Seattle Seahawks offensive grades are not good versus Rams in Week 15
By Lee Vowell
Defense and special teams were solid
Defensive line
Take away one 39-yard run by Rams running back Sony Michel and Los Angeles’ running backs averaged 3.21 yards on 24 carries. All 4 Seahawks sacks came from the defensive line. Carlos Dunlap (finally playing more at defensive end than at linebacker) had 3 sacks. Sadly, Seattle’s pass rush has been so bad this year that with those 3 sacks, Dunlap moved up to second on the team in sacks for the entire season (he now has 4.5).
Grade: B
Linebackers
Jordyn Brooks led the team in tackles with 11 and is now third in the NFL in tackles in 2021 (146). Bobby Wagner is first (158). Brooks had 2 tackles-for-loss and leads the team with 8. The linebackers do need to get much better in coverage but I think a lot of their problem is how they are being coached and they aren’t dropping back far enough on pass plays.
Did Brooks get beat a few times by Rams receiver Cooper Kupp? Yes. (Brooks also batted a ball down on 4th-and-2 for the Rams, though.) But Kupp beats very good corners all the time. It’s unfair to have a linebacker cover him very much.
Grade: B
Secondary
Quandre Diggs is going to want a lot of money after this season and he deserves it. For the second year in a row with the Seahawks he has 5 interceptions. He had another against the Rams on Tuesday near the Seattle goal line that saved Seattle from being down a touchdown early. Seattle’s secondary overall did OK. Even down three starters (D.J. Reed would have greatly helped in Week 15), Seattle allowed just 6.3 yards a pass attempt. This would rank 23rd in the NFL for 2021 if this were the Rams average for the season.
Grade: B
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Special teams
This unit was solid but didn’t make any game-changing plays. They got no kick returns and Freddie Swain averaged 9 yards a return on two punts. Jason Myers made his only extra point attempt and his only field goal attempt. Michael Dickson was great as always, though, with a 49.5 yard average on 6 punts with 3 downed inside the Rams 20-yard line.
Grade: B+