Tag: devon witherspoon

Devon Witherspoon’s Top 5 plays from 2024

Devon Witherspoon’s Top 5 plays from 2024

The Seattle Seahawks have a legitimate star in the making with cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Ever since he took the field, Witherspoon has constantly been reminding fans why the Seahawks selected him No. 5 overall during the 2023 NFL draft.

Witherspoon had another solid season this year, earning his second-straight Pro Bowl appearance. In fact, when the initial roster list came out, Witherspoon was the lone Seahawk represented. Of course, since then, both Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Leonard Williams have joined him on the NFC roster.

It is always a good time to watch Witherspoon highlights, and this is as good a time as any!

Witherspoon finished the 2024 season with 98 total tackles, nine pass defenses and a sack in all 17 games started for Seattle.

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Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Rams on defense in Week 18

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Rams on defense in Week 18

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense took the field one final time in 2024, helping the team defeat the Los Angeles Rams 30-25 in Sunday’s Week 18 finale. Mike Macdonald’s unit forced Rams backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo into one turnover, and sacked him three times. Pro Football Focus was especially impressed with the following Seahawks, their three highest-graded players on defense from Sunday.

Artie Burns | 90.2

Veteran defensive back Artie Burns returned after a multi-month absence to earn a elite defensive grade from PFF. Burns totaled two quarterback pressures as a blitzer, and also only allowed two receptions on four receiving targets for 22 yards. The versatile, experienced defender also had a pass breakup.

Ernest Jones IV | 77.9

Off-ball linebacker Ernest Jones IV was his usual dominant self. Jones’ 77.9 overall defensive grade was his second-highest with the Seahawks this season. The versatile ‘backer accumulated nine tackles, two stops, and two pressures. He’ll now eye a contract extension in the offseason.

Devon Witherspoon | 75.7

Devon Witherspoon was everywhere, playing his usual do-it-all role for Macdonald’s stingy defense. The former No. 5 overall selection matched a season-high eight tackles and also broke up two passes. Witherspoon is the heartbeat of the Seahawks defense, and helped Seattle reach 10 victories for the first time since 2020.

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Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon named to the Pro Bowl

Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon named to the Pro Bowl

Congratulations are in order to Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon! The official Pro Bowl rosters for this year have been announced, and the second year Seahawks stud has been selected. Witherspoon has now made back-to-back Pro Bowls to begin his NFL career.

As it stands, Witherspoon is the only Seahawk selected to the Pro Bowl on the initial roster. However, defensive end Leonard Williams, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, punter Michael Dickson and safety Julian Love are all listed as alternates. Since there absolutely will be players who decline to participate for one reason or another, surely there will be more Seattle representation in Orlando.

To the naked eye, Witherspoon has had a seemingly quiet year. However, when it comes to cornerbacks, lack of action is often a compliment. Opposing quarterbacks are not throwing in his direction to give him an opportunity to steal passes away from them. Witherspoon has been one of, if not the best, defenders on the Seahawks defense.

For the year, Witherspoon has 62 solo tackles, one forced fumble, one sack, and seven pass defenses.

When Seattle drafted Witherspoon No. 5 overall in the 2023 NFL draft, there were those who wondered why. Any lingering doubt was quickly erased as Witherspoon immediately showed why he was deserving of such a lofty draft position. Needless to say, he is still in the business of giving reminders why.

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3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Bears in Week 17

3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks defense vs. Bears in Week 17

The Seattle Seahawks may require a victory versus the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football to keep their postseason dreams alive. Unlike their previous two matchups, the Seahawks are considered heavy favorites against a lackluster Bears squad. We’ve compiled three bold predictions for Mike Macdonald’s defense.

Seahawks force 3 turnovers

The Seahawks did not force a single turnover in their Week 16 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. Jarran Reed did record a strip-sack, but the Vikings recovered. Meanwhile the Bears committed two turnovers in their latest outing. Look for Macdonald’s opportunistic defense to tempt the Bears into multiple turnovers.

Leonard Williams dominates

The Bears’ offensive line is a disastrous unit. Left tackle Braxton Jones was one of their more effective blockers, but recently suffered a season-ending injury. The interior has especially struggled to protect rookie quarterback Caleb Williams this season. Leonard Williams is capable of dominating Chicago’s guards and centers alike. Look for the veteran Williams to gain constant entry into Chicago’s backfield.

Bears are held to 17 or fewer points

The Bears are averaging a 26th-ranked 18.9 points per contest. Interim head coach and offensive play caller Thomas Brown has not improved the offense since replacing Matt Eberflus and Shane Waldron. The Bears have scored 17 points or fewer in three consecutive contests. Seattle’s scoring defense should take advantage of this bounce-back spot.

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Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Vikings on defense in Week 16

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Vikings on defense in Week 16

The Seattle Seahawks fell short of upsetting the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, dropping their Week 16 contest 27-24. Mike Macdonald’s defense struggled to get stops. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold threw for 246 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson was unstoppable, totaling 10 catches for 144 yards and two scores. Kevin O’Connell had the offense cooking against Aden Durde’s defense.

