Seahawks Pass Rush Better Than Numbers Show in Week 11

Even if the statistics don't show it, the Seattle Seahawks' pass rush was a key contribution in their Week 11 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Nov 17, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Dre'Mont Jones (55) sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. / David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The numbers might not be stellar, but the Seattle Seahawks gave San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy a difficult test on Sunday.

In Seattle’s 20-17 win over the Niners in Week 11, the Seahawks pressured Purdy on just 39.5 percent of his 38 dropbacks, per Pro Football Focus, but they emerged with two sacks and hurried him on 11 of those 15 pressures.

It was a stark difference from the Seahawks’ first game against San Francisco, where they pressured Purdy on 90.3 percent of his 31 dropbacks, but didn’t register any sacks. That was, and still is, Seattle’s highest pressure rate of the season, but it didn’t translate to success in the 36-24 loss in Week 6.

The numbers from the two games show why pressures are a subjective statistic and shouldn’t be used to measure the complete health of a pass rush. Seattle blitzed Purdy heavily and was inconsistent in accruing pressures, but the Niners signal-caller was under heat regularly and was forced to make plays with his legs consistently to weasel out of tough situations.

Purdy had a season-low 159 passing yards on 21 of 28 completions. He threw one touchdown and one interception and rushed for one more score. Seattle also batted two of his passes, one of which resulted in the first interception of nose tackle Johnathan Hankins’ 12-year career off the hands of cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

Outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones continued his impressive second-third of the season, leading Seattle with five pressures, four hurries and a sack, per PFF. Defensive tackle Jarran Reed had three pressures and edge rusher Boye Mafe had two. Five other players had one pressure for the Seahawks in Week 11.

Jones had 11 pressures, seven hurries, three hits and one sack over Seattle’s first five games. He has 19 pressures, 12 hurries, five hits and two sacks in the last five games.

Still, Seattle’s pressure rate in Week 11 was their third-lowest rate of the season, coming in just ahead of Week 5 versus the New York Giants (37.5 percent) and Week 8 versus the Buffalo Bills (28.9 percent) — both of which were losses for the Seahawks by at least nine points.

In terms of their league standing, Seattle’s fallen to the middle of the pack statistically following their bye week. The Seahawks have been in the top 10 in team pressures all season until now, ranking 10th (189 pressures). Their 15 pressures versus San Francisco ranked 14th in the NFL in Week 11.

Seattle has just 23 sacks on the year, which ranks 24th leaguewide. Its 12.17 percent pressure-to-sack rate also comes in at 25th in the NFL. The league average this season is 14.7 percent, with the Atlanta Falcons (7.58 percent) dead last and the Giants (20.22 percent) leading all teams.

Early in the season, most of Seattle’s pressure was coming from outside linebackers Derick Hall and Boye Mafe and defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Those players are still contributing, but the load is more spread across the Seahawks’ front now.

Nov 17, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) scrambles away from Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) and Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) in the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. / David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Hall, Mafe, Jones, Williams and Reed all have at least 27 pressures this season. Hall still leads the team with six total sacks, which is tied for 29th among all players.

Seattle’s Week 12 game versus the Arizona Cardinals won’t be a cakewalk. The Cardinals offensive line has given up pressure on 24.4 percent of Kyler Murray’s 312 dropbacks this season — just under four percent better than the Niners. Murray has been sacked just 15 times this season, which is the third-least among quarterbacks this season with at least 300 dropbacks, per PFF.

Murray also presents an elite rushing threat, piling up 371 yards and four scores on 46 attempts this season.

Arizona will also be fresh off a bye. In the Cardinals’ last game — a 31-6 win over the New York Jets — Murray finished 22-of-24 passing for 266 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed three times for 21 yards and two touchdowns.

The Seahawks will have to balance limiting the damage Murray can do with his legs and affecting him as a passer. If they inadvertently create rushing lanes on pass-rush snaps, Murray will take advantage. Purdy’s tendencies in Week 11 were a good primer for that, however.

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