Pressure numbers for Seahawks in Week 2 win against Patriots are too top heavy

The Seattle Seahawks defense might be playing a bit better in 2024 than in recent seasons, but they still could be better. They hopefully will improve once edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu returns from injury and he is good against the run and the pass. In Week 2, Seattle gave up 183 yards rushing to the New England Patriots and that is awful.

To be fair, Seattle got breaks in the first two games of the season. The Denver Broncos are an offensive disaster currently and rookie quarterback Bo Nix is struggling. Still, Seattle got just two sacks and Nix got off 42 passes in the first game of the year. That isn't good enough.

In Week 2, the Seahawks had 21 total pressures, but the issue is that most of those came from just three players. Boye Mafe had six, Leonard Williams had five, and rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II had four. To truly be a terrifying defense, the opposing offenses need to be guessing at which players are going to bring pressure other than Mafe, Williams, and Murphy.

Seahawks defense needs a bit more diversity in terms of pass rush

In Week 1, Seattle had 29 pressures, but again, Mafe and Williams had many of those. The duo combined for 15 of the pressures. Maybe Nwosu helps a lot when he returns, but then the Seahawks have to hope for no injuries to Mafe, Nwosu, and Williams for the rest of the season. That seems like a big ask.

The good news is that offensively, Seattle knows who had the most issues against the Patriots. Quarterback Geno Smith was sacked three times, but he only had 14 pressures in 48 drop-backs. Fill-in right tackle Stone Forsythe gave up five of the pressures, so once George Fant or Abraham Lucas are able to return, that should help.

The other pressures came in the interior. Center Connor Williams allowed three, but he was good in Week 1 so maybe it was just a one-week inefficiency. Left guard Laken Tomlinson gave up three pressures, too, Tomlinson is probably just a one-year rental for Seattle.

The best news is that left tackle Charles Cross may have finally ascended to being one of the best players at his position in the league. He was fantastic for the second straight game and did not allow any pressures against New England. In 87 pass-block snaps this season, he has yet to allow any pressures.

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