Tag: derick hall

The Seahawks were fighting on their sideline during loss vs. Bills

The Seahawks were fighting on their sideline during loss vs. Bills

Cameras caught the Seahawks fighting when their game against the Bills was slipping away from them.

Down 14-3, Seahawks defenders Jarren Reed and Derick Hall got into it late in the first half. The two began fighting out of frustration and multiple players around them had to break the two up.

The Seahawks went on to lose big, a 31-10 final. That’s the effect Josh Allen and the Bills can have on you, evidently.

Check out their scrap in the clip below:

3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Bills

3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Bills

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense will face a difficult test against a high-octane Buffalo Bills offense in Sunday’s Week 8 contest. The Bills are currently averaging a fifth-best 28.8 points per contest, and a 19th-ranked 321 yards per game. We’ve conjured up three bold predictions for Seattle’s defense versus Sean McDermott’s squad.

Ernest Jones leads the defense in tackles

Seahawks general manager John Schneider upgraded Mike Macdonald’s defense by acquiring linebacker Ernest Jones IV from the Tennessee Titans for Jerome Baker and a draft pick. Jones will be playing MIKE linebacker in Seattle, and he joins the defense having made 44 tackles for the Titans. He’s a playmaker that could lead Sunday’s game in tackles.

The Seahawks force another fumble

Macdonald’s defense made a big-time play in the dominant victory over the Atlanta Falcons last weekend When Derick Hall turned a Boye Mafe strip-sack into a 36 yard scoop-and-score. The Bills have only fumbled twice this season, but Seattle has a core pass-rushing group together that creates chaos in the backfield. Look for Macdonald’s opportunistic defense to create a turnover or two.

Josh Allen throws his first interception of the season

The Bills are the only team yet to throw an interception. Allen has avoided a turnover via the air while ranking 17th among quarterbacks in passing attempts (189). The Seahawks have recorded a middling four interceptions, and could force Allen into his first misfire of the campaign.

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Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon jokingly took credit for Derick Hall’s Week 7 TD

Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon jokingly took credit for Derick Hall’s Week 7 TD

Seattle Seahawks sophomore EDGE Derick Hall scored his first career touchdown in Sunday’s blowout 34-14 Week 7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. With the Seahawks nursing a 24-14 lead, Seattle’s defense helped Mike Macdonald put the game completely out of reach when Hall recovered a Boye Mafe strip-sack for a defensive touchdown, increasing their advantage to 31-14.

Hall recently discussed his 36-yard scoop-and-score, which featured an outstanding block from cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon jokingly took credit for springing Hall to his first-ever end-zone visit.

“I did [see Witherspoon’s block], ‘Spoon, as soon as we got off [the field], he said you’re welcome and I said thank you,” Hall joked about Witherspoon taking credit for the score. “He [Witherspoon] plays with an effort that nobody can imagine. I feel like that’s where everybody on defense team gets it from. Witherspoon flies around every single play. He’s always right there. We love this game so much. We’re all living in the moment. ‘Spoon is a very high-character guy, a leader on this team. He makes it known from time to time.”

Additionally, Hall added four quarterback pressures against the Falcons. The No. 37 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, Hall has accumulated a team-high five sacks this campaign. They’ll need his best-efforts against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills’ high-octane offense this Sunday.

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Seahawks are starting to properly utilize Dre’Mont Jones

Seahawks are starting to properly utilize Dre’Mont Jones

The Seattle Seahawks entered the season attempting to utilize veteran defender Dre’Mont Jones as more of an edge rusher. Traditionally more of an interior defender throughout his career, there have been clear-cut growing pains for Jones this season. He did not record his first sack of the 2024 campaign until Week 3.

Jones followed up that QB takedown with another in the Week 4 defeat to the Detroit Lions. Jones had his third sack of the season in Sunday’s blowout victory over the Atlanta Falcons. In Jones’ first two games, Pro Football Focus credited him with recording four measly pressures. Over the previous two contests, the former Ohio State Buckeye accumulated 13 pressures.

Jones had five pressures against the Falcons. He had a season-high six pressures against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6. Head coach Mike Macdonald recently discussed Jones’ incremental gains.

The likes of Mafe, Hall, Leonard Williams have been incredibly productive for the Seahawks this season. Rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II is coming on strong after returning from a hamstring injury. If Jones gets going, Seattle’s defensive line will elevate to elite territory.

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Seahawks had core pass rush together for first time vs. Falcons since Week 1

Seahawks had core pass rush together for first time vs. Falcons

The Seattle Seahawks have dealt with injuries all season long, particularly across their defensive line. Rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II returned in Sunday’s Week 7 win over the Atlanta Falcons after missing the previous three contests (all losses) with a hamstring injury. Veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams missed Week 4 with a rib injury. EDGE rusher Boye Mafe missed Weeks 4 and 5 with a knee injury.

