The Seattle Seahawks are one of three NFL teams to begin the 2024 season 3-0 this season. Overlooked by many before the start of the season, the Seahawks have started the year with wins over the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Miami Dolphins.
The Seahawks have not only earned these wins but taken care of their opponents in large part because of their defense. Their pass in defense has been exceptional, leading the Seahawks to become the first team since the 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers to begin the year 3-0 while limiting all of their opponents to less than 150 passing yards, via Dante Koplowitz-Fleming.
The Seahawks are the first team to start 3-0 and allow fewer than 150 passing yards in each game since the 1979 Steelers@NFLPlus
— Dante Koplowitz-Fleming (@DanteKopFlem) September 22, 2024
In Week 1, the Broncos finished with just 132 yards through the air. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw for 149 yards in Week 2, while the Dolphins mustered 140 passing yards in Week 3.
This is of course not to compare the Seahawks to the vaunted Steel Curtain defense of the 1970s, which is one of the best defenses in NFL history and won four Super Bowls.
Zach Charbonnet #26 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after a first down during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Lumen Field on September 22, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.
Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images
The Seahawks defense has done its job through the first three games of the year, but they are not exactly going up against the Greatest Show on Turf. Rather, Seattle beat the Broncos during rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s first career start, a Patriots team lacking in high-end skill position players, and a Miami Dolphins team missing their starting quarterback.
Seattle has feasted on weak offenses, taking advantage of these groups to begin the year second in total yards and passing yards allowed per game. Against the Dolphins Sunday, the Seahawks faced quarterbacks Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle because of the concussion to Tua Tagovailoa, giving the Seahawks an easy opponent.
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Still, this is an accomplishment for a Seahawks defense that ranked third-last in total yards per game a season ago. The Seahawks gave up over 400 yards of offense in their final two games of the 2023 season and to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals. Neither team fielded great offenses over the course of the 2023 season, but took advantage of the Seahawks and played a role in Seattle missing the postseason.
To start this year, the Seahawks have played sound defense in the passing game. The addition of head coach Mike Macdonald has been essential, as Macdonald came to Seattle after coaching a Baltimore Ravens defense in 2023 that ranked first in points allowed per game and sixth in both total yards and passing yards per game.
For more news on the Seahawks, make sure to head over to Newsweek Sports.
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