Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has his defense clicking in all the ways that matter. No team in the NFL is creating pressure like Seattle, and Macdonald’s scheme isn’t even calling for many blitzes.
Defenses become extra dynamic when they can get after the quarterback with just four rushers, which provides a significant edge against young quarterbacks like Spencer Rattler. Of course, the New Orleans Saints are in a rebuilding year, putting Ratler in a precarious position as the current starter.
With those few things in mind, most football fans and experts expect the Seahawks to terrorize Rattler throughout Sunday’s contest, and they’re right to think so.
Seahawks present Spencer Rattler with his first 2025 reality check
There’s no doubt that Seattle has an edge in the matchup because of their ability to create pressure from the defensive front. However, New Orleans has done a solid job so far in protecting their young quarterback.
Rattler has been sacked just four times this season, the same total Seattle’s defense brings into Week 3. But Rattler has been a mixed bag under pressure himself. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Rattler has only been sacked on 13.3% of the pressures he has faced. In that respect, he’s done well to protect the football and avoid negative plays.
Through 2 weeks, how often QBs scramble and how often pressure turns into a sack. pic.twitter.com/SsE7Xg7mVZ
— Jrfortgang (@throwthedamball) September 16, 2025
Overall, Rattler has shown significant improvement in dealing with the pressures so far in the young season. Last year, even with his limited playing opportunities, Rattler was easily the worst quarterback in the NFL when under duress.
All of that said, Rattler hasn’t faced a defense like Seattle yet, at least based on the stats. Arizona and San Francisco, the two teams he’s faced so far, have pressure rates that are more than 20 points less than Seattle, 16.7% and 16.9% respectively, compared to the Seahawks’ gaudy 38.5%. Obviously, New Orleans’ offensive line deserves some credit for keeping both of those numbers low.
Still, two solid games from Rattler are not enough to flip the trends. If Seattle can conjure the same level of pressure they put on Brock Purdy and Aaron Rodgers in the first two weeks, Rattler isn’t going to respond in the same manner as those two proven starters.
Sure, Rattler may do well enough to prevent turnovers and negative plays, but he’ll certainly be handcuffed if Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams, and the rest of the Seattle front are bearing down on him for 60 minutes.