Seahawks’ defense on pace to give up most yards in a season in NFL history

Posted by Michael David Smith on October 8, 2021, 5:21 AM EDT
Los Angeles Rams v Seattle Seahawks
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The Seahawks’ defense isn’t stopping anyone this season, and is on pace to break an NFL record no team would want to break.

Seattle already ranked dead last in the NFL in total yards allowed heading into Thursday night’s loss to the Rams, then gave up 476 total yards to Los Angeles. Now the Seahawks have given up a total of 2,254 yards through five games.

That’s an average of 451 yards a game, and puts the Seahawks on pace to give up 7,664 yards in a 17-game season. That would be the most in NFL history.

The current record for the most yards allowed in a season is 7,042, set by the Saints in 2012. That Saints team gave up 440 yards a game over a 16-game season, so the Seahawks are actually allowing more yards per game than the record-setting team and aren’t only on pace to break the record because the season is now 17 games long.

The Seahawks are 2-3 and in last place in the NFC West. With Russell Wilson‘s finger injury perhaps affecting their offense going forward, Seattle’s defense needs to get things fixed in a hurry.

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40 responses to “Seahawks’ defense on pace to give up most yards in a season in NFL history”

  2. My 2011 patriots who had JULIAN EDELMAN as a DB would gladly give up that award. It’s crazy too, because we forced a TON of turnovers and didn’t give up points in the red zone….just couldn’t stop them between the 20’s……

  5. Can anyone explain why Pete Carroll doesn’t get any blame for the defense’s performance? He’s a SB winning, defensive head coach right?

  6. While the defense is absolutely dreadful, the record is misleading. Today the rules favor offenses, like the new rule where cornerbacks can no longer take out pulling lineman by going low. Fans want to see scoring so rules support that. Of course the additional game changes everything. Any records that are based on “per season” will fall. And any per game numbers have to factor in the number of games played. So a running back who plays one game and has 300 combined yards could lead the average yards per game. The changes to the game make the record book meaningless and dilute the achievements of some very great players from the past.

  7. Seahawks window is firmly shut. They were w real force when Russ was on a rookie contract and they could build a dominating D and a good run game. Now they’re in the superstar QB team build mode. No chance they win a SB anytime soon.

  9. This was the same exact story last year. Players had some sort of no-coaches-present meeting and fixed it. Been wondering why that’s necessary again and since it is, why hasn’t it happened already?

  10. That Jamal Adams is the best safety in the league. I don’t care what anyone says, two first round picks and a massive contract and he is absolutely shutting down out there.

  12. All teams are playing one more game. Twelve more games to right the ship (of course it could go the other way and the wheels fall off).

  13. I have been saying Norton needs to be fired for 3-4 years, seriously, what is it going to take to get him out of Seattle?

  14. Kids, this is why when your friends tell you to give up two 1st round picks and a huge contract for a small linebacker cosplaying as a safety… you DO NOT do it.

  15. This is what happens when you continually recycle the same handful of coaches decade after decade. Ken Norton Jr. Was Dave Wansstedt not available? Wade Phillips? Dick LeBeau?

  16. No cooking without fuel on the other side. But Carroll and Schneider were masterminds in selling the farm for Adams.

  17. Isn’t Carroll supposed to be a defensive-minded coach? It seems that the offense has been carrying this team for years, and his scheme hasn’t been so hot since the Legion of Boom disbanded.

    Maybe Schneider actually deserves more of the credit for drafting Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor, Wright, Wagner, and Wilson (among others) all within a couple drafts – along with signing some key additions like Bennett and trading for Lynch.

    Of course, their drafts as of late haven’t been very impressive, so it’s possible they just got lucky back at the beginning of their run together.

  18. Didnt watch the entire game but both D’s need work. I dont see either team SB bound the way the d’s play. The Rams coach must think his front four can just rush the passer for 4 hard quarters.
    Why he doesnt put relief rushers in, in late games is beyond me, His guys were gassed but he just kept playing them. When an old Geno Smith runs away from them that says a lot.

    Bet my wife Geno would toss a pick, Told her you just watch its coming,

  20. And poor Russ is only making $19M this year (along with the prorated signing bonus of $13M for a cap number of $32M). I wonder how long it’ll be before he’s asking for more money.