Miraculously, Sunday’s win over the Falcons marked the first time since Week 1 this season the defensive line had Murphy, Williams, Mafe, and Derick Hall available together. Unsurprisingly, Mike Macdonald’s defense was dominant as a result. They sacked Kirk Cousins three times and forced him into three turnovers. The Seahawks also posted a pressure rate of 55%.

Hall recorded four pressures, tied for his second-most in any single-game showing this season. Hall also scored the first touchdown of his career on a fumble return as the result of a Mafe strip-sack. Mafe now has four sacks and 24 total pressures this campaign.

Murphy was anxious to return and play against a Falcons team that passed on him in the 2024 NFL Draft. Pro Football Focus assigned Murphy a season-best overall defensive grade of 74.6. Williams accumulated two pressures and recorded his third sack of the season.

The Seahawks obviously don’t have Uchenna Nwosu available, but he’s expected to be sidelined for a significant chunk of the season. In his absence, the quartet of Murphy II, Williams, Mafe, and Hall have become Macdonald’s most effective pass-rushing group. They finally played together again on Sunday, and they were outstanding.

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Seattle Seahawks’ 5 highest graded players in Week 7 according to PFF

Seattle Seahawks’ 5 highest graded players in Week 7 according to PFF

Several Seattle Seahawks players put forth excellent performances in Sunday’s dominant 34-14 Week 7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Each week, Pro Football Focus grades every qualifying player in the league. This week, the following Seahawks talents were the five highest-graded performers.

Kenneth Walker III | 87.7

Kenneth Walker III was outstanding on Sunday, rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown via 14 carries en route to averaging an effective 4.9 yards per carry. The dual-threat Walker also added two receptions for 24 yards and an additional score to his offensive totals. Seattle’s excellent running back was understandably their highest-graded player.

Derick Hall | 87.7

Derick Hall didn’t record a sack on Sunday despite already having five QB takedowns this campaign. That doesn’t mean the former Auburn standout didn’t make an impact. Hall returned a 36-yard fumble recovery on a Boye Mafe strip-sack for his first career touchdown. He also recorded four pressures.

DK Metcalf | 80.6

DK Metcalf suffered a knee injury in the victory, but he still managed to make a massive impact. The rocked-up Metcalf recorded four receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown, and even caught Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s first career passing attempt. We’ll monitor Seattle’s WR1 and his injury status ahead of a matchup with the Buffalo Bills in Week 8.

Julian Love | 79.1

With Rayshawn Jenkins on IR, and various other secondary defenders sidelined, including Riq Woolen, the Seahawks were counting on receiving a consistent performance from veteran safety Julian Love. That’s exactly what they got. Love totaled nine tackles, and more importantly, recorded his second interception of the season.

Tyler Lockett | 77.8

Tyler Lockett continues to be ole reliable. The 2015 draftee hauled in four receptions for 45 receiving yards. Lockett has recorded 45-plus receiving yards in every contest this season, minus the Week 2 win over the New England Patriots. When Geno Smith is in a bind, he scans the field for his most consistent receiving threat.

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Seahawks snap losing streak, defeat Falcons 34-14

Seahawks snap losing streak, defeat Falcons 34-14

The Seattle Seahawks are finally off the schneid! After losing their last three-straight games, Seattle is finally back in the win column with a dominant 34-14 road victory over the Falcons. It was easily their most complete game of the season.

Atlanta had been one of the hotter teams in football as of late, as they had won their previous three games, including last week’s by a blowout. However, against the Seahawks, they could not really find their footing.

Seattle quickly built up a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. The Falcons were able to make it 10-7, but right before the half expired the Seahawks made it a 10-point game once more thanks to Geno Smith finding DK Metcalf for a 31-yard touchdown. Atlanta did manage to pull within three once more, making it a 17-14 game in the third quarter… but that was as close as they would get for the remainder of the outing.

Seattle responded by Smith finding the birthday man himself, Kenneth Walker, for a 17-yard receiving touchdown. Once more, it was a 10-point game at 24-14, and the Seahawks poured it on from there.

Atlanta’s first three drives of the fourth quarter all ended in disaster. At midfield, Boye Mafe forced a fumble of Kirk Cousins, and Derick Hall scooped the ball up for a 64-yard touchdown to make it 31-14. On the ensuing drive for the Falcons, Cousins pass bounced off wide receiver Drake London’s hands and into Julian Love’s… who secured his first interception since Week 1.

Seattle turned that interception into three more points. Finally, the last Falcons drive Cousins led was once again ended abruptly thanks to a Coby Bryant interception… his first in his career. After that, rookie Michael Penix Jr. took over and had his first regular season snaps of his career. The game was effectively over by this point.

The Seahawks secured a much-needed win, stopping the bleed. They improve to 4-3, and keep pace with the San Francisco 49ers. In fact, depending on how San Francisco’s game against Kansas City plays out, Seattle could theoretically move back into sole possession. However, that is merely a hypothetical. What matters is they did not lose any ground.

