With two games remaining in the regular season, the Seattle Seahawks’ defense ranks in the middle or toward the bottom of the league in most statistical categories.
Seattle is 26th in total yards allowed (358.6 per game), 23rd in points allowed (23.5 per game), 19th in pass defense (229 yards per game) and 27th in rushing defense (129.6 yards per game).
Not exactly numbers that evoke memories of the Legion of Boom.
But the pass rush? Well, that’s been downright dominant at times. On the weekly Pete Carroll Show on Seattle Sports, the Seahawks’ head coach was quick to praise a unit that is tied with the San Francisco 49ers for first in the NFC with 45 sacks. That mark is also tied for sixth best in the NFL.
“First in the NFC is what I like,” Carroll said Tuesday morning.
“That’s a cool number, man. These guys work really hard for that.
This last game was a game we really thought that we had pass rush opportunities.
And we really made a big deal about it during the week and we emphasize the heck out of not jumping offsides and screwing up our chances to rush the passer.”
Carroll’s defensive philosophy has never relied heavily on blitzing, and that hasn’t changed this season.
But the Seahawks have managed to get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks than any year in recent memory.
They tied a franchise single-game record earlier this season with 11 sacks in a blowout win over the New York Giants.
In Sunday’s 20-17 win over the Titans, the Seahawks recorded six sacks, including two on the final drive to seal the victory. Boye Mafe led the way with two sacks against Tennessee’s porous offensive line, pushing his team-leading season total to nine.
Carroll also said using defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones on the interior and edge after acquiring Leonard Williams in a midseason trade to play inside has helped Jones improve his production.
Jones had a sack and tackle for loss against Tennessee.
“We brought him in and figured that we’re gonna have to use him inside because we just had space available there as a pass rusher, and he started there,” Carroll said.
“But when (Williams) came around, it changed the opportunity.”
“We were able to move (Jones) outside, which he’s done some throughout his career,” he added.
“I think he’s really come to life mixing in and out as opposed to just being strictly an inside guy. He’s played really hard.
He’s given really consistent effort.
He’s been available for making some big sacks… He’s been a very consistent player here for the last six, eight weeks.”
