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The Seattle Seahawks defense has literally scored more points off of turnovers than the offense.
...Okay, apparently I can’t just publish this article and have everyone let that fact stew in their minds for a little bit, but it’s true. Last season, the Seahawks generated a franchise-low 19 takeaways, and didn’t manage a single interception following Earl Thomas’ injury. With seven games left to go in the 2017 regular season, Seattle’s already at 15 takeaways, which is top-10 in the NFL. Turnovers are often random and sometimes it’s just luck, but it’s good to see the Seahawks defense (and special teams!) being ballhawks again.
Seattle’s defense has turned three of those turnovers into touchdowns, with Bobby Wagner scoring on a fumble return, while Justin Coleman and Earl Thomas have one pick-six apiece. That’s 21 points by the defense, which is the type of valuable secondary scoring Seattle did not get in 2016. As for the offense? Ehhhhhhhh.
Subtracting the three defensive touchdowns, plus the eventual kneeldown on Richard Sherman’s game-clinching interception against the Houston Texans, Seattle’s offense has had 11 possessions off of takeaways. They have scored a grand total of 16 points, which is painfully inefficient. Here are the basic drive stats:
Eleven Seahawks offensive possessions following a takeaway
| Opponent | Starting field position | Plays | Yards | End result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Starting field position | Plays | Yards | End result |
| Green Bay | 50 | 3 | 8 | Punt |
| San Francisco | OPP 36 | 9 | 27 | Field Goal |
| LA Rams | OWN 20 | 8 | 29 | Punt |
| LA Rams | OPP 30 | 3 | 15 | Interception |
| LA Rams | OWN 29 | 3 | -2 | Punt |
| LA Rams | OPP 46 | 3 | 8 | Punt |
| LA Rams | OPP 20 | 3 | 3 | Field Goal |
| NY Giants | OPP 38 | 1 | 38 | Touchdown |
| Houston | OPP 08 | 4 | 5 | Field Goal |
| Washington | OPP 42 | 3 | 3 | Punt |
| Arizona | OPP 48 | 3 | -3 | Punt |
You’re reading that correctly! The Seahawks have started at no worse than midfield nine times out of these eleven possessions, and somehow they’ve failed to score any points more often than they’ve actually put points on the board. Six punts, three field goals, one interception, and one touchdown is not going to cut it, especially when two of those field goal drives started in the red zone.
As if those numbers weren’t discouraging enough, Seahawks opponents have scored 34 points off of just nine turnovers, which breaks down to four touchdowns, two field goals, and three punts. That means the Seahawks are giving up roughly 3.78 points per giveaway, which is on pace to be the highest in the Pete Carroll era, and are just +2 in net-point differential despite having a turnover margin of +6.
Seattle’s offense obviously needs to step up more than ever before due to Richard Sherman’s season-ending injury, but the least they can do is not be so wasteful when the defense (or special teams) forces a turnover.