Following the decision to trade Frank Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seattle Seahawks pass rush was a major question mark entering the 2019 season. Signing Ezekiel Ansah and trading for Jadeveon Clowney were two moves that had hoped to bring some life into a defensive line that’s clearly nowhere near what it was from 2011-2016.
Well we’re seven games into the season and this pass rush is pathetic. Seattle has one sack over its last three games, and that’s only because Lamar Jackson tripped over himself on what would’ve been a run for positive yardage.
To completely depress you, Seattle is worse than the tanking Miami Dolphins at even touching the quarterback. They are 32nd in quarterback hit rate (QB hits + sacks). Dead last.
We finally found something the Dolphins aren't worst in the league at.
— deryck (@deryck_g1) October 21, 2019
The Seahawks rank last in QB hit rate this season. pic.twitter.com/EyttSxfMZi
You can only hope for a dramatic Jarran Reed-aided turnaround, because this is pitiful.
I could go into more detail on the many other ways that this Seahawks defense has been bad this year — 31st in tackles for loss, 28th in pressure rate, 9th most missed tackles, zero games with positive EPA, 27th in punts per drive (prior to the Ravens game and probably worse now) — but the main topic here was Seattle’s lack of a pass rush, and that question has been answered in the worst way.
But the good news is the Atlanta Falcons are next, and Steve Smith Sr. did say they are the “get right” team. Maybe they turn into the 2013 Seahawks for a day and hold Atlanta out of the end zone.