The Seahawks’ defense didn’t get overwhelmed by Chicago so much as it got picked apart in the spots the Bears were willing to keep attacking.
Seattle had real success on first down against the run. The Bears stayed patient and kept handing it off on first down 15 times, but only three of those plays were successful, a 20% rate, and those carries averaged just 1.6 yards.
Even so, Chicago still managed to keep enough drives alive to create pressure on Seattle later in the series. The Seahawks put the Bears in 2nd-and-8 or longer 12 times Monday, but Chicago still converted a first down on 7 of those 12 series, a 58% rate.
Across the NFL from 2022-26 in the regular season, those situations produce a first down 49% of the time.
That’s where the game started to tilt. Once Seattle got a stop on first down, the Bears often found a way to stay on schedule anyway.
The numbers on third down tell the story: Chicago went 1-for-5 on 3rd-and-8 or longer, 2-for-7 on 3rd-and-5 or longer, and 6-for-8 when it had fewer than five yards to go on third or fourth down. The Bears weren’t trying to hit home runs on every snap.
They leaned on quick concepts, took what was there, and avoided sacks by getting the ball out fast. When they did run, they used combo blocks to move linemen and climb to linebackers.
Seattle also helped them out at times with missed tackles, and Caleb Williams escaped a few deeper passing situations when the Bears tried to push the ball downfield.
The matchup also showed how Chicago planned for Seattle’s light boxes. The Seahawks were in just six defenders in the box 49% of the time, and that look has been productive for opposing offenses.
Seattle has allowed 4.1 yards per carry in those situations, the 10th most in the league, while facing the sixth-most rush attempts at 52. Chicago responded by using combo blocks where it could, but with only five offensive linemen, it couldn’t double-team everybody.
That pushed the Bears to bring in tight ends or receivers to help seal the edge or assist with the combo work. The blocking generally held up, though Seattle’s defensive linemen still won some one-on-one reps, and the linebackers did a nice job striking first, controlling blocks and slipping off to finish plays.
Williams was especially effective working the middle of the field. He had 17 throws between the numbers and the hashes, known as the seam, for 170 yards, which accounted for 69% of his passing yards, and 11 of those throws were successful.
He also had seven throws 10 or more yards downfield for 99 yards, or 40% of his total, with five successful. On all dig routes, Williams went 5-for-6 for 110 yards, which made up 45% of his passing production.
Through Weeks 1-7, Seattle had allowed 72 yards per game between the numbers and the hash marks, with an average target depth of 3.9. Williams finished with a 7.6 ADOT.
In Other News...
Seahawks Roster Shuffle Hints At Injury Plan Before Cardinals Game
The Seahawks made a small but telling roster move this week, releasing running back Velus Jones Jr. and bringing him back on the practice squad to open a spot on the 53-man roster. It is the kind of transaction that usually says as much about the injury report as it does about the player involved, especially with Seattle trying to sort through multiple health issues before its Week 9 meeting with the Arizona Cardinals.
Seattle also added quarterback Adrian Martinez and linebacker Jamie Sheriff to the practice squad, giving the team a little more depth as it navigates the week. The open roster spot is expected to be filled by a player from one of the injured positions, which suggests the Seahawks are already bracing for some shuffling before they get to Arizona. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Injury Trouble Just Hit Two Spots They Cant Afford
The Seahawks are dealing with fresh injury complications in two places they can least afford them, and both come with immediate lineup implications. Guard Quenton Nelson is set for a minor knee procedure and is expected to be out week-to-week, though Seattle is not planning to place him on injured reserve, according to coach Mike Macdonald. The team also had to sort through a handful of other injury updates and lineup changes as it tried to keep the depth chart intact.
At quarterback, the situation is just as uneasy. Drew Lock will start against Arizona with Sam Darnold sidelined, even as Lock has been limited in practice by an elbow issue. For a Seahawks team trying to steady itself, the timing of those absences only adds to the pressure heading into a game where every healthy body matters. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Head Into Arizona With Two Problems Fans Can't Ignore
The Seahawks head into Arizona trying to steady themselves after a significant loss, and the trip comes with a couple of issues that are hard to overlook. On offense, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has become the clear focal point, accounting for 52% of the passing yards from Sam Darnold and Drew Lock, which says plenty about how much Seattle is leaning on one target and how limited the passing game has looked around him.
Defensively, the bigger concern may be what happens once opponents get close. Seattle has still posted strong overall defensive rankings, but the red-zone numbers have been a problem, with opponents scoring touchdowns on 83% of their chances there, the worst rate in the league. Against the Cardinals, that kind of bend-but-don't-break approach is going to be tested again, and the Seahawks need a cleaner answer if they want to leave Arizona with more than another reminder of what is not working. [Read more 🡒]