Seattle Coach Clint Hurtt: Seahawks Defense 'Growing Pains' Approaching Saints in Week 5

Seattle Coach Clint Hurtt discusses the inconsistencies on the defense so far this season and what he expects to see moving forward.

The Seattle Seahawks are a team that has had its ups and downs this season, as the process of rebuilding is not one that happens overnight. They are coming off a 48-45 shootout win over the Detroit Lions where the offense was firing on all cylinders but the defense struggled to get any stops. 

With a young defense, growing pains are expected, which defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt acknowledged.

“A lot of it right now is youthful, young guys that are playing and that are taking their lumps, but also doing a lot of good things as well," Hurtt said. "Obviously, to the standard of everyone, coaches, and players themselves included with that, you want everything to be great." 

Added Hurtt: "Don’t give up anything, and shut everything down, but there will be growing pains with young players and the introduction of a new scheme coming into it, so you are going through those things." 

The 2-2 Seahawks, who get the 1-3 New Orleans Saints in Week 5 on Sunday, might just have the pieces to build a contender-worthy defense, from linebacker Jordyn Brooks to rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen. So far this season, though, they've allowed opponents to average 29 points per game on 428 yards of total offense. 

Those numbers, of course, are higher than one would want ... but it just further illustrates the room for improvement on the Seahawks defense. If they continue to get better as the season goes on, the foundation is there for Seattle to build another contention-caliber defense in the years to come. 

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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