Brock: One area Seahawks’ defense is falling short

It would be hard to place any blame on the defense for the 3-3 start by the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle’s defense entered Sunday allowing a league-best 237.3 yards per game, which was more than 20 yards fewer than the next-closest team and nearly 50 yards better than the third-best team. It had held three of six opponents to 14 points or less, and the 20.3 points per game the Seahawks are allowing would surely be a lower number if not for a slew of turnovers coming from the offense, including two that resulted in defensive scores for their opponent.

What history says about 3-3 Seahawks’ Super Bowl chances

But there is one area where the Seahawks’ defense has fallen short thus far – its performance in the red zone.

The Seahawks entered this week 26th in the NFL allowing touchdowns on 75% of drives that reached the red zone. For reference, they allowed TDs on 50% of red-zone opportunities during the regular season last year, fifth best in the league.

And in Thursday night’s 17-14 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos, Denver was able to punch in TDs each of the two times it reached the red zone.

“If they hold them to field goals right there, they could have turned it over eight times and still win that game,” former NFL quarterback Brock Huard said during his Blue 88 segment on Friday’s edition of Brock and Salk. “But you don’t hold them to field goals.”

It took Denver four plays in the red zone to gets its first touchdown, which came on a 4-yard rush to the right side by J.K. Dobbins that capped a 16-play drive.

“Through motions and a shift, Denver actually gets a hat on a hat – which down near the goal line you should always have an advantage, you should always have a plus one, because there’s just not that much space. They didn’t and they just dominated you point of attack. It looked like the ones versus the twos,” Huard said.

“It’s a really hard tackle for a corner to come in there and come slice in and cut that runner’s legs down as he’s getting going with a fullback in front of him… but Josh Jobe just watched him walk into the end zone, like just didn’t even touch him,” Huard added. “I’m not going to say a business decision because, again, even if he went all out, maybe nothing happens and it’s still a touchdown. But, gosh, it was just a hard watch.”

2️⃣7️⃣ runs it in 🙌@Jkdobbins22 x #TNFonPrime pic.twitter.com/apfXByN6B0

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 16, 2026

The next TD allowed in the red zone came after a defensive pass interference call on Devon Witherspoon put the ball at the 1-yard line, and RJ Harvey lined up as the wildcat quarterback and rumbled ahead for the score.

“As unbelievable as they were in the second half, that was pretty maddening in the first quarter and a half,” Huard said of the defense.

Wildcat TD 🤩

📺: #TNFonPrime pic.twitter.com/GDO1RDJ9su

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 16, 2026

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.  

Seattle Seahawks news and more

• Salk: Seattle Seahawks make right move in not benching Sam Darnold
• Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold: Turnovers ‘not fair’ to defense
• Seahawks Injury Updates: The latest on Bradford, Price, Charbonnet

Related

Last-second FG lifts Cardinals to stunning 18-16 upset over RamsNFC West Check-In: New Rams kicker injures knee in 1st game with teamSeahawks’ rocky start is similar to the last defending champWhat history says about 3-3 Seahawks’ Super Bowl chancesMacdonald defends OC amid Seahawks’ offensive strugglesSeahawks confident they can fix their turnover problem