Seahawks Defense Dead Last Since Week 9

[Jac]

And he's obviously a "defensive HC". And given every resource to invest in said defense (including wasting next year's second rounder). I don't know how anybody still defends him just because he won a SB an entire decade ago. This is so beyond unacceptable.

 

[xray]

Legion of gloom ?

 

[xray]

Anybody watch today's " Angry Runs " segment on GMF ; highlighting the Steelers RBs running over and throwing the Hawks D around ? Laughable ...

 

[RiverDog]

At the risk of being accused of putting lipstick on a pig, I have to bring a little bit of fairness to that observation. Our schedule has been backloaded, with teams like the Niners x2, Eagles, and Cowboys appearing in those games, so those numbers are a bit deceiving. But they're still horrible.

 

[Maelstrom787]

They're goddamned awful. Awful. We're not keeping basic gap integrity, and the players can hardly be evaluated because they're all playing timid. None of them trust one another, and you can't play fast without the basic integrity of knowing your exact job and knowing that your teammates will do theirs. Everyone is adrift at sea just flailing.

Yes, this does start at the top. The coordinator is the responsible party for coaching these details and ensuring that these guys are ready to execute, and Pete hired him. There's a lack of effort on the rosters part, but no shit! They're in chaos! How can you go max effort when you don't know what the others are doing around you? How can you go max effort when you don't know what YOU'RE supposed to do?

Hurtt should've been canned last year. The players on the front 7, at a minimum, knew their gaps and locked down the run under KNJ. This is objective number one of any defense: locking down the run game. You cannot let them move automatically in a grinding fashion while pulverizing the clock and gassing your D. This was unacceptable in 2022, and I know the justification from Pete is "Well, we tried to do too much at once change wise and I put him in a bad spot," but I don't care for that excuse at this point. Emasculation is unacceptable.

At least the offense isn't quitting because there's no structure. They're sloppy as all hell under Waldron compared to Schotty, but it isn't like the defense. This defense is an executable mistake, and there's no amount of HC stepping in that could've fixed it.

Hire a better talent for DC, surround them with experienced coaches, and get competent again. Just competent. Start with that.

 

[keasley45]

They're goddamned awful. Awful. We're not keeping basic gap integrity, and the players can hardly be evaluated because they're all playing timid. None of them trust one another, and you can't play fast without the basic integrity of knowing your exact job and knowing that your teammates will do theirs. Everyone is adrift at sea just flailing.

Yes, this does start at the top. The coordinator is the responsible party for coaching these details and ensuring that these guys are ready to execute, and Pete hired him. There's a lack of effort on the rosters part, but no shit! They're in chaos! How can you go max effort when you don't know what the others are doing around you? How can you go max effort when you don't know what YOU'RE supposed to do?

Hurtt should've been canned last year. The players on the front 7, at a minimum, knew their gaps and locked down the run. This is objective of any defense: locking down the run game. You cannot let them move automatically in a grinding fashion while pulverizing the clock and gassing your D. This was unacceptable in 2022, and I know the justification from Pete is "Well, we tried to do too much at once change wise and I put him in a bad spot," but I don't care for that excuse at this point. Emasculation is unacceptable.

At least the offense isn't quitting because there's no structure. They're sloppy as all hell under Waldron compared to Schotty, but it isn't like the defense. This defense is an executable mistake, and there's no amount of HC stepping in that could've fixed it.

Hire a better talent for DC, surround them with experienced coaches, and get competent again. Just competent. Start with that.

And draft heavy, LB, DL and Safety

 

[SeAhAwKeR4life]

Wow I read that title as "Seahawks Defense Dead Since Week 9".

And I was like "So that's why!"

