The Seahawks have a chance to take the lead in the NFC West after their amazing comeback win over the 49ers. A win over the Cardinals won’t be easy, especially if they’re not up to this particular challenge.
The Hawks came to life last week, there’s no doubt about it. The defense has been much better since Ernest Jones IV arrived in what has so far proved to be an exceptional change. Jones has helped Seattle put the clamps on the opposition’s running game. That’s something neither Jerome Baker nor Tyrel Dodson could do on this team. Now if only he can help the Hawks cure another long-term issue.
The pass defense has tightened up in the past two games. Coby Bryant has played well in the safety spot and is proving the move from cornerback to be the best for him and the team. Devon Witherspoon is picking up the pace as well. He had the highest grade of any Hawks defender from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) last week. All you had to do is watch the game to see why.
This has been a problem for the Hawks for far longer than this season. But it’s been a glaring issue this year. Take a look at the damage the opposition has done so far against our guys through the first 10 games:
| QB | Attempts | Yards | 1st Downs | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bo Nix | 5 | 35 | 3 | 1 |
| Jacoby Brissett | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Thompson/Boyle | 0/1 | 0/6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jared Goff | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daniel Jones | 11 | 38 | 3 | 0 |
| Brock Purdy | 4 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| Kirk Cousins | 1 | -1 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Allen | 7 | 25 | 4 | 0 |
| Matthew Stafford | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brock Purdy | 5 | 40 | 3 | 1 |
| Average | 3.9 | 16.6 | 1.5 | .2 |
I know, it doesn’t look so bad overall, right? Not even 20 yards or two first downs a game. How is this a problem again? It’s a major problem for the Hawks. If we eliminate the guys who never run – Goff, Stafford, and Cousins – and the absolute stiffs/backups – Skylar Thompson, Tim Boyle, and Jacoby Brissett – we’re left with the QBs that can do damage with their legs. Bo Nix has already improved a lot since Week 11, Purdy is dangerous with his feet, and Allen is straight-up lethal. Just ask the Chiefs about him, And Daniel Jones – well, at least he can run.
Yeah, I know, duh. Running quarterbacks are more dangerous with their feet than pure pocket passers. The issue is that the Hawks aren’t very good at containing them. Looking at Nix, Jones, Allen, and Purdy, we have five games versus Seattle. The table below shows their season averages compared to what they did against the Seahawks. They’ve been even more dangerous against Seattle than in other games.
| QB | YPG | 1st Dn /G | TD/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nix | 26.8 | 2.5 | .4 | |
| Jones | 26.5 | 2.6 | .2 | |
| Purdy | 26.7 | 2.6 | .4 | |
| Allen | 28.7 | 2.8 | .5 | |
| Hawks allowed | 31.4 | 3.0 | .4 |
And who’s coming to town this week? Only the best of this group, at least when it comes to running the ball. Yes, Kyler Murray still runs like a toddler who emptied the cookie jar. But he’s just as hard to catch. He’s averaging 37.1 yards per game, well ahead of the competition. He’s actually below the previous group in first downs with just 1.7 per game, and his touchdowns are the same at .4 per contest.
Murray is only 2-6 versus Seattle for his career, but he’s still very dangerous, especially on the ground. He’s averaged 47 yards per game against the Hawks. You can take some solace in knowing that he’s even more difficult for the Niners to handle.
But considering what the Seahawks have surrendered so far this season to quarterbacks that can scoot, they need to step their game up Sunday. I suspect Ernest Jones IV and Devon Witherspoon will have a lot to say about the outcome of this battle.
