Rost on Seahawks: What we know and don’t know through 3 games

Sep 25, 2024, 9:40 AM

Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith passes against Miami on Sept. 22, 2024. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

BY STACY ROST

Seattle Sports

What can you say definitively about the Seattle Seahawks three weeks into the season?

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You know their record. That’s easy at least. Seattle sits at 3-0, which gives them historically good odds to make the playoffs. Though even saying that feels risky. Not because of fears of a jinx, and certainly not because the Seahawks haven’t looked genuinely improved under new head coach Mike Macdonald. Instead, it’s because every comment about this team’s record comes with one caveat:

“Sure, but who have they really played?”

That critique leads it off as we look at two things we know for certain, and one thing we don’t, about the Seahawks so far.

What we know

• The Seahawks haven’t been challenged by a prolific passing offense.

You don’t need stats to see this one. It’s far and away the greatest critique facing an otherwise impressive start to the season. You know it, I know it, they know it.

The Seahawks’ defense has limited opponents to 248.7 total yards per game, second-best behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Seattle is tops in the league against the pass, limiting opponents to 132.3 per game. The Hawks didn’t allow a touchdown from the Broncos until a fourth quarter scramble by Bo Nix, and they didn’t allow the Dolphins to reach the end zone at all despite Miami’s offense making two trips inside the 4-yard line.

Also encouraging is Seattle’s 116 rushing yards allowed, which ranks 15th in the NFL, a drastic jump from 31st last season (and this is with 180-plus allowed in Week 2 from New England).

4 minutes of dominant defense for your enjoyment🍿 pic.twitter.com/4esGX29VyU

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 24, 2024

The problem: Seattle had those defensive performances against teams headed up by Nix, a rookie, then career backup Jacoby Brissett, and finally a combination of Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle. A real murderer’s row of passers.

It’s a completely fair critique. The Seahawks have not been challenged in the way the Rams have, for instance; Los Angeles (1-2) started the season with two of three games against last year’s NFC championship teams.

The only point mounted in defense of the Seahawks here is that they’re not the only team to face weak competition or backup passers, and they’ve still beaten those teams each time. The Raiders fell to a Panthers team that had put up a combined 13 points across two games and was starting 36-year-old Andy Dalton off the bench — and he threw for 319 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions! The Patriots beat the Bengals in Week 1, and the Broncos outscored the Buccaneers on Sunday by 19 points.

• Geno Smith and Seattle’s pass catchers are sharper than ever.

The Seahawks haven’t faced the league’s top passers, but you know who they have faced? A few Pro Bowlers on defense.

These aren’t the league’s best units – two are on struggling teams from last season, and another (Miami) has been overshadowed by its offense. But DK Metcalf and Seattle’s receivers have gone against Patrick Surtain and Jalen Ramsey.

Got chills.

Steve Rabile calling DK’s 71-yard TD is pure gold. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/JAP1xcTMLU

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 23, 2024

Zach Charbonnet, starting in relief of Kenneth Walker III at running back, rushed for a career high 91 yards and two touchdowns against a Dolphins defense that was quietly in the top 10 against the run in 2023.

Zipped his way to the endzone. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9l5cDuAIlW

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 22, 2024

I earlier mentioned that the Seahawks are leading the league in passing defense. The No. 2 team? That would be the Denver Broncos.

For all the conversation about suppressed offense through three weeks (no teams are averaging more than 300 yards per game), that conversation shouldn’t include Geno Smith, who’s looking sharper in Ryan Grubb’s new Seahawks offense than he did even his breakout 2022 season. Smith is third in passing yards and saw one of the best performances of his career in Week 2. His lone knock are the three interceptions he’s thrown.

The @GenoSmith3 Week 2 highlight tape. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/7PYO29U1ZD

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 16, 2024

What we don’t know

• Will the Seahawks be without a few key defensive starters on Monday night, and how will they fare?

The Seahawks have played well defensively without their leading pass rusher Uchenna Nwosu. Hugely important is that their pressure rate has been up, a significant step forward for a team that was top 10 in sacks last season but never consistently got to the quarterback with hits or hurries.

What they haven’t done yet though is play without Nwosu and defensive tackles Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy, the latter two of whom left Sunday’s win over the Dolphins. Mike Macdonald was tight-lipped on any updates for either player Monday.

Updates on injured Nwosu, Lucas | Williams, Murphy banged up

That’s an especially huge hit for a team that on Monday will face, by far, it’s toughest offensive challenge yet. The Lions are averaging the fourth-most yards per game. They’re a complete offense, though they do at least have one issue early: red zone scoring. They’ve scored a touchdown on just 38% of their drives inside the 20, which is seventh-worst in the NFL and down from 66% in 2023.