Seattle Seahawks Coming Off Worst Pass-Rush Performance of Season

Entering Week 4, the Seahawks led the NFL in team pressures. As injuries continue to stack up and the defense has seemingly regressed in consecutive losses, Seattle has fallen all the way to seventh in the league (97 total team pressures). The Lions, ranked ninth, have 94 team pressures and had a bye in Week 5, for comparison.

The Minnesota Vikings continue to be the league’s most consistent unit, leading the NFL with 114 team pressures through five games. The Cincinnati Bengals led the league in Week 5 with 29 pressures in their 41-38 thrilling loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Seattle’s defensive front has struggled to get healthy. Starting outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu missed the first four games of the season and played just 20 snaps — recording zero pressures — versus the Giants before sustaining a thigh injury. He’s now expected to be placed on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least four more games.

Edge rusher Boye Mafe (knee) didn’t play against New York, and he’s been one of the most productive players in the league this season when healthy. First-round rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II didn’t play against the Giants either. Rising second-year rusher Derick Hall, who has five sacks in as many games, left the game late with a foot injury.

Dre’Mont Jones, who moved to outside linebacker this season, continues to disappoint. He’s the 17th highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL, per Over the Cap, on a per-year basis ($17.18 million) and has just 11 pressures and one sack. Among 50 edge players with at least 100 pass-rush snaps this season, Jones ranks 42nd in pass-rush productivity, per PFF.

During a stretch of the season where Seattle has needed their fourth highest-paid player to step up, Jones’ impact has been nonexistent.

Defensive tackle Jarran Reed led the Seahawks with five pressures versus the Giants. Hall was second with four and added a sack, while linebackers Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker each also had a sack.

The status of multiple Seahawks defenders is in question for Seattle’s primetime game versus the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said Monday the status of cornerback Riq Woolen and Hall will become more clear “probably by the time we play.” Mafe’s situation is murkier.

“He wants to play. He’s working his tail off,” Macdonald said of Mafe. “It’s just a matter of whether we can pull the trigger or not at this point, if it’s safe for him to go and he feels right. We’ll see. It comes down to the wire right now with Boye [Mafe].”

Murphy isn’t expected to play, Macdonald said, as he “might take one more week” to get back on the field. Seattle would benefit from its pass rush that dominated the first three games of the season back healthy.

Seattle must beat the 49ers to maintain its first-place hold on the NFC West. Its pass rush won’t be at full strength, regardless, but some level of improved health would give the Seahawks a better chance to bounce back from consecutive losses.