Can Macdonald turn things around before the season totally falls apart?
Mike Macdonald will eventually turn things around for the Seattle Seahawks. That’s what the 12s have to believe, right? After parting ways with long-time head coach Pete Carroll this offseason, the team brought in Macdonald, who, despite never having been a head coach before, became the youngest head coach in the NFL. He had proven his defensive expertise as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator.
It’s not about Macdonald being on the hot seat either. Thinking along those lines is both unreasonable and impractical. Seattle didn’t make a short-term gamble with Macdonald—they signed him to a six-year contract worth $9 million annually, with almost all of that guaranteed. Even if they wanted to, they couldn’t afford to move on from him.
Moreover, Macdonald needs time to adjust to his role as head coach and to build a roster that suits his system. While there’s talent on the team with players like Boye Mafe and Leonard Williams, the Seahawks don’t yet have enough pieces to reach their full potential.
Mike Macdonald has not fixed anything defensively with the Seahawks so far
We can’t deny that we started to believe Macdonald’s hiring would quickly fix the defense, leading to a better Seahawks team, a playoff berth, and a real chance at success. While the New England Patriots rushed for 183 yards against Seattle in Week 2, many thought that was just an exception.
However, New England’s success actually hinted at the struggles to come. In Week 6, during a 36-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle’s defense allowed 483 total yards, with 228 of those on the ground. This was despite San Francisco missing their star, Christian McCaffrey, and losing backup Jordan Mason mid-game. Third-stringer Isaac Guerendo came in and rushed for 99 yards on 10 carries, including a game-sealing 76-yard run in the fourth quarter. Prior to the game, Guerendo had only 41 yards in his rookie season, but he dominated Seattle’s defense like he was facing a college team.
In the last three games, against the 49ers, Detroit Lions, and New York Giants, Seattle has given up an average of 473 yards per game. Out of that, 179 yards per game have come from the run, with opponents averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
So, what’s gone wrong? Macdonald’s defensive scheme worked in Baltimore, but was it the system or the talent that led to that success? Baltimore is struggling defensively without him in 2024, ranking 22nd in yards allowed per play and 19th overall, compared to a top-six finish in both categories last year with Macdonald.
One major issue is that Macdonald seems to be getting out-coached and out-prepared recently. He’s supposed to be a defensive mastermind, but he hasn’t proven it yet. Fans must trust that he will figure it out, or Seattle’s defense could remain a weak spot for years to come.
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