‘We’re never satisfied.’ Seahawks racking up sacks, but Jarran Reed says surging defense can get more
The Seahawks defense is suddenly surging — and everyone is benefiting.
It’s a welcome change. After spending much of the season grappling with injuries and searching for consistency, it seems Seattle’s once listless defensive unit is now ready for a late season push.
“We just stayed grounded, continued to work every week, every week we got better,” Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed said Wednesday on a Zoom call with reporters. “And we just continue to get better. We keep growing as a defense.
“We’re not perfect now — but it’s coming — and we just continue to work.”
The Seahawks allowed more than 400 yards of offense to each of their first six opponents, and seven of their first eight. Three times they allowed an opponent more than 500 yards.
Each week, it seemed the task of quarterback Russell Wilson and Seattle’s offense to outgain and outscore opponents at an unsustainable pace.
But, after allowing 420 yards in their Week 9 loss to the Bills, and a season-high 44 points, the defense has made marked improvements each week.
They allowed 389 in a loss to the Rams the following week, 314 in a win over the Cardinals and a season-low 250 in Sunday’s win in Philadelphia.
The scores have improved each week, too. Los Angeles put up 23 points, Arizona 21 and the Eagles a season-low 17. (It could have been nine had Carson Wentz not thrown for a score with 12 seconds to play and down two touchdowns.)
“We definitely can feel the momentum of the shift happening, and this is what we have been waiting for,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “We all had to be patient because we all wanted to see it going, but now it’s time to keep proving it.”
One of the biggest momentum shifts? The Seahawks finally have their pass rush firing. In its first seven games, Seattle tallied 12 sacks. In the past four since the arrival of defensive end Carlos Dunlap against the Bills — the Seahawks tallied a season-high seven sacks in Buffalo — the defense has 19. Seattle’s 31 sacks this season now rank seventh in the NFL.
“You guys wouldn’t have thought — I wouldn’t have thought — that it might be possible to be a top-10 rushing group,” Carroll said. “What are we? We’re up in the top-10 numbers in terms of sacks and hits on the quarterbacks and we have turned that thing around in a hurry.”
Part of what has contributed to the sudden momentum shift is the addition of Dunlap, who has four sacks in his first four games in Seattle.
“He knows how to rush,” Reed said. “That was key to bring him in. Especially when Bruce (Irvin) went down. We needed another factor on the edge, and it was just perfect timing and he’s a real great player.”
Part of the shift is the return of Jamal Adams from his groin injury. The safety leads Seattle with 6 1/2 sacks in seven games.
But, whatever factors are contributing to the sudden improvement, this is certain — everyone is getting involved. The Seahawks now have nine players with two or more sacks this season.
Reed in particular — whose 10 1/2 sacks in 2018 trailed only Frank Clark for the team lead — is benefitting from the added help on the edge. After tallying one sack in Seattle’s first seven games, he has three more since Dunlap’s arrival, two more tackles for losses and six quarterback hits.
Reed said anytime a Seahawks defender makes a play lately, the others are feeding off of the energy.
“It goes to the other 10 guys on the field — and that’s when anybody makes a play,” Reed said. “Who’s next? Who’s going to make that next play? We’re playing off each other right now. We’re rolling. We’re jelling together.”
But, as the team sacks continue to climb — Seattle sacked Wentz six times Sunday — Reed said the Seahawks can improve further.
“That’s good, but we can do better,” Reed said. “We can get more. I feel like we leave some on the table and we’re hungry. We’re never satisfied nor are we just content (with) what we’re doing right now.
“We want to do more.”
