Aden Durde, Seahawks Defense Preparing For 'Calculated' QB Josh Allen

The Seattle Seahawks will face one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL on Sunday when the Buffalo Bills come to town.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen runs laterally looking for an open receiver during second half action at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Oct. 20, 2024. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In Week 7, the Seattle Seahawks proved they can effectively defend a bonafide pocket passer in Kirk Cousins. Now, they must prepare for one of the more dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL.

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are coming to town for a Week 8 bout on Sunday. Allen, who makes his money as both an off-script passer and punishing runner, is one of the leading MVP candidates alongside Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.

The defensive margin for error while facing Allen is miniscule. One missed assignment can lead to a game-changing play.

Allen is sixth in the NFL in passing touchdowns (12) but, uncharacteristically, is the only quarterback in the league this season with at least 50 pass attempts and no interceptions. Over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, no quarterback committed more turnovers than Allen (41). He’s protecting the football this season while still putting up points.

“You can tell [Allen] is much more calculated now and his gift and his superpower is to play off schedule now,” Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde. “I think he’s playing more on schedule at times, so he poses a problem that we have to deal with. He’s a really good player and I’m excited to play him.”

Allen is on pace for just 434 rushing yards this season, however, which would be the second-lowest total of his seven-year career. He’s leading the league with 15 big-time throws to make up for it, but Allen’s rushing threat has to be accounted for by the defense on every snap.

“His ability to run the ball and as I said, off-schedule throws do present a problem, but you have to understand how are we going to rush this guy?” Durde added. “How are we rushing as one, how do we do it? How do we stay on schedule and then on the back end, how do we play after the 2.3 [seconds], as the first play breaks down, how do we suddenly attack the second player of the play?”

Buffalo’s offensive line is among the best in the league as well. Allen has only been sacked nine times this season and has faced pressure on 28.6 percent of his dropbacks. Seattle has pressured opposing quarterbacks on 57.5 percent of its pass-rush snaps this season.

If the Seahawks can't consistently pressure Allen, the defense will be far less effective than it was against Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons. The fourth-quarter pressure, especially, is what allowed the defense to generate three straight takeaways to seal Seattle’s Week 7 win.

Oct 20, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) hits Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) causing a fumble that is returned for a Seahawks touchdown during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Cornerback Riq Woolen should be back, which will bolster Seattle’s back-end coverage, but as the second-leading pass rush in the NFL, the Seahawks still have to break through the Bills’ offensive line. They’ve created that expectation.

It’ll be interesting to see what intel newly acquired linebacker Ernest Jones IV will offer the Seahawks, as he played the Bills last Sunday as a member of the Tennessee Titans. Getting a taste of how Macdonald uses Jones in the pass rush will also be a focal point. Jones, combined with Seattle’s edge rushers and dynamic interior defensive linemen, should be a tough task for a stout Buffalo front.

The Seahawks host the Bills at 1:05 p.m. PT on Sunday in the first matchup between the two teams since the 2020–21 season. Buffalo won that game 44-34 in Josh Allen’s only career game against the Seahawks.