Considering where the Seattle Seahawks were just 11 days ago, they and the 12s have an awful lot to be thankful for today. These three players have to be in that category. You won't find any turkeys here; they've been shipped off to other teams!
Yes, I vaguely remember that distant time when the Hawks were mired at the bottom of the NFC West. Oh yeah, that wasn't so long ago. And luckily, they weren't really terrible. Even then they weren't as bad as the Seahawks' next opponent, the J E T S. It's amazing what can happen in the span of two games.
Yes, I'm well aware that the fortunes of our favorite team could swing back again. Yet it doesn't feel like it will, does it? The offense has to get it together, that's for certain. But the strides this defense has made in the past few weeks have been remarkable. These may not be the top three defenders in Seattle, but they have more than pulled their weight in the turnaround.
The Seattle Seahawks would be at the top without these 3 players
Safety Coby Bryant
Yeah, I know he's the reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Frankly, that's about as stupid a selection as they have ever made. As John Boyle wrote, the Seahawks' own Leonard Williams could just as easily have been given the honor. Considering what Williams did to the Cardinals (2.5 sacks and three tackles for a loss), the Big Cat should have won the award. The Hawks' best defensive lineman was a special kind of beast, as Jarran Reed said.
Bryant wasn't even the best playmaker on the play that catapulted him into the spotlight. That would be Devon Witherspoon, of course. He not only forced Murray into throwing the pick-six but threw two blocks on Bryant's return. For those paying attention, Bryant was even overshadowed on his most remarkable play.
That doesn't mean Number 8 doesn't deserve accolades. He's only now getting his just due. He's the best tackler in the Hawks' secondary. With just two misses in 41 attempts, his 4.9 percent rate is not only better than any other Seattle safety, it's less than half the rate of Riq Woolen's 12.9 percent and a third of Witherspoon's 15.8 percent. Yes, corners may miss more tackles than safeties due to their positioning. But Bryant has been exceptionally sure-handed. He's also played penalty-free football. Coby Bryant has been a big part of the Seahawks' turnaround on defense.
Cornerback Josh Jobe
At least Jobe didn't ruin my article about underrated players by winning a league award this week. Thanks, man, I appreciate it. While Jobe has only two starts compared to Bryant's five, he's still played an outsized role in the Seahawks' recent success. Ever since he stepped into the starting lineup in Seattle's easy win over the Falcons, Jobe has been a revelation in the defensive backfield.
If not for injuries to both Riq Woolen and Tre Brown, the third-year player from the Crimson Tide might still be on the Seahawks practice squad. His solid play got him the starting nod in Week 8 versus the Bills. While there isn't much we want to remember about that game, Jobe won't ever forget it. He snared an interception from Buffalo QB Josh Allen, the first pick he'd allowed in 301 attempts. That was Jobe's first interception of his career.
Jobe is right behind Bryant in tackling percentage. He's missed just one, for a rate of 5.3 percent.
He hasn't allowed a touchdown yet and has a passer rating allowed of just 61.7 percent. Even more remarkable is how tight Jobe plays in coverage. This is just more confirmation that Jobe is an unsung hero for the Seahawks:
Per NFL Next Gen, Josh Jobe has yet to have a game with over 1.6 yards of separation per target for #Seahawks.
— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) November 19, 2024
In other words, even if throws are completed on him, his coverage has been tight.
Linebacker Tyrice Knight
We all saw that rookie Knight was a tacking machine in the preseason. He wasn't the best in coverage though, and Mike Macdonald opted to go with his pair of free-agent starters in the middle of the field. After nine short weeks, both Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson were gone. I still think the decision to release Dodson after the trade deadline was really strange. Surely the Seahawks could have gotten something in trade for him. I can only surmise that he requested his release when told he was being demoted.
That's not what the Hawks announced, but it seems clear now that the plan was to elevate Knight and use Dodson as a rotational player. The rookie has certainly played much better than a stop-gap player forced to be the "next man up." No, he still isn't great in coverage, but Dodson was only slightly better. Dodson allowed 8.6 yards per completion compared to Knight's 13.7. But Knight is covering deeper routes and hasn't proved to be a liability in the passing game after all.
As for his tackling, yeah, he's as solid as he looked in preseason. He's fourth in tackling rate behind the Wagneresque Ernest Jones IV and a pair of defensive linemen. There's almost no comparison of Knight's ability to stop the run to Dodson and Baker. His dynamic performance against the Cardinals was practically a routine game for him. Tyrice Knight is here to stay.