The Seattle Seahawks defense is seeing one of the most drastic turnarounds in recent memory.
Over the first five weeks of the season, the Seahawks allowed a whopping 30.8 points per game on defense. However, Seattle has allowed just 15 points per game over the last three weeks, while coming off an impressive defensive performance against the New York Giants in Week 8.
Against the Giants on Sunday, Seattle held New York to just 13 points and 225 total yards on offense. Additionally, the Seahawks held star Giants running back Saquon Barkley to just 2.7 yards per carry en route to their 27-13 victory.
"We tackled really well," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said following the win. "We played great scheme defense. We kept (Saquon Barkley) to about 2.7 rushing yards [per carry] in a game? I would never have thought you could do that to the guy because I have such high regard. But everybody had to contribute to do that."
When asked if this feels like a championship defense following the impressive performance, Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin stated his confidence in the unit.
“We are starting to get that feeling," Irvin said. We are starting to get that 2012, 2013, 2014 feeling."
Irvin attributes the success to the newfound "swagger" on defense.
“Confidence and swagger," Irvin said. "Guys are finally believing in themselves, are believing in one another, and if we have a messed up play, we don’t dwell on it, we move on to the next play."
The Seattle defense has every reason to "finally [be] believing in themselves," as after a historically bad start, their turnaround has been nothing short of miraculous.
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