SEATTLE – The Seattle Seahawks‘ defensive resurgence under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald is rapidly approaching elite status, setting the stage for a compelling Week 9 showdown against Washington Commanders head coach Dan quinn, a key architect of the famed “Legion of Boom” defense. MacdonaldS impact has been immediate and dramatic, elevating a unit that ranked 25th in scoring defense in 2023 to seventh through Week 8 of the current season.
Macdonald’s track record speaks for itself. he inherited a Baltimore Ravens defense ranked 19th in scoring prior to his arrival and transformed it into the league’s third-ranked unit in 2022 and the top-ranked unit in 2023. The Seahawks’ enhancement mirrors this trajectory; after hiring Macdonald, they jumped from 24th in scoring defense (24.6 points per game) in 2023 to 11th in 2024. Notably, the Ravens defense has declined to 30th in scoring just two seasons after Macdonald’s departure, underscoring his influence.
The Seahawks’ defensive potential appears to be accelerating. Historically, the team has demonstrated a significant improvement following its bye week.Last season, they allowed 24.6 points per game before their Week 10 bye,but limited opponents to just 18.4 points per game afterward – the fifth-best mark in the NFL. This year, the Seahawks have allowed fewer than 20 points in six of their first seven games, a feat not accomplished since 2012, before the “Legion of Boom” era under Dan Quinn.
further bolstering the defense, the team anticipates the return of Pro Bowl defensive backs Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love, both recovering from multiple-game absences. The upcoming matchup against Quinn and the Commanders presents a symbolic opportunity for the Seahawks to establish a new era of defensive dominance in Seattle, building upon the legacy of the “Legion of boom.”