 

[mistaowen]

In my opinion, there are two major issues that have destroyed the defense this year. 1) Clint Hurtt has no business being the DC, this was immediately clear last season and has only gotten worse in 2023 and 2) the ancillary players, or the 'role players' simply aren't good enough around the general core that exists. Guys like Cody Barton, Ryan Neal, etc needed to be upgraded and the players who took their spot are actually playing worse. The interior DL with Williams is really good but there is absolutely no one behind them who can make plays (sorry Bobby) and Nwosu getting hurt shouldn't derail an NFL defense, as good as he was playing. The never ending theme is that when issues present themselves, the defense (coaches) are NEVER proactive in fixing it. What changes have been made since the wheels started falling off? As players got hurt, no obvious schematic changes have occurred to LIMIT the obvious concerning areas. NFL offenses are insanely smart now, they know this, see this, and exploit this. Steelers have a poor OL and came into Sunday saying we are bigger, stronger, and meaner and will run it at will. This was a DAMNING display of coaching, irregardless of players essentially giving up on tackling.

Both of these things ultimately point to Pete for 1) hiring Hurtt and 2) constructing the roster. Point one can be easily fixed this offseason and I think needs to be deeper than just Clint getting the axe; almost all positional coaches need to be replaced. This is a very, very bad defense that cannot line up in correct assignments, don't communicate, and quite honestly look like they're just going through the motions. AT LEAST Jamal Adams plays with fire whenever he's on the field, even if he's clearly injured still and may never be the player he once was. Woolen is the most frustrating defensive player I can recall watching and even though his coverage is good, I have no problem benching him with how pathetic his effort is on run D and tackling.

Pete has been more involved with what a DC is supposed to manage this year than I can ever recall seeing him be and I HOPE this suggests change will come soon. It is obviously his defense ultimately but head coaches delegate all kinds of responsibilities to GOOD DC's who oversee the structure, play by play decisions, and finding answers.

 

[NoGain]

We need to get over the idea of separating Hurtt from PC, as if PC is somehow absolved of the fact that he's in charge of the team.

 

[Maelstrom787]

We need to get over the idea of separating Hurtt from PC, as if PC is somehow absolved of the fact that he's in charge of the team.

That seems regressive. Ultimate culpability for the hire falls on Pete, but determining the moving parts responsible for the current defensive ineptitude is a more nuanced conversation altogether.

Hurtt has obviously not been able to implement some basic defensive principles that our previous defensive coordinators have. Implementation falls on them whereas direction falls on the head coach, strictly in a gameplanning and scheme sense.

 

[hoxrox]

And draft heavy, LB, DL and Safety

They've been drafting BPA as far as I can tell for the past two years though. Even when everyone knew biggest need was DT and LB. Did they draft those positions in the upper rounds though? Nope.

BPA approach has yielded quality talent, but major holes remain unfilled.

 

[Fade]

They're goddamned awful. Awful. We're not keeping basic gap integrity, and the players can hardly be evaluated because they're all playing timid. None of them trust one another, and you can't play fast without the basic integrity of knowing your exact job and knowing that your teammates will do theirs. Everyone is adrift at sea just flailing.

Yes, this does start at the top. The coordinator is the responsible party for coaching these details and ensuring that these guys are ready to execute, and Pete hired him. There's a lack of effort on the rosters part, but no shit! They're in chaos! How can you go max effort when you don't know what the others are doing around you? How can you go max effort when you don't know what YOU'RE supposed to do?

Hurtt should've been canned last year. The players on the front 7, at a minimum, knew their gaps and locked down the run under KNJ. This is objective number one of any defense: locking down the run game. You cannot let them move automatically in a grinding fashion while pulverizing the clock and gassing your D. This was unacceptable in 2022, and I know the justification from Pete is "Well, we tried to do too much at once change wise and I put him in a bad spot," but I don't care for that excuse at this point. Emasculation is unacceptable.

At least the offense isn't quitting because there's no structure. They're sloppy as all hell under Waldron compared to Schotty, but it isn't like the defense. This defense is an executable mistake, and there's no amount of HC stepping in that could've fixed it.

Hire a better talent for DC, surround them with experienced coaches, and get competent again. Just competent. Start with that.

Imagine thinking Clint Hurtt is the top?

