Seahawks’ defense threatens playoff hopes amid another slump – Seattle Seahawks Blog

SEATTLE — At the tail finish of a quiet locker room after the sport, veteran defensive finish Shelby Harris answered questions in his usually gregarious method, seemingly unfazed by the Seattle Seahawks’ most disappointing lack of the season.

“Disheartening? We play in the NFL,” mentioned Harris, who had certainly one of Seattle’s solely stops of Josh Jacobs on a report-breaking day for the Las Vegas Raiders of their 40-34 time beyond regulation win over the Seahawks. “If you get discouraged by that, you might as well throw your tables away and give up on the season. … It’s about the adjustments you make, week after week. That’s what makes this team this team.”

The Seahawks are back in the all-too-familiar position of turning around their struggling defense. They did it earlier this season after another miserable start on that side of the ball. Whatever adjustments they need to make this time around need to happen in a hurry, lest they lose any more ground to the San Francisco 49ers, who are hitting their stride as Seattle’s defense is slipping.

The 49ers’ fourth straight win on Sunday coupled with the Seahawks’ second straight loss gives San Francisco a one-game lead in the NFC West standings. They have a win over Seattle and will come to Lumen Field for a Thursday night rematch in Week 15. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Seahawks now have a 64.3% chance to make the playoffs (up from 68.2% last week) but only a 7.9% chance to win the division (down from 14.8%).

“The reality is we’re going from the hunter to the hunted,” quarterback Geno Smith said. “People want to play with us. As a young team, we have to learn to be able to go out there and win those games. This is our next step in evolution as a truly young team. We have to understand the moment, seize the moments, take advantage. I feel like we had a lot of opportunities to go out there and win that game, close it out late and we just didn’t do it.”

The playoffs shall be a moot level if the Seahawks cannot repair a defense that has returned to its early season type, particularly towards the run. They allowed 161 dashing yards of their loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Munich earlier than being excused final week. That was partly a perform of a sport plan that underplayed Tampa Bay’s ineffective working sport, targeted on stopping Tom Brady, however did neither.

The sport plan was once more a part of the issue towards the Raiders. Coach Pete Carroll mentioned all the eye the Seahawks gave All-Pro receiver Davante Adams (seven catches for 75 yards) was a consider Jacobs’ departure, however that alone hardly explains why Jacobs hit Seattle for 229 yards. probably the most they’ve ever allowed for a single participant. That topped the earlier report of 221 dashing yards that Bo Jackson had towards the Seahawks in 1987.

The indelible picture of that efficiency was Jackson sprinting down the sideline for a 91-yard run earlier than disappearing into the Kingdome tunnel. Jacobs did his finest Bo impression by capturing via an enormous gap in the course of Seattle’s defense and racing into the top zone for an 86-yard run in time beyond regulation, a becoming finish to a sport wherein Las Vegas gained the streak. -Battled the deal with on either side of the ball and repeatedly ran it down Seattle’s throat.

Jacobs added 74 receiving yards because the Raiders compiled 576 as a staff, the third most towards the Seahawks in franchise historical past.

“We didn’t handle it as well as we should have and we didn’t plan as well as we should have,” Carroll mentioned.

With their move rush additionally chilly — 5 mixed QB hits and only one sack during the last two video games — the Seahawks’ defensive woes have decreased the margin of error for Smith and the offense. They overcame it once more Sunday with two turnovers, together with a missed fumble that ruined a scoring probability within the fourth quarter when Smith tried to tug the ball again to a learn-possibility keeper.

His earlier interception on a move to Tyler Lockett was partially the results of a working mistake, in response to Carroll, although he added that Smith ought to have deserted the throw. He acquired away with a detailed decide earlier within the sport, threw two passes and once more made performs together with his toes.

Flaws and all, Smith’s performances during the last two video games must be adequate to win more often than not. But with little help from their working sport — a mixed 104 yards towards the Bucs and Raiders — and even much less from their defense, it hasn’t been.

In maintaining together with his pledge to look inward as a substitute of inserting blame elsewhere, Smith mentioned he may have thrown a greater ball to DK Metcalf when his fourth-quarter catch was overturned, certainly one of two controversial calls that went towards the Seahawks in large moments. That closing possession of regulation led to a punt, as did their solely possession of time beyond regulation, once they solely wanted about 20 yards to place themselves for a sport-successful discipline purpose, however went three-and-out .

“When I was in college, a coach told me about the difference between an index finger and a thumb index,” Smith mentioned. “I’ve at all times vowed to be a finger-pointer. I’m going to take a tough take a look at myself within the mirror, watch this movie, see the place I can enhance and assist this staff win video games.”

With their next two games coming against offensively challenged teams, the Seahawks defense has a chance to catch up before the 49ers. They opened as 4 1/2 point road favorites over the 3-8 Los Angeles Rams, who may again be without Matthew Stafford, who is uncertain to return this season. They should also be favored at home next week against Sam Darnold and the 4-8 Carolina Panthers.

“We’ve acquired to repair it,” safety Quandre Diggs said. “Everyone will expose it if we do not repair it. We fastened it for a bit. He confirmed his head as we speak. At the top of the day, if I do not cease the run, we can’t be capable of do something.”