Defensive Mend Seattle Defenders Begin To Live Up To Expectations After Tough Start

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense has become unpredictable, particularly to those who play in it.

“In Pittsburgh, our guys were very aggressive; every game we knew on Monday we were going to have four of the old blitzes, five of our new blitzes and three base defenses,” linebacker Chad Brown said. “Here, we come in, and I don’t know what we’ve got on Monday.

I don’t think we have developed a true personality. Maybe our personality is not having a personality.”

After blitzing for two games, retreating into safe zone packages for the next three and beautifully mixing the blitz with regular sets Sunday against Tennessee, the Seahawks’ defense is evolving and improving. What it isn’t doing is defining itself.

Seahawks players don’t think that is a bad thing.

“You can see week after week we’re getting our confidence, that the stuff really works,” Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Sinclair said. “If you look at good defenses, they all have their own personality. For us, it’s going to have to take time. We’re starting to develop our own attitude. We’ve got to fit together as a defense over the next six-week period.

“You can’t be sitting with four or five games left not knowing.”

With five new starters, Seattle defenders are getting acquainted. But because the 11 starters’ salaries average $19 million this year, everyone knows time is short. Throw in backup defensive tackle Dan Saleaumua and the Seahawks have $20 million invested in a group that includes five reigning or past Pro Bowlers.

Expectations are high. Maybe too high.

“I like this defense,” Sinclair said. “Two weeks into the season, everybody was shocked. Real shocked. Expectations were so high. Now, we’re starting to fill those slots.”

The 0-2 start stunned the Seahawks. They entered the season with their chins held high, but the New York Jets and Denver Broncos slapped them into reality. Those teams beat the $8 million secondary for seven touchdown passes.

Blitzes were blocked. Man-to-man coverages were ineffective. The Seahawks couldn’t stop the run. As a result, the Seahawks were outscored 76-17 in those two games. Confidence was shattered.

Defensive coordinator Greg McMackin tried to regroup defenders by letting linebackers and defensive backs play zone defense while the front four tried to apply the pressure. For three games, the Seahawks may have had only one blitz.

“There was a certain point where our cover guys (cornerbacks Shawn Springs and Willie Williams) were out there and we had to get them back and make sure they were comfortable,” McMackin said.

Springs and Williams regained their confidence sitting back waiting for receivers to come to them. With only a four-man rush, the Seahawks sacked Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh eight times.

“We were trying to let players make the plays, and that’s not a bad thing to do,” Brown said.

Over the past four games, the Seahawks have allowed an average of 286.5 yards a game, down nearly 100 yards from the first two games. They’ve allowed only three touchdowns and only three plays (a run and two passes) longer than 20 yards.

“We’ve really improved in the red zone (inside the 20),” said McMackin of a defense that has yielded six touchdowns in the 16 times opponents have penetrated the Seahawks’ 20. “We’ve been playing smart. We’ve been playing together. They are believing in one another, and they are a competitive, competent bunch.”

McMackin sensed enough confidence coming from the players that he called about a dozen blitzes during last Sunday’s 16-13 victory over Tennessee. The Seahawks pressured quarterback Steve McNair into nine incompletions in 11 tries and picked off one pass.

McNair’s two completions went for a total of 14 yards.

After one incompletion in which Springs batted a long, high-arching pass away from wide receiver Willie Davis at the goal line, Springs, responding to friendly banter by the Oilers, pointed to his shoes and signaled “four-two” with his hands. That’s his 40-yard-dash speed, 4.2 seconds.

A few positive things have developed during the first six weeks. Sinclair, Brown and free safety Darryl Williams have performed at Pro Bowl level. The defense has survived injuries to linemen Cortez Kennedy, Martin Harrison and Phillip Daniels.

“We’ve been keeping it simple even though we’ve been changing,” Sinclair said. “You can’t just do the same things week after week. It’s too competitive. We’ve continued to keep it simple even in our blitz packages. We have enough talent that you can give teams a different look.”

And enough talent to buy time for $19 million worth of starters to develop a persona on defense.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Bye week After taking Sunday off, the Seahawks return to action Oct. 19 at St. Louis.