Hahaha ha. Pete is in charge of everything pertaining to football operations. That is the top.

No DC worth his salt is going to come in and be under Pete. Quinn wouldn't even come back.

The most realistic scenario is Carl Scott is promoted to DC. Another "yes" man.

Or Sean Desai is brought back, something like that.

Pete has stated many times that he must have total control for his program to work. Down to what the players have for lunch at training camp. It is a pre-requisite his coordinators are "yes" men.

He is not a Jon Harbaugh CEO type. Who knows his limitations as it pertains to X's and O's. 70% of the playbook is Pete's, as he has publicly stated.

Judy, could step in and challenge him, and the old guy not willing to give it up yet, could possibly agree to being a figurehead, but that is more like a hope and a prayer.

The best choice, is just to simply have Pete retire, fire, move out of the way, whatever, so the franchise can finally move forward.

 

[jammerhawk]

I'm sorry but all this 'Yes Man' stuff is rubbish.

Without a doubt the buck stops on Pete's desk but it is unrealistic indeed to think that every facet of the teams operations must be signed off on by PC. When would he find the time to do all of that: i.e. setting the lunch menus, etc..

Be realistic in your criticisms a great deal of your opinion is supported by data but the coordinators have roles and those roles are pretty detailed and out DC is floundering doing his job.

 

[ccla]

That seems regressive. Ultimate culpability for the hire falls on Pete, but determining the moving parts responsible for the current defensive ineptitude is a more nuanced conversation altogether.

Hurtt has obviously not been able to implement some basic defensive principles that our previous defensive coordinators have. Implementation falls on them whereas direction falls on the head coach, strictly in a gameplanning and scheme sense.

This is not a one or two year thing. Look back at the DCs in the last 10 years and then come back and tell me Pete is not responsible.

 

[jammerhawk]

I believe Pete bears the ultimate responsibility but the present DC has now shown us 2 seasons of futility in doing his job.

My view is that if PC doesn't can Hurrt than he needs to go. However so does Hurrt.

 

[James in PA]

Even if you want to put most of the blame the defensive coordinator, what's it say about Pete's judgment that he keeps hiring one awful one after another?

 

[Wheetie]

I'm sorry but all this 'Yes Man' stuff is rubbish.

Without a doubt the buck stops on Pete's desk but it is unrealistic indeed to think that every facet of the teams operations must be signed off on by PC. When would he find the time to do all of that: i.e. setting the lunch menus, etc..

Be realistic in your criticisms a great deal of your opinion is supported by data but the coordinators have roles and those roles are pretty detailed and out DC is floundering doing his job.

32nd place.

So, either Carroll doesn't micromanage and it gets that result and he does nothing to fix it...

Or, he does micromanage and gets that result which shows total incompetence.

Not sure what's worse?

 

[jammerhawk]

Look the D truly sucks and intends to be fixed, frankly think PC is out of ideas and was hoping that a new approach could help fix a D that seems stuck in a confused scheme. Hence the present confused 3-4 version of crap being served up as a D. Hurrt is clearly over his head and so was his predecessor, Hurrt can't fix this mess and new blood is needed.

What is important here instead of pointing blame fingers is to fix the problem. Clearly PC hasn't got that long to go as a HC and he may just decide that enough is enough, though I think the job allows him to think young. The team's overall competitive philosophy is being screwed over by the crap served up on D.

What is needed is a new DC who Pete will have to relinquish some power to, not that I don't think that is already the case b/c nobody can con control every thing.

 

[James in PA]

Hurrt is clearly over his head and so was his predecessor

And so was HIS predecessor. Remember the Kris Richard disaster? Dude wasn't even on anyone's staff this year. PC just keeps hiring one giant bust after another. I bet PC would bring back Sean Desai to run this D if given the chance.

 

[Jville]

Hurtt doesn't look like he is finishing well.

Karl Scott's 1st year as defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach has been a big disappointment for me. My excitement in anticipation of the Big Nickle fell flat on it's face.