3 things NFL analyst says made Seahawks’ D dominant again

Dec 4, 2024, 8:10 AM

Ernest Jones IV of the Seattle Seahawks during a 2024 game against the Los Angeles Rams. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

(Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

Editor, Seattle Sports

The high hopes for the Seattle Seahawks’ defense in the system brought by first-year head coach Mike Macdonald are being realized. It just took a little time.

A statistical look at the Seahawks’ dramatic defensive turnaround

After a five-game stretch in the middle of the season where Seattle allowed 29 points or more four times, the Seahawks have responded with four games in a row where the defense hasn’t given up more than 17 points in regulation.

There are a few obvious things to point to when it comes to the Hawks’ renewed success on the defensive side of things. For one, they’re much healthier now, as was especially the case when every player on the active roster was a full participant in their final practice before Sunday’s game against the Jets. For two, they’ve made some notable personnel changes, including moving on from linebackers Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker while bringing in Ernest Jones IV and putting him alongside rookie Tyrice Knight at the position. And then you’ve got the play of defensive end Leonard Williams, who has been on fire in recent games, and a secondary that includes star cornerback Devon Witherspoon as well as safety Coby Bryant, who was recently given NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

All of those things were mentioned by NFL on CBS analyst Charles Davis when he spoke with Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Tuesday, but he was even more specific about some positive things jumping out to him about the Seahawks’ defense. Let’s dig into what Davis said.

What’s different at linebacker?

It’s clear the Seahawks are getting better play at linebacker now with Ernest Jones IV, a 25-year-old former third-round pick, leading the way. It’s hard to see why looking at just the stat sheet, but Davis has a pretty astute way of explaining what Jones is doing better than Dodson and Baker.

“The move for Ernest Jones, we know, has been magnificent,” Davis said. “… Were (Dodson and Baker) in a spot that they’re going to help make a difference on down and distance, as opposed to what you’re getting out of Jones? Because what I’m getting out of Jones is it’s second-and-eight. It’s not second-and-four. That’s where I think the difference is, and why Jones is a better linebacker fit for Mike Macdonald than Dotson or Baker. Because Dotson’s numbers were fine. The numbers, how many tackles he had, that’s not an issue. (But) where the tackles are made tends to be an issue in terms of (whether) you’re playing good defense or not.”

Why “Big Cat” is shining

Leonard Williams has had not just his two best games as a member of the Seahawks in the past two weeks, but some of most stunning stat lines you’ll ever see from a defensive lineman. Combining his performances in wins over the Jets and Cardinals, Williams had 4.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, an interception, two pass breakups and a blocked extra point. Oh, and that interception was returned 92 yards for a touchdown, which was both the longest pick-six ever by a defensive lineman in NFL history and the longest by a player weighing at least 300 pounds.

Williams on Sunday also became the first player since 1982 with multiple sacks, an interception returned for a touchdown and a blocked kick in the same game.

Seahawks DL Leonard Williams playing at ‘all-time elite level’

Davis, a standout safety in the 1980s at the University of Tennessee, went old school with his analysis on the 6-foot-5, 300-pound Williams.

“What Leonard Williams is doing, he’s playing what we used to call – this is going to show my age – playing the piano as a defensive lineman,” Davis said. “Playing the piano means to be able to move laterally up and down (the defensive line positions) – like you’re playing a piano with your fingers, you move up and down the keys.

“He moves up and down the line, as you guys know better than I do. He comes off the edge, comes inside at tackle, runs over the guard. Oh, center? Good luck with that one. He’s going to be in different spots and different places, and deal with everyone. It’s not just one guy’s got to deal with him the entire game. And if you show that you’re not the guy that held up, he’ll be over you more than anyone else.”

Seattle Seahawks tapping back into LOB mentality

Now it’s time to talk about the secondary.

Davis had a couple observations about the defensive backfield, including how he appreciates Macdonald’s personnel decisions. To be more specific, former cornerback and nickel man Coby Bryant has emerged as a starting safety alongside Pro Bowler Julian Love, even after the team got previous starter Rayshawn Jenkins back from injured reserve.

“Mike Macdonald (approaching the defense like), ‘Yeah, if you compete and you play well, we’re going to find a way to get you on the field,’ has paid major dividends in the secondary,” Davis said. “… They look like a very good, cohesive, fun unit. The first time I laid eyes on this unit was in preseason when they had joint practices with the Tennessee Titans because I did a Titans preseason (TV coverage) package. So I was there to watch practice and then do the game, and watched that secondary compete and do well, so it’s not a major surprise to me. … None of that’s a surprise. They went through that lull where all of a sudden people were scoring, (but) they’re back playing really well, and that is just fun for me to watch.”

Davis also spotlighted 2023 first-round pick Devon Witherspoon, and how he would have fit in with Seattle’s legendary defense from a decade ago.

“It’s not just the play, it’s what he brings with him,” Davis said of Witherspoon. “I think they talked a few weeks ago about, ‘Can we get back to the Legion of Boom mentality? We may not be the Legion of Boom, but the way that they practiced, the standards that they set, the accountability that they have with each other, we need to get to that.’ And I think (defensive tackle) Jarran Reed kind of had that. You know, he’s been around enough and he could kind of tell the guys ‘this is what it looks like.’ Witherspoon is a classic born too late to be a Legion of Boom guy, but should have been a Legion of Boom guy.”

Hear the full Brock and Salk conversation with NFL on CBS broadcaster Charles Davis in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Brock and Salk live from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports, and click here or subscribe on your favorite app for podcasts of every full show.