Seahawks Week 6 MVP: Rookie sensation Tariq Woolen

The Seahawks defense returned in a big way vs the Cards. Tariq Woolen was as big a part of that as anyone on the team. For my money, the biggest.

Red alert! Red Alert! It has literally been years since we saw the Seahawks defense hold an opponent to three points, that being the 40-3 win over the Jets on December 13, 2020. It’s been six years since the D kept an opponent from celebrating a touchdown, vs the Rams in December of 2016. Seems hard to believe it’s been that long, right? Tariq Woolen seems determined to bring those days back to Seattle.

It’s far too early to say the Hawks defense is back to LOB levels, as it’s just been one game. Still, their stellar performance in week six is cause for celebration and more than a little hope. We can’t get too crazy, though. Even in the heyday of the Legion of Boom they only had four stretches where they held opponents to single digits, two in 2014 and two in 2015 (counting the playoffs). So let’s not expect a miraculous turnaround just yet.

Seahawks defense shines with Tariq Woolen in the spotlight

That being said, this was a terrific performance by the Seahawks defense, and there’s no reason they can’t continue in this vein. No, I don’t believe they’ll rack up six sacks this week, but they can certainly play better than they did against the Lions and Saints. Seattle got great performances from Uchenna Nwosu, Ryan Neal, Poona Ford, and Coby Bryant. It might be easier to simply list the entire defense.

I can’t leave out the work that running back Ken Walker III put in. Stepping up for the injured Rashaad Penny, he showed that he has the stamina (21 carries on 47 plays) and the explosion (34-yard run, after week 5’s 69-yarder in New Orleans). Surely by now, those that doubted the Hawks selection of Walker are enjoying their healthy helpings of crow. And while Geno Smith didn’t have any explosive plays, he didn’t make any mistakes either. We all know a certain QB now residing in Denver who would have forced a pass or two and turned the ball over.

But we’re here to praise one of the Hawks great rookies, Tariq Woolen. He has been phenomenal virtually all year. For the record, I agree that he may be better than Richard Sherman. We’re talking about eventually, not at this moment. But as you can see from Lee Vowell’s analysis, Woolen is ahead of Sherman as a rookie. Well ahead. This could have been his third game MVP, and certainly won’t be his last.