Seahawks have already proven a huge problem has been fixed under Mike Macdonald

The Seattle Seahawks defense enters the 2024 season missing more than one-third of the tackles from 2023. Bobby Wagner, Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams alone accounted for almost 200 solo stops. They all moved east this off-season. And I’m not even mentioning Will Dissly. If I throw in his tackles...er, tackle...well, it actually doesn’t change the percentages at all. I just kind of miss Dissly.

The once-formidable Hawks defense had clearly been losing a step over the last few seasons. You could see it in pass coverage. But you could see it just as much in tackling. A secondary that once tackled like a gang of linebackers was suddenly whiffing – going for knockout blows instead of simply getting the ball carrier on the ground.

Based on this preseason, that is something Mike Macdonald and Aden Durde began to address immediately. And though it’s foolish to draw too many conclusions from three preseason games, I will go out on this limb. The Hawks may have a dozen other problems, but tackling ain’t one.

Seahawks ability to tackle seems much better under new head coach Mike Macdonald

With a majority of starting defenders on the field at the beginning of the game, Cleveland’s offense could barely move. This was reminiscent of the Chargers game two weeks ago. If not for a roughing penalty on Uchenna Nwosu, it would have been a quick three and out.

When the backups entered, there were obvious coverage problems. First Cedric Tillman, and later Jamari Thrash, ran free through a secondary that for the first time this preseason looked confused. There were poor reads and on several occasions it appeared at least one of the defensive backs was not in on the defensive call.

But the tackling remained a silver lining. Nehemiah Pritchett and D.J. James were both beaten on a few plays, but for the most part, they minimized the damage by closing fast and dropping the receiver immediately.

It seems silly to have to say this because tackling is important regardless of the scheme, but for teams that rely on zone coverages, it is paramount. Receivers will find gaps in zones. The key is to close and tackle. A five-yard slant doesn’t hurt you on 3rd and 7 provided you tackle. Pritchett and James did that very well on Saturday, and they were far from the only ones.

Tyrice Knight continued to put on a tackling clinic against the Browns. His play at the end of the first quarter on D’Onta Foreman is the kind of stop he has been making throughout camp. On the Browns' ensuing drive, they attempted some misdirection on a screen to Aiden Robbins but two Hawks defenders were waiting for him.

Then, on 3rd and 7, Lance Boykin did exactly what I described above. He decked Browns receiver Michael Woods II a yard short of the first down. Unfortunately, Boykin also committed a silly taunting penalty which nullified his great play and led directly to Cleveland’s first touchdown.

That was a discipline problem. We saw a different type of discipline problem in the second half when Hawks defenders were at times unable to corral a mobile quarterback like Tyler Hundley. But in the second half, they continued tackling.

On the first defensive play of the second half, safety Ty Okada stopped James Proche after a two-yard catch on the left sideline. On the very next play, Okada again dropped a receiver immediately. This time it was Treyton Welch after a three-yard gain – and it was all the way on the right side of the field. And anyone watching couldn’t help but notice Patrick O’Connell making tackles left, right, and middle throughout the second half.

Jamie Sheriff, who scored big with a couple of sacks during the game, whiffed on a tackle in the left flat in the 4th quarter, and seeming to realize just how unacceptable that is in this defense, came back a few plays later and made a fabulous tackle on mammoth tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden, preventing a first down.

But I think my favorite tackle of the night came a few plays earlier. Michael Dickson launched one of his run-of-the-mill 57-yard punts into the Seattle night sky. It was fielded by speedy return man Jaelon Darden. And he was quickly dropped by...George Holani. Yes, this team tackles so well that even backup running backs want to get in on the act. That’s the kind of play that makes you miss Will Dissly just a little bit less.

The Hawks defense still has plenty of kinks to work out. But if they keep tackling like this, they will be hard to move the ball on all season.

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