Seattle Seahawks' Diverse Pressures Against the Denver Broncos
Seattle Seahawks' Diverse Pressures Against the Denver Broncos
The Seattle Seahawks' defense put consistent pressure on rookie quarterback Bo Nix last Sunday. Nix completed 26 of 42 passes for 138 yards and threw 2 interceptions. The Seahawks' defense also forced 2 fumbles, recovering one. It wasn’t the debut Nix was hoping for, but it highlighted some effective pressures used by Seattle's defense. In this breakdown, we’ll look at the different pressures the Seahawks brought against Nix throughout the game. Let’s get started.
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Seahawk Pressures
The Seahawks started off their pressures with a simulated pressure, often referred to by coaches as "Brady." This tactic sends the weak-side inside linebacker on a rush while dropping the opposite defensive end into coverage. To add another layer of complexity, Seattle aligned 3 of their 4 rushers on the same side, a look commonly known as a "Boss front," which usually means "bigs on the same side." While they weren't using traditional defensive linemen in this case, the linebackers were essentially functioning as linemen for the play's purpose.
The next pressure from the Seahawks featured a 6-man front aimed at drawing the offensive protection toward the boundary. They then brought an overload pressure from the field with the Nickel, running a fire zone Cover 3 behind it. Nix did well to slide in the pocket and move away from the pressure, but the pass ultimately fell incomplete.
In their next pressure, the Seahawks sent the Nickel through the open B gap, using goal-line quarters coverage behind it. The Broncos were running zone, and with the guard and center occupied by the nose tackle, the Nickel was able to shoot through the gap and make a tackle for loss.
In this pressure, the Seahawks loaded 7 defenders on the line of scrimmage. They eventually rushed five and dropped into "spot" coverage, which is a quarters look with just two hook players underneath. In this case, the two interior defensive linemen dropped into those hook zones, allowing the rest of the quicker skill defenders for the pass rush.
Later in the game, the Seahawks brought double corner pressure with Cover 2 behind it on a toss play. While the corner blitz didn't have much impact on the outcome of the play, it's still worth highlighting. The real standout here was #53, who did an excellent job of redirecting after beating his man inside, resulting in a tackle for loss.
The next pressure was a standard field (Nickel) fire zone with a strong rotation into a fire zone Cover 3. A key detail here is the rotating safety's ability to come down from depth and make an excellent open-field tackle.
This next pressure showcased a creative fire zone. The Seahawks lined up in their familiar Boss front with a 3-high safety structure. One linebacker was positioned away from the Boss front, while the other was aligned over the center. At the snap, the walked-up linebacker bailed into the middle hook, and the two outside safeties dropped into the seam/flat areas, setting up a fire zone Cover 3 look. The nose tackle executed a stunt across the center’s face. The key to this play was the blitzing linebacker, who initially appeared to be rushing opposite the nose but instead picked the guard, allowing the defensive end to work back inside. This created solid pressure on Nix, forcing him to throw into the flat. The safety coming down made a big play, forcing a fumble that the Seahawks recovered.
The Seahawks went back to the "Brady" concept two more times from different alignments, forcing Nix to make quick throws to the flat. Following those pressures, they dialed up another Nickel fire zone pressure. This time, they added a twist by running the play-side defensive end on a pop stunt in addition with the pressure.
To finish the day for pressures, the Seahawks would bring that same 7-man front loaded pressure as before where they drop the two interior defensive linemen.
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Conclusion
While none of these pressures resulted in a sack, they were still valuable tools for the Seahawks. On several key third downs, these pressures forced Nix to make early throws, allowing Seattle's defense to defend the sticks and make crucial stops. It's worth noting that last season, this defense ranked among the bottom in the league, so they’re already showing significant improvement. As the season progresses, we can expect Macdonald to introduce even more exotic pressures, which should start to cause more havoc in the backfield. In this game alone, we saw a wide range of pressures, from simulated pressures to fire zones, and at least five different coverages incorporated within those schemes. If they continue building on this foundation, the Seahawks' defense has the potential to develop into a solid unit this NFL season.