Seahawks Football 101: Why Bobby Wagner is NFL’s best blitzing LB

There was no mystery about what this week’s Seahawks Football 101 video would be about. Our host is former NFL linebacker Dave Wyman, and All-Pro Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner was hands down the best defensive player on the field in Sunday’s 37-27 win over the 49ers.

So here we are.

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The Seahawks amped up their blitzing against San Francisco and its quarterback, Jimmy Garappolo, and it certainly paid off when it came to Wagner. He came up with his first two sacks of the season, and there’s an interesting question it brings up.

In the video, Wyman mentions that he thinks Wagner is the best blitzing linebacker in the NFL, so will Seattle send him after the quarterback more going forward? For more on the Seahawks’ blitzing and what it could mean for the rest of the season, check out this piece from 710 ESPN Seattle’s Paul Gallant.

As for this video, Wyman takes a close look at Wagner’s two sacks to see how they both came together.

First was this one:

Bobby Wagner LEVELED two blockers and got the sack 🤯

(via @thecheckdown)pic.twitter.com/CYEMFOuyc1

— ESPN (@espn) November 2, 2020

Then, this one:

.@Bwagz is DANGEROUS.

He comes after Jimmy Garoppolo for our second sack of the day! 💥

📺: #SFvsSEA pic.twitter.com/2NHqv0NicS

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 1, 2020

When all was said and done Sunday, Wagner had 11 combined tackles (six solo), four QB hits, three tackles for loss and the two sacks. That effort was enough for him to take NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Watch the full video embedded at the top of this post. For more Football 101 videos from the Seahawks Radio Network color commentator and co-host of 710 ESPN Seattle’s Bob, Dave and Moore, click any of the links below.

Seahawks Football 101

• Week 1: How Bobby Wagner helped seal a win on the final play vs. the Patriots
• Week 2: Adams, Dunbar solve a play that has been Seattle’s problem
• Week 3: Team effort results in a safety against the Cowboys
• Week 4: How K.J. Wright and the defense solved Seattle’s big-play issues
• Week 5: How the defense came up clutch against the Vikings
• Week 7: Rookie LB Jordyn Brooks’ promising plays in Arizona

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