Seattle has the 25th-ranked scoring defense in the NFL this season and has given up the 12th most passing yards (2,813). That may be hard to believe as rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon and second-year Pro Bowl CB Riq Woolen get a lot of publicity for their excellent play.
However, the backend of the Seahawks defense has struggled at times because of the poor play of their safeties, Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, and Julian Love. This safety trio is one of the lowest-ranked units in the NFL, per their PFF grades. Not a single one of these players shows up in the top 40 at their position. Adams is rated the highest at No. 43 in the league with a 64.7 overall grade. Love is only slightly behind Adams at 64.1, and Diggs is all the way down at 77 with a 53.9 grade.
The struggles on the backend of the secondary are a big reason the team hasn’t won since Sunday, Nov. 12. And it is what could ultimately doom the Seahawks in Week 14 against the 49ers. If the safeties don’t efficiently balance helping stop the run (Christian McCaffrey rushed for 114 last game) and guarding against shots over the top (Brandon Aiyuk had a 28-yard touchdown catch), then the Niners offense could once again dominate.
