3 Stats That Show 2025 Seahawks Team Could Be Different
The Seattle Seahawks sit at 2-1 after three games. Frankly, they are basically a few inches away from being 3-0, with how close that loss to the 49ers in Week 1 was.
Over the last few years, including the last few years of Pete Carroll, the offensive line has been a mess, and the defense has struggled to stop the run, among many other ailments. The Seahawks have now missed the playoffs in two straight seasons and haven’t won a playoff game since 2019.
This year’s team appears to be more complete than the one that won 10 games but missed the playoffs last season. How can we know? It’s hard to know anything for sure after three games. However, these three signs suggest this squad is set to be better than last year.
3 Sacks Allowed by Offensive Line
Last season, the Seahawks allowed 54 sacks in the final year of Geno Smith in Seattle. That’s around 3.2 per game allowed. That’s a lot of plays killing drives and putting the offense in bad spots. This season, the offensive line and offensive unit as a whole has allowed just three sacks total in three games. That is the lowest total in the first three games to start a season for the franchise since 1997. That is a major sign of marked improvement from last year’s line and the years before. Some of that could be attributed to the marriage of Klint Kubiak and Sam Darnold focusing on taking care of the ball and avoiding sacks. But the offensive line looks improved. This could finally be the year Charles Cross earns a Pro Bowl nod out of the left tackle spot. He has an 81.1 PFF grade through three games, which ranks fourth among left tackles in the NFL. Center Jalen Sundell has allowed just three pressures and zero sacks. If this trend continues, the Seahawks will win a lot of games.
3.2 Yards Per Carry Allowed
Run defense has been a sore subject for Seattle fans over the years. Stopping the run forces opponents into obvious pass situations, which can help the pass rush; also, good run defense helps in short yardage/red-zone situations and controlling the tempo. All these things have ailed the Seattle defense for years until Mike Macdonald came to town. Through three games, including a game against the hard-nosed 49ers, they have allowed just 3.2 yards per carry. That ranks third-best in all the NFL. Linebacker Ernest Jones is off to a fast start with 25 tackles, including 14 solo. Leonard Williams has been stout in the middle, earning the top run defense PFF grade on the team at 81.2. Veteran DeMarcus Lawrence was more lauded for his pass rushing prowess from his days in Dallas. However, in Seattle so far, his run defense has been just as vital. Byron Murphy II looks to be taking a big step forward in his second year. Perhaps no improvement on this team has been more evident that their being stout against the run after years of being a leaky dam.
40 Percent Redzone Touchdown Rate Allowed
It’s hard to win games in the NFL if you are constantly letting the opposing team march into the redzone and convert those trips into touchdowns. Points are at a premium. Forcing a team to settle for field goal attempts instead of allowing touchdowns is critical. Obviously, that’s a difference of four points in a drive, which could be the difference between a win or a loss. Last year, they allowed a touchdown in 52.6 percent of their opponents’ red zone trips. In 2023, they were among the worst in football at 59.6 percent. This year, they sit at 40 percent, which is third-best in the league. Tightening up when the opponent gets near the endzone is a sign of a strong defense that can win a team several games.