Geno Smith was highly efficient, completing 18-of-28 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns. Walker had 69 yards and two total touchdowns, and DK Metcalf led the team with 99 receiving yards and a score.

Next up: a return to Lumen Field to host the Buffalo Bills. At the moment, they have a multiple score lead over the Tennessee Titans late in the fourth quarter. Assuming the Bills can hang on, they will improve to 5-2, giving the Seahawks another considerable challenge.

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Several Seahawks defenders at risk of missing TNF vs. 49ers

Several Seahawks defenders at risk of missing TNF vs. 49ers

The Seattle Seahawks must swiftly place Sunday’s disappointing home defeat to the New York Giants behind them. There’s no rest for the wicked as the Seahawks prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. It’s Seattle’s first NFC West showdown of the campaign, and Mike Macdonald’s squad will put its division lead at risk.

The Seahawks held a walkthrough on Monday as opposed to a traditional practice. Several key defenders were limited or missing altogether. Pass rushers Derick Hall (foot) and Uchenna Nwosu (thigh) did not participate, nor did rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (hamstring), and cornerback Riq Woolen (ankle). Boye Mafe (knee), and safeties Julian Love (hamstring) and Rayshawn Jenkins (hand) were limited.

Coach Macdonald has already ruled out Nwosu. Nwosu will miss his sixth consecutive game despite not being placed on IR to begin the season. His injury is obviously taken significantly longer to heal than originally anticipated.

Murphy II is also expected to remain sidelined on Thursday due to the quick turnaround. Murphy was injured in the Week 3 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The former Texas Longhorns standout has recorded half a sack and seven pressures this season as a first-year contributor.

Hall and Woolen should see their statuses updated during Tuesday’s practice. Hall leads the Seahawks in sacks with five quarterback takedowns, so his participation on Thursday is imperative. Woolen is Seattle’s No. 1 cornerback and his absence would leave the secondary susceptible to the threats posed by Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.

Limited participation for Mafe, Love, and Jenkins indicates they’re on track to play Thursday, but their practice involvement will be worth monitoring on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Updated pass rush, run stopping metrics for Seahawks after Week 4

Updated pass rush, run stopping metrics for Seahawks after Week 4

The 3-1 Seattle Seahawks have fielded one of the league’s best defenses through four contests. Mike Macdonald’s unit ranks eighth in yards allowed per game (283.8) with splits of seventh-best (167.5) in passing yards and 14th-best in rushing yards (116.3). There are also advanced metrics that paint a picture of Seattle’s early-season defensive performances.

ESPN Analytics developed pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR) and run-stop-win-rate (RSWR) metrics to analyze how often defensive linemen win their reps. The Seahawks currently rank 14th in the league in both metrics. Macdonald’s defense is posting a 43% pass-rush-win-rate, and a 31% run-stop-win-rate through four weeks.

Furthermore, there are individual Seahawks defenders faring well in various metrics. Ascending superstar pass rusher Boye Mafe ranks fourth-best among all qualifying EDGE defenders in pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR) by winning 30% of his reps. He trails just Myles Garrett (36%), Aidan Hutchinson (34%), and Trey Hendrickson (34%) in that metric.

The Seahawks also have two edge defenders on the run-stop-win-rate (RSWR) leaderboard. Mafe places seventh at 35%, and sophomore defender Derick Hall ranks 10th at 33%. Other players on the list include DeMarcus Lawrence (37%) and Maxx Crosby (37%), so Mafe and Hall are keeping good company here.

Macdonald has completely transformed this Seahawks defense since his arrival. Young studs like Mafe and Hall are thriving under Macdonald’s tutelage. The advanced stats back that statement.

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Seahawks EDGE Derick Hall maximized opportunity vs. Lions

Seahawks EDGE Derick Hall maximized opportunity vs. Lions

The Seattle Seahawks entered Monday’s Week 4 primetime contest versus the Detroit Lions missing several key defenders. Defensive linemen Byron Murphy II and Leonard Williams, outside linebackers Boye Mafe and Uchenna Nwosu, and off-ball linebacker Jerome Baker were all ruled out with injury.

The absences of Mafe and Nwosu led to a bigger workload for sophomore pass rusher Derick Hall. Hall played a career-high 81% of the Seahawks’ defensive snaps versus the Lions, according to data collected by The Football Guys. The former Auburn standout totaled 40 snaps in total, which was actually less than the 45 he played in Week 2, but Seattle’s defense was simply on the field less than expected. He was still a massive part of Mike Macdonald’s game plan.

Hall maximized his opportunities by recording a sack of Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Seattle’s ascending pass rusher defeated seasoned Lions left tackle Taylor Decker on the rep by overwhelming him with power. It was Hall’s fourth sack of the 2024 season, his third in his previous two outings.

Hall currently leads all Seahawks defenders in sacks with those four quarterback takedowns through four contests. Coach Macdonald is undoubtedly eager to get Mafe and Nwosu back healthy. The Seahawks must keep the ultra-productive Hall involved when Mafe and Nwosu return from injury.

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