These Seahawks were their highest-graded players on defense, according to Pro Football Focus.

Jarran Reed | 86.5

Veteran interior defender Jarran Reed earned an elite grade of 86.5, his single-best score of the season. Reed recorded a strip-sack of Darnold, and the Vikings were fortunate to recover the football. The underrated defensive tackle totaled three quarterback pressures.

Devon Witherspoon | 75.9

Despite Minnesota’s passing-game success, versatile cornerback Devon Witherspoon forfeited very little through the air. He was credited with allowing four receptions on six targets for just 38 receiving yards. Witherspoon has allowed just one touchdown catch throughout this entire 2024 campaign.

Josh Jobe | 75.4

Boundary corner Josh Jobe was very competitive in coverage. The former undrafted free agent out of Alabama allowed five catches for 55 receiving yards, but wasn’t tagged with responsibility for any of Darnold’s touchdowns. Jobe only allowed nine yards after catch, and also recorded a pass breakup.

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NFC West Watch: 49ers rule Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa OUT for Week 12

NFC West Watch: 49ers rule Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa OUT for Week 12

The Seattle Seahawks’ arch rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, did not just lose a game last week. Their 20-17 defeat proved to be even costlier than simply losing ground to Seattle in the NFC West. During the game, superstar defensive end Nick Bosa left after suffering a new oblique injury. After the game it became clear he was going to miss some time. Unfortunately for San Francisco, Bosa was not the only casualty.

On Friday, the Niners announced Bosa would be OUT for their game against the Green Bay Packers. Joining him on the sideline is also quarterback Brock Purdy, who was similarly ruled OUT in Week 12.

Purdy took a hit on his arm from Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon and played the remainder of the game, but there was sightings of him on the sideline with an arm brace. The official word has him dealing with a shoulder injury.

In his place will be backup Brandon Allen, who was previously with the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals. Originally a sixth round selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2016 NFL Draft, Allen spent the first four years of his career as a third stringer/practice squad member for Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Rams. He eventually got his first start in 2019 with the Broncos. Allen’s career record as a starter is 2-7. It will be his first start since the 2021 season. He has thrown 10 touchdown passes against six interceptions.

The news to Purdy and Bosa continue the trend of brutal injury luck for the 49ers, who are struggling to regain their dominant form from last year. San Francisco will now have to enter Lambeau Field to play the 7-3 Packers, who certainly remember how close they came to knocking off the Niners in the playoffs last year, without their starting quarterback and best defensive player.

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First half recap: 49ers lead the Seahawks 7-6

First half recap: 49ers lead the Seahawks 7-6

The Seattle Seahawks are in a crucial Week 11 rematch against the San Francisco 49ers, and so far, the Niners have a clear edge. In a rapid first half, San Francisco leads Seattle by a score of 7-6.

The Seahawks forced the Niners on a three-and-out to start the game, and eventually took an early lead on their opening drive.

While it did end with a sack on third down, as Nick Bosa beat Abe Lucas in his season debut, Jason Myers did nail a 52-yard attempt to give Seattle a 3-0 lead.

San Francisco responded immediately, as the Niners engineered a 12-play, 71-yard drive which ended with Brock Purdy scrambling ten yards into the end zone. Purdy has been sacked twice today, but remains frustratingly elusive. Still, two more sacks then the Seahawks were able to secure against him in their Week 6 loss.

Seattle had to punt on their next possession, but quickly got the ball back thanks to cornerback Devon Witherspoon and defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins – the first interception of the big man’s career.

Regrettably, the Seahawks were not able to take full advantage of the interception, as they were held to another field goal. But they did get points out of it, as Jason Myers connected from 57-yards out. Myers now has 22 successful field goals from 50+ yards as a Seahawk, which is the most in franchise history.

Following a sack of Purdy to knock the Niners out of field goal range, Seattle did get the ball back.

Once again, the Seahawks couldn’t take advantage of what their defense gave them, and they had to punt the ball away.

First half stats:

  • Total Yards: 49ers – 152, Seahawks – 104
    • Rushing: 49ers – 82, Seahawks – 29
    • Passing: Seahawks – 75, 49ers – 70
  • Total plays: 49ers 31 to Seahawks’ 24
  • First downs: 49ers 12 to Seahawks’ 7
  • Time of Possession – 49ers lead 18:32 to Seattle’s 11:28

Geno Smith has completed 11-of-14 passes for 91 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and has been sacked twice. Purdy has completed 11-of-15 for 83, no touchdowns, one interception, and has taken two sacks as well.

Seattle will get the ball to start the second half.

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Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks players on defense vs. Rams

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks players on defense vs. Rams

The Seattle Seahawks were defeated 26-20 by the Los Angeles Rams in overtime on Sunday. The defense forced the Rams offensive into seven three-and-outs and limited them to 366 total yards of offense. Pro Football Focus had the following three Seahawks defenders as their highest-graded talents on that side of the ball versus the Rams.

Ernest Jones IV | 83.4

Ernest Jones IV was PFF’s fifth-highest graded linebacker in Week 9. He scored even better as a run defender, earning a third-highest 85.7. Jones IV recorded five pressures, three stops, and two pressures. The sideline-to-sideline linebacker has been an excellent addition to the defense following his acquisition in a trade with the Tennessee Titans.

