Seattle Seahawks defense continues surge despite inexperience

Recipe for Success

So how exactly are they accomplishing similar results with less talent? Multiple factors go into the formula, but it seems as though new defensive coordinatorKen Nortonhas found a more successful recipe than his predecessorKris Richard. in case you forgot, Richard favored more zone blitzes and fewer man responsibilities, when he ran the defense.

More fromSeattle Seahawks

• Seattle Seahawks: To rest or not to rest, that is the question
• Seattle Seahawks: 12s still waiting to exhale
• Seattle Seahawks: 4 Takeaways from 26-23 Loss to the 49ers
• Seattle Seahawks: Four Takeaways from Week 14 21-7 victory
• Seattle Seahawks: Three Takeaways from the Week 13 43-16 victory

Norton has had a nice blend of zone and man, along with an aggressive early down approach, which has helped create more third and medium to long situations. Not necessarily critical to third down success, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

Once Seattle’s communication issues were addressed between week two and three, the number of blown coverages decreased significantly. Seldom does the Seahawks defense fold on third and long any more.

Norton’s approach doesn’t appear to be as intricate or complicated, but the players are on board with it. They have performed their individual responsibilities within the defensive scheme amazingly well for young inexperienced players. There have been hiccups of course, such as Thompson getting caught flat-footed staring into the backfield at Matt Stafford in Detroit last Sunday, which led to a ridiculously easy score.

Even with those types of youthful mistakes, Seattle has found a way to be the NFL’s fifth-ranked defense in yardage allowed per game (327.3 YPG) and has surrendered a paltry 18.7 points per game (PPG), good forfourth best. Just three points behind that historically great defense and since game three the 2018 version has allowed 15.4 PPG, which is about dead even.

An enormous factor in this group’s success is their ability to get off the field. No matter what the defense is called, the “LOB” or “The Replacements,” it doesn’t change the fact that Seattle is one of the best in the NFL this season.

Add us as a preferred source onGoogle

Follow