routes specifically designed to test the deep third. Sports Info Solutions has this data, and it’s fascinating. From Weeks 1-9, on posts, deep crossers, go routes, hitch-and-go routes, out-and-up routes — anything that would test a secondary deep — the Seahawks allowed five catches on six catchable targets for 144 yards, one touchdown, and one interception to the middle, right middle, and left middle of the field.
But since Week 10, Seattle hasn’t allowed a single reception under those conditions. Neither Diggs nor McDougald have been targeted at all on such routes, and the Griffin/Flowers combo have been targeted three times with no catches allowed on deep stuff.
Two plays against the Vikings typified the type of pass defense Carroll has always taught — exact and aggressive. At the start of the fourth quarter, Kirk Cousins attempted a short pass to receiver Stefon Diggs, but Flowers (at the bottom of the screen) was having none of it. Diggs is one of the NFL’s best route-runners, and Flowers has been vulnerable to shorter, angular routes through his career, but he “landmarked” Diggs perfectly here, ran the route with him, and came up with the interception.
And here, halfway through the second quarter, Diggs shows his closing speed and ability to negate a play in space as he screams down from his deep safety role to lay the boom on tight end Irv Smith, Jr. for a six-yard gain.
This is now a secondary playing in concert, and Diggs is the difference. One could easily argue that his addition to Seattle’s defense has had a similar impact to Minkah Fitzpatrick’s in Pittsburgh after a mid-September trade with the Dolphins. Pittsburgh gave up their 2020 first-round pick for Fitzpatrick, and that’s not to say they gave too much — general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin would likely tell you they’d make that trade again 100 times over. But the Diggs deal does further the reputation Schneider and Carroll have earned for finding the players who fit their concepts and putting them in the best possible positions to succeed.
“You can give Q some credit on that,” Carroll said Wednesday, when asked why his defense has enjoyed such a turnaround of late. “He has been a factor. It feels like he’s been a factor. I don’t know if he was just bolstering the pass rush from way back there, but everything just picked up about that time. If it was a coincidence or whatever, I don’t know. Let’s give him credit for it.”
The difference is clear and obvious, and it takes the Seahawks into the last month of the regular season with an advantage they may not have expected. This isn’t quite the Legion of Boom 2.0, but it’s a defense constructed to contend with any opponent — which is as much or more than anybody could have expected when the season began.