How the Seahawks Built a Defensive Juggernaut-and Where the 49ers Still Fall Short
The Seattle Seahawks didn’t just beat the New England Patriots-they overwhelmed them. And if you watched that game, you saw what happens when a defense operating at full throttle meets a rookie quarterback still trying to find his rhythm.
Drake Maye was under siege all night. When he had time, he looked hesitant.
When he didn’t, he looked rattled. The Patriots finished with a -0.31 EPA per play and a 41% success rate-numbers that paint the picture of a unit that never found its footing.
Seattle’s defense, nicknamed the “Dark Side,” lived up to the billing. Maye was pressured on more than half of his dropbacks-52.8%-and sacked six times.
And here’s the kicker: the Seahawks only blitzed on 13.2% of those plays. That’s not just pressure-that’s pressure with discipline.
That’s pressure from a front four that wins consistently without needing to send extra bodies. And it’s a big reason why teams around the league are now scrambling to figure out if they can replicate what Seattle just put on tape.
But replicating it? That’s another story.
Seattle’s defense isn’t just a scheme-it’s a collection of elite athletes, many of them first-round picks, flying around in a system tailored to their strengths. And it’s led by Mike Macdonald, a defensive mind who has shown he knows exactly how to deploy his pieces.
This group didn’t just win-it dominated, and in doing so, set a new bar for what a modern NFL defense can look like.
So where does that leave the San Francisco 49ers? A franchise known for its own defensive prowess, the Niners have fielded some excellent units in recent years.
But if we’re talking about matching Seattle’s 2025 version, they’re not quite there. Let’s break it down, position by position.
Defensive Line: Depth vs. Star Power
Nick Bosa is still that guy. If you’re picking defensive linemen from both rosters in a schoolyard draft, he’s going first.
But after that? It’s a sea of Seahawks.
Seattle’s front is built on balance. They had six players with at least 35 pressures and four with seven or more sacks.
That’s not just production-it’s distribution. You can’t key in on one guy because the next one will beat you.
Meanwhile, San Francisco’s pass rush behind Bosa has been a patchwork of specialists and developing talent.
Bryce Huff was the only Niner to top 35 pressures. Sam Okuayinonu and Keion White were the only others to even crack 20.
And no one outside of Bosa had more than five sacks. The 49ers' 2025 rookie class-Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, CJ West-has potential, but none entered the league known for their pass-rushing chops.
That limits their immediate upside.
The free-agent swing on Yetur Gross-Matos hasn’t paid off either. Injuries and inconsistency have kept him from being the difference-maker they hoped for.
Huff, White, and Sam O will benefit from playing alongside Bosa, no doubt. But relying on Bosa to be the rising tide that lifts all boats?
That’s more wishful thinking than strategy. This group needs more help-plain and simple.
Linebackers: Warner and Everyone Else
Seattle didn’t need elite linebacker play to win the Super Bowl. Ernest Jones was targeted six times in coverage and gave up 57 yards and a touchdown.
But the Seahawks’ scheme was so sound, and the talent around him so strong, that it didn’t matter. Drake Thomas, the other linebacker, played less than half the snaps.
That tells you everything: Seattle doesn’t build around their linebackers-they build around their line and secondary.
San Francisco, on the other hand, has Fred Warner. And as long as he’s patrolling the middle of the field, they’re in good shape.
Warner is the kind of player who makes everyone around him better. We’ve seen it with Dre Greenlaw, Azeez Al-Shaair-guys who looked like All-Pros next to Warner, and then struggled when asked to do more on their own.
The 49ers can get by with Dee Winters, Nick Martin, or whoever lines up next to Warner. Linebacker play in today’s NFL is a bit like running back-solid players can thrive in the right system.
But that only works if the rest of the defense is holding up its end. And right now, that’s a big “if.”
Secondary: A Stark Contrast
Let’s go back to that schoolyard draft. How long before a 49ers defensive back gets picked?
Seattle’s secondary is loaded. Devon Witherspoon, a top-five pick, plays like one.
Nick Emmanwori may have been a second-rounder, but he’s performing like a first. Riq Woolen has been a problem for offenses for more than two seasons now.
And when teams try to pick on Josh Jobe-the so-called “weak link”-they don’t get much. New England threw at him nine times in the Super Bowl.
They completed three passes. For 14 yards.
Jobe allowed a 42.6% completion rate on 68 targets this season. That’s elite.
Meanwhile, San Francisco’s secondary… well, it’s a work in progress. Upton Stout might be the first name called from this group, and that says a lot.
The athletic gap between these two units is wide, and it showed when Seattle’s DBs locked up the Niners’ receivers earlier this season. That wasn’t an outlier-it was a theme.
If the 49ers want to play more man coverage under Raheem Morris-or even just hold up better on third-and-long-they need more juice in the secondary. That means speed, ball skills, and instincts. Right now, they’re lacking in all three.
The Bottom Line: Seahawks Set the Standard
So, how close are the 49ers to matching Seattle’s defense? Not very.
That’s not to say they can’t get there-but it’ll take more than just player development. It’ll take a serious infusion of talent at key positions-especially along the defensive line and in the secondary.
Seattle had 15 defenders play at least 34% of the snaps in the Super Bowl. That’s depth.
That’s trust. And that’s what happens when you hit on your draft picks and make savvy free-agent signings.
Demarcus Lawrence for around $5 million? That’s a steal.
Byron Murphy’s addition? Another bargain.
The 49ers can close the gap with a strong offseason-smart signings, impact rookies, and internal growth. But even then, they’ll likely still be a player or two short of matching what Seattle just put on the field.
Right now, the Seahawks aren’t just the benchmark-they’re the blueprint. And the rest of the NFC West, including the 49ers, has some catching up to do.