  22. malarchy says:
    October 8, 2021 at 7:49 am
    Seahawks window is firmly shut. They were w real force when Russ was on a rookie contract and they could build a dominating D and a good run game. Now they’re in the superstar QB team build mode. No chance they win a SB anytime soon.

    40 3 Rate This

    ——————

    KC, Buff, Balt and Cleveland up next.

    Loving it.

  24. Just wait 10 days till the Seahawks D face the Steelers offense. The Steelers offense has the solution to what ails the Seahawks D

  26. if you ask the Fanbase, I’m sure they still believe the Seahawks are still Super Bowl favorites this year. Some dynasty.

  27. In that year, the Saints did allow 454 points, which was ranked 31th. So, a direct correlation here between yards and points allowed.
    But they had a strong offense, being second in the league, with 454 points scored. In the win/loss column, they ended up in the middle of the pack, with a 7-9 record. Ten teams had a worse win/loss record and 4 teams were 7-9.

  29. The definition of insanity, keeping the previous failed D-coordinator for several seasons even though his defense is horrible. NFL narcissism at its best.

    If Pete doesn’t fire Ken junior today John should fire both of them, and it might make Russy a bit a happier.

  30. 8king says:
    October 8, 2021 at 8:53 am
    I have been saying Norton needs to be fired for 3-4 years, seriously, what is it going to take to get him out of Seattle?
    _________
    It won’t matter. It’s Pete’s defense and he’s too stubborn to change anything. You can plug in all the different DC’s in there and they’ll look exactly the same. With the Legion of Boom, Pete would go into “bend but don’t break” defense to close out games in the 2nd half. It worked because that defense was talented enough to not break whenever they needed to. Now Pete goes into bend but don’t break mode for the whole game and it just turns into bend and break. They give up a ton of yards underneath in order to not give up the big play, but all it ends up doing is allowing the opposing offense to move down the field and score at will while eating up a ton of clock. It’s 100% on Pete and him thinking they have more talent than they actually do.

  31. The Raiders fired Ken Norton Jr. as the DC mid-season 2017 after starting the season 4-6. Looks like he didn’t improve after going back to Seattle.

  32. Seahawks window is firmly shut. They were w real force when Russ was on a rookie contract and they could build a dominating D and a good run game. Now they’re in the superstar QB team build mode. No chance they win a SB anytime soon.
    ==========

    Yeah.. it was the rookie contract.

    Not a historic D that was #1 4 years in a row… or a top 10 offense 4 years in a row..

  33. If Pete doesn’t fire Ken junior today John should fire both of them
    ==========

    John doesn’t have the power to fire Pete.

    Pete calls the defense. He has nobody to blame but himself.

  34. Maybe Schneider actually deserves more of the credit for drafting Sherman, Thomas, Chancellor, Wright, Wagner, and Wilson (among others) all within a couple drafts – along with signing some key additions like Bennett and trading for Lynch.
    ==========

    Pete had, and still has, bottom line say on personnel.

    As good as the moves were early on, they really started blowing it as they went to Super Bowls. Terrible trades; Harvin, Sheldon Richardson, Jimmy Graham.. and weak Drafts; Cristin Michael, Paul Richardson, Malik McDowell.

    But still, other than the Patriots the last decade, which team has been better than Seattle? They haven’t had a losing record since 2011, 8 of 9 Playoff trips, 2 Super Bowls.

  35. Some great coordinators are terrible head coaches. Norton Jr might be a great head coach with the right coordinators below him, we’ll never find out though.

  36. If Pete doesn’t fire Ken junior today John should fire both of them, and it might make Russy a bit a happier
    _____________

    John cannot get rid of Pete. Pete is the Executive Vice President of Football Operations, he has complete say on everything. John is the GM but Pete can always overrule him.

    Pete definitely needs a new defensive play caller but a lot is on him. He built a great D but never was able to get back to that level. Still this is very low for Pete. Caroll and Schneider have not been developing/drafting good defensive players.

  39. The game has passed Caroll by his ego won’t allow him to change. It’s the same game plan offensively and defensively for the past 10 years.

    This scheme is simply a college-level mentality. It only works when you have WAY more talent than the other team.

    Hey, I hear the USC job is open…

  40. Nothing worse for ANY fan is their team being in the position to make “Hall-of-Shame” moments during the season. It isn’t fun at all to watch.

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