The Seattle Seahawks are heading into training camp as Super Bowl champions, but Madden NFL 27 is not treating their defense like one.
Seattle’s “Dark Side Defense” finished the regular season first in the league in points allowed per game, yet it came in tied for No. 9 in Madden’s defensive rankings at 82, alongside the San Francisco 49ers. For a unit that just sat at the top of the NFL in scoring defense, that number stands out.
The Seahawks’ case is built on depth and balance more than a handful of headline names. Head coach Mike Macdonald has put together a defense that gets stops behind the line of scrimmage, gets to the quarterback and forces turnovers. Leonard Williams and Devon Witherspoon are among the standout pieces, but Seattle’s identity is tied to a full rotation of defenders making impact plays.
That may be exactly why the rating came in where it did. Madden appears to be weighing reputation and star power heavily, and the Seahawks don’t have the same offseason buzz as some of the teams ranked above them. The Rams, Eagles and Ravens all made major additions on defense, which clearly helped their standing.
Los Angeles added edge rusher Myles Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffie. Philadelphia brought in defensive tackle Jalen Carter and pass rusher Jonathan Greenard.
Baltimore added Trey Hendrickson. Those moves pushed all three teams into the top tier of Madden’s defensive rankings.
Seattle, by contrast, lost only one starter from last season in safety Coby Bryant. Ty Okada stepped into that role and played all 17 games with 11 starts. Still, Madden seems to be treating Bryant, cornerback Riq Woolen and edge rusher Boye Mafe as significant losses.
The odd part is how far the rankings drift from last season’s results. The Seahawks finished first in points allowed per game, but only barely cracked the top 10 in Madden.
The Houston Texans, who finished last season, are No. 5 in the game’s defensive ratings. The Denver Broncos, who finished third in the league last season, are No.
So while Seattle enters the year as the defending Super Bowl champion, Madden’s numbers suggest the game is buying into hype, elite names and offseason splash more than what the Seahawks actually did on the field.
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