Will Seattle Seahawks' Pass Protection Hold Up Against New England Patriots' Defense?

Facing an opponent with several quality edge rushers, it remains to be seen who will start at right tackle for the Seahawks, creating a big concern against the Patriots.

Sep 8, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks to pass against the Denver Broncos during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Though they were able to right the ship after halftime by leaning on a physical ground game to beat the Denver Broncos in Week 1, as they brace for their first road test in Foxboro on Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks still have significant questions along the offensive line.

Rolling into a new season, the Seahawks already knew they would be without starting right tackle Abraham Lucas for at least the first four games minimum with him on the reserve/PUP list coming off of offseason knee surgery. In his absence, veteran George Fant lasted only one quarter last Sunday before exiting with a knee injury and his status for Week 2 against the Patriots remains very much up in the air, creating depth concerns at tackle against a formidable upcoming opponent.

Wreaking havoc for Cincinnati's offensive line, Keion White produced 2.5 sacks for New England on Joe Burrow to help orchestrate a 16-10 upset road win last weekend. Aside from White's three pressures, twitchy edge defender Josh Uche also produced three pressures, while linebacker Ju'Whaun Bentley produced a partial sack as a blitzer, speeding up the clock for Burrow as the Bengals struggled to move the football all afternoon long.

White, Uche, and company may be licking their lips considering Seattle's inability to protect quarterback Geno Smith in the first half last week. Led by Jonathan Cooper and Baron Browning, Denver swarmed the veteran with a 47 percent pressure rate in the first two quarters, including a hit by defensive tackle D.J. Jones coaxing an interception on the second snap from scrimmage.

Not surprisingly, both of the Broncos sacks came against the Seahawks on the right side, as Fant surrendered a sack before leaving the game and his replacement Stone Forsythe also was charged with allowing a sack shortly after entering the lineup. Regardless of who ends up starting against the Patriots, whether it is Fant, Forsythe, or even sixth-round pick Mike Jerrell, the Patriots will surely be aiming to capitalize on that position from a game planning perspective.

With both teams riding an early wave of momentum following Week 1 victories under the direction of new head coaches, Locked On Seahawks host Corbin Smith and Locked On Patriots host Mike D'Abate dive into key storylines for both teams heading towards the Week 2 matchup, including Seattle's lingering offensive line concerns and New England's unanswered questions in the passing game, and dish out keys to victory and predictions for both teams on a jam-packed Crossover Thursday episode.

Listen to the latest Locked On Seahawks in entirety here or subscribe for free to the podcast platform of your choice here.

---

Follow and Subscribe to Locked On Seahawks on all Podcast platforms 🎧

Follow Corbin Smith on X and Threads, where he'll be sharing the latest news about the Seattle Seahawks and talking with fans.