Clayton: Expect new DC Quinn to shake things up
Jul 14, 2013, 1:54 PM | Updated: 4:54 pm
By Brent Stecker
The Seahawks’ defense for 2013 has a big-name addition in defensive end Cliff Avril, a noteworthy position change in DE-turned-outside linebacker Bruce Irvin, and the return of the feared Legion of Boom secondary. There’s also a new defensive coordinator in Dan Quinn, who could be looking to shake things up even with all the success his predecessor, new Jacksonville head coach Gus Bradley, had last season.
 Former Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, pictured here, leaves big shoes for his successor, Dan Quinn, to fill after leading the team to an NFL-best 15.3 points allowed per game in 2012. (AP) |
ESPN’s John Clayton said on “Cold Hard Facts” that while Quinn and Bradley have their similarities, fans shouldn’t expect to see the same defensive strategies this season.
“I think it’s gonna be a lot different. I think what you’re going to see is more creativity coming out of Dan Quinn,” Clayton said.
The Seahawks yielded an NFL-best 15.3 points per game and were fourth at 306.2 yards allowed per game in 2012, but that doesn’t mean Quinn won’t try to improve upon those numbers.
“I think what you can see is if you get an injury or two or you’re down a man or two, they didn’t have the way to match up and do those things (in 2012),” said Clayton. “Going into this year, Dan Quinn knows, ‘Alright, we have some issues. We’re thin maybe at linebacker, we’re thin maybe at some spots on the defensive line, so if one doesn’t work, we’re gonna work on the other and we’re gonna blitz a little more.'”
Clayton believes Quinn will see more positives in going with man-to-man than Bradley did.
“I think they’ll take more advantage of the man-to-man defenses (because) maybe they slipped into cover-2 and cover-3 a little too much last year.”
