Notes from the Nest: It’s alive! The Seahawks D is alive!

When we woke up on Sunday, I’m guessing most Seattle Seahawks fans were preparing for a wild NFC West shootout. With some talented offenses and trash defenses, it was going to be the first team to 40 wins. Instead, we got the slugfest that we needed to see from this team.

After the first drive in which both teams moved the ball easily and kicked field goals, the defense on both sides stepped up. Geno Smith was struggling to find time to throw. But in Week 6, the Seahawks defense also joined the campaign for the first time this season.

Through the early part of the game, it was a pretty basic version of Pete Carroll‘s bend but don’t break defense. The Cardinals settled for an early field goal, and while they moved the ball against more suspect tackling, the defense held when it mattered. Shockingly, Kliff Kingsbury went for it on 4th down multiple times and had multiple failures.

Nest notes for Week 6: The Seahawks defense finally looks decent

The decision was confusing, as the field goal attempts were likely between 40-47 yards. If you truly lack a kicker that you can trust on those distances, you should spend more time finding one. The decision to not kick in those moments, likely cost the Cardinals a win.

As the game progressed, the defense gained confidence and control. The pass rush began to overwhelm the Cardinals and hit the escape maestro Kyler Murray hard. To see important trench players such as Uchenna Nwosu, Shelby Harris and Darrell Taylor each get a sack is such a boost to this defense. If Nwosu and Taylor can be the number 2 type pass rushers we all were thinking of this season, this defense has a chance to be average.