Field Gulls
In an age where contending teams seem to be the ones that are very well-rounded (think the 2024 champion, Philadelphia Eagles among others), it’s slightly unsettling to see as large of a disparity in confidence in offensive vs. defensive aptitude from the 2025 Seattle Seahawks this far into the season. The production on offense has been efficient and very good… but are they great? Balanced? Sam Darnold has operated this offensive attack well, but can the run game become a threat, and are they ready to stack up to a high-octane unit like the Green Bay Packers? The defense feels much closer to dominant. I think we’d all agree that 3-1 ain’t bad, but we want to see more consistency in the point-scoring department. Balance is the word.
Whether or not we ever see that balance, this team has the ingredients to make some noise this year. After an impressive display by the defense, giving Seattle’s offense chance after chance to break through against the Cardinals, we cannot be afraid to hope in that clear strength. The Hawks can be a contender that is led by its superpower of elite defense. Let’s talk stats.
Through four games, Seattle’s defense has surpassed both the points per game allowed (16.8 compared to 18.4) and the rush yards per game allowed (89.8 compared to 99.8) marks from the dominant eight-game stretch in the season last year where they transformed into a top five unit to end the year. If we talk overall defensive efficiency, the Seahawks are currently tied for both the second-lowest overall points allowed (67) as well as the second-fewest yards per offensive play allowed (4.5). They are also tied for 4th-most takeaways (7).
The way that Seattle plays against the run really sets the table for the defense to feast. The hometown Hawks are 6th in rushing yards allowed (359) and tied for third-lowest average yards per carry allowed (3.6). They are also the only NFL team to not have allowed a rushing TD so far!
If we are talking defense against the pass, the Seattle Seahawks have recorded the fourth-highest total number of sacks (12), and the third-most pressures (44)… but have blitzed at the second-lowest rate in the league. They are getting home with four-man rushes, giving them the ability to drop an extra guy into coverage. We’ve seen some big pass plays in end of game scenarios at times, but with the fourth-highest total of pass deflections and the fourth-lowest passer rating against, this stop unit is well-rounded.
For those whom these types of things are crucially important: the Seattle Seahawks lead all defense/special teams units (D/ST) in fantasy football points (Yahoo scoring).
So, what does this all mean if we don’t necessarily know if Sam Darnold and that offensive line can keep up with the big boys of the league in a shootout? Even if some 12’s do have great confidence in the offense, the defensive and team performances we’ve seen so far might just be...
