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NFL Defense Power Rankings: Where Are Seattle Seahawks?

The Seattle Seahawks are improving on defense under Mike Macdonald. Where does that put them among the rest of the league?

Jeremy Brener

Jan 14, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) is
Jan 14, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) is / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
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The Seattle Seahawks ranked 25th in the NFL in points allowed last season, but that's expected to change in 2024. In order to reverse their fortunes in that department, the Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald, who coordinated the Baltimore Ravens defense. His unit allowed the fewest points in the league last year.

The addition of Macdonald is part of the reason why the Seahawks are ranked a little higher than their points allowed ranking in Bleacher Report's defense power rankings. The Seahawks clocked in at No. 20.

Mar 26, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald speaks to the media
Mar 26, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald speaks to the media / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

"It's not surprising that the Seahawks turned things over to a defensive head coach in Mike Macdonald this offseason. The defense was the Achilles heel throughout the year, finishing toward the bottom of the league in most metrics. But Macdonald's quick turnaround of the Ravens defense as their coordinator last season brings hope he can do the same in Seattle," Bleacher Report writes.

The Seahawks certainly prioritized defense in last month's draft, selecting four players highlighed by first-round defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. However, arguably the biggest facet the team needs to change is third down.

"Macdonald's first order of business is going to be improving the third-down defense. The Seahawks were 31st in third-down defense, allowing teams to convert nearly half the time," Bleacher Report writes.

Ultimately, stopping opposing offenses on third down requires the defensive line, linebackers and secondary. All 11 players have to do their part in order to succeed, so finding ways to improve each unit is a step in the right direction for the Seahawks to get better in stopping the ball.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.