Boye Mafe | 73.4

Boye Mafe has been a steady performer all campaign long. The 2022 second-round selection accumulated two quarterback pressures and two tackles versus the Rams. Mafe was also a force multiplier as a run defender, scoring a steady 73.4 in the run defense department.

Devon Witherspoon | 73.3

Cornerback Devon Witherspoon was credited with allowing five receptions on eight targets for 52 receiving yards against Matthew Stafford. His overall defensive grade of 73.3 was his third-best individually graded game of the season. Witherspoon has yet to allow a touchdown catch this year. He’s allowing just 8.7 yards per catch in 2024.

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Causes for concern as the Bills face the Seahawks in Week 8

Causes for concern as the Bills face the Seahawks in Week 8

The Buffalo Bills take to the road in Week 8 to face the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.

The Bills (5-2) and Seahawks (4-3) clash as a couple of the better teams in the NFL through seven weeks.

The Bills are favored by just a field goal in the game, as the Seahawks have shown they can compete on both sides of the ball under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald.

Macdonald’s last two seasons were spent as the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. The defensive-minded head coach also has an explosive offense led by veteran gunslinger Geno Smith. To improve to 6-2 on the year, the Bills will need to execute.

There are always a few things that make executing difficult each week, and the Bills will need to be wary of them. Here are three causes for concern for the Bills in Week 8:

Seattle’s air attack

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The Seahawks pass the ball at the highest rate in the NFL. Not only does Geno Smith lead the league in attempts with 279, but he also leads the NFL in attempts of ten or more yards downfield.

Not having DK Metcalf due to his knee injury would hurt what the Seahawks can do downfield, but Smith will most likely still be willing to sling it. The secondary and linebackers for the Bills will be tested in coverage.

No Terrel Bernard

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The Bills announced on Friday that linebacker and captain Terrel Bernard will miss the game at Seattle on Sunday. A big blow to the defense.

Any game that Terrel Bernard can’t play for the Bills is a concern, but this particular matchup especially hurts the Bills. The Seahawks love to throw it around the yard and Bernard is the best cover linebacker the Bills have. Not only that but he is the one communicating the defense pre-snap. With Bernard not in the middle of the field, it will make for an easier day for Geno Smith and the Seahawks offense.

Playmakers on defense

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The Seahawks aren’t among the league leaders in any defensive categories but they are solid across the board.

They have a couple of standout players in the secondary with safety Julian Love and cornerback Tariq Woolen. And opposite of Woolen is Devon Witherspoon who is solid on the outside too. Love is the eighth-highest-graded safety in the NFL per Pro Football Focus, and Woolen is the 11th-highest-graded corner.

Their defensive line is also a problem. They have one of the better defensive tackle duos in Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed. Josh Allen and Joe Brady need to be aware of where a lot of these guys are on every play.

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Bills at Seahawks: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 8

Bills at Seahawks: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 8

The Buffalo Bills (5-2) will visit the Seattle Seahawks (4-3) in their upcoming Week 8 matchup.

In this cross-conference and cross-country matchup, the games within the game will make all the difference.

Here are three key matchups to watch during Sunday’s Bills-Seahawks contest:

Amari Cooper/Keon Coleman vs. Seattle corners

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Last week against the Tennessee Titans, Bills wide receivers Amari Cooper and second-round rookie Keon Coleman had their way against their matchups. This week, they face tougher cornerback matchups. On the outside for Seattle will be Riq Woolen, who ranks 18th-best among corners according to PFF.

They also have cornerback Devon Witherspoon who was the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Witherspoon is used both on the outside and in the slot. He may shadow Cooper, but either way, the Bills’ wide receivers need to be prepared to win some tougher matchups to help out Josh Allen and the offense. A couple of big plays from Coleman or Cooper could be the difference in the game.

Jaxon Smith Njigba vs. Taron Johnson

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With DK Metcalf ruled doubtful for Week 8, a lot more targets may fall on the shoulders of second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The bad news for Smith-Njigba is that All-Pro Taron Johnson will occupy the area of the field where he likes to work.

Smith-Njigba has had a hot and cold season, with games of 12 catches and games of two or three catches. His usage has been mainly matchup-dependent, but if Metcalf can’t play then his usage would have to go up. The Bills’ All-Pro nickel corner going against the first WR taken in the 2023 Draft is a great matchup in the slot.

Bills offensive line vs. Seahawks pass rush

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How the Bills offensive line holds up against a talented Seattle front will determine the level of success the team can have on the road. We know it can get loud at Lumen Field, and if Josh Allen is constantly under pressure then it will make things a lot more difficult.

The Seahawks rank eighth in the NFL in sack percentage and are tenth in sacks per game. They rank fourth in the league in pressure rate while not blitzing much. And, they just got Byron Murphy back from injury, who was their first round pick in April. It’s a tall task to keep them out of the backfield all game, but the Bills will need to limit how often they get back there. Running the ball will help keep the defense honest.