Toward the end of his reign as head coach, a principal issue began to emerge with Pete Carroll and his staff: they showed an inability to adjust.
Whether this be to the standards of the modern NFL or in-game adaptations, the Seattle Seahawks always felt a step behind the elite NFL teams.
This may have been an issue with Carroll, who was previously sugarcoated by high-end talent such as a young Russell Wilson and an electrifying defense. However, 2023 was the most naked the Seahawks roster had felt in a long time. Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love highlighted a relatively unimpressive defense, and injuries to Geno and poor offensive line play led to middling offensive play.
Carroll’s ineptness was highlighted in the last home game he ever coached, a brutal loss to a Mason Rudolph-led Steelers team that essentially closed their playoff window. In this game, the Steelers handed the ball off to Najee Harris a staggering 27 times, with Jaylen Warren and Rudolph chipping in to add another 19 carries.
It was pretty clear what their game plan was— establish the run and make it easy for Rudolph to throw the ball. Offensively, the Seahawks struggled with third-down percentage all year, posting a 22nd-ranked 36.23%. This number flattened toward the end of the season, as the Seahawks went 3-for-9 (33%) against Pittsburgh, punctuated by numerous failures where they didn’t even gain a yard.
It would be one thing if these were newer issues, but the Seahawks hadn’t had a third-down conversion percentage in the league’s top half since 2019 and didn’t have a top 16 rushing yards per game allowed since 2020. These commonalities plagued the Seahawks continuously, and Carroll never seemed to adjust, an issue that eventually resulted in the end of his time in Seattle.
A New Era In The Needle
Now, it’s 2024. Enter Mike Macdonald, a young, defensive-minded person willing to embrace the modern NFL and analytics and implement his defensive-minded vision. Macdonald’s ability to adjust has transformed the Seahawks from a middle-of-the-pack team hanging out of the playoffs to a team that controls its destiny and currently leads the NFC West by one game.
Macdonald’s ability to alter his defense became apparent in the second game he coached against the Patriots. In the first half, Hunter Henry gashed the Seahawks defense with seven catches for 92 yards. Macdonald promptly switched around his defense, using rookie LB Tyrice Knight to track Henry across the field in man-to-man coverage. Henry only logged one reception for nine yards in the second half, and the Seahawks defense allowed only 40 passing yards in the second half, pulling out a win in overtime.
Mike Macdonald’s Offseason Moves Have Been Difference Makers
Macdonald wasn’t afraid to change the status quo and implement his defensive philosophy, taking an aggressive approach in the shuffling of his roster. Over the offseason, the Seahawks signed LBs Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson, hoping to strengthen their weak linebacker core and search for Macdonald’s Patrick Queen, the key to his defense in Baltimore.
However, neither linebacker was a strong fit for the system. Baker and Dodson were good tacklers but extremely poor against the run. Macdonald promptly traded Baker to the Titans for Ernest Jones and cut Dodson, their leading tackler, giving the rookie Knight an extended role.
Jones has proved to be a massive addition to the defense, making plays all over the field, and Knight has shifted comfortably to become a solid addition. The Seahawks, who on average give up 337.6 yards per game, have only given up 277.7 per game since Jones arrived, including divisional bouts with the 49ers and Cardinals.
Mike Macdonald is a breath of fresh air for Seahawks fans who have watched Carroll’s outdated philosophy wither across the last couple of years. In a season with little to no expectations, the fact that they are leading their division this late into the season speaks volumes about how Macdonald has led the team.
While they still have core issues, such as offensive line issues and poor special teams play, this team has come a long way. It seems Macdonald will be at the helm for a while, looking to lead Seattle to the promised land again.
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