You’ve heard the noise. Every time a Seattle defense starts hitting people, the comparisons start. Is this the new Legion of Boom? Can they actually live up to that 2013 standard? Honestly, for the first time in over a decade, the answer isn’t just a "maybe." It’s a "look at the tape."
By the time the 2025 regular season wrapped up, the numbers were kind of staggering. This wasn't just a "good for right now" unit. Mike Macdonald, the defensive wizard the Seahawks brought in to replace Pete Carroll, has basically built a laboratory of destruction in the Pacific Northwest.
If you’re asking is the seahawks defense good, you’re probably looking at that Week 18 demolition of the San Francisco 49ers. They held Kyle Shanahan’s offense—a group that had been averaging over 42 points in their previous three games—to just three points. That’s not a typo. Three points. It was the lowest total for a Shanahan-led Niners team since 2017.
The Numbers That Prove the Seahawks Defense is Good
Numbers can be boring, but in this case, they’re a scream. Seattle finished the 2025 season allowing the fewest points in the entire NFL. They and the Houston Texans were the only two teams to allow fewer than 300 points all year. Seattle hit 292.
But it’s not just about the scoreboard. It’s about how they’re doing it.
The advanced metrics are even crazier. According to Pro Football Focus and Next Gen Stats, the Seahawks finished with a DVOA (Value Over Average) of -24.2%. To put that in perspective, that’s actually better than the 2013 Legion of Boom squad. It ranks as the 12th-best defensive season since 1978.
- Scoring Defense: #1 in the NFL (17.2 points per game).
- Rush Defense: #1 in yards per game (75.7) and yards per carry (3.3).
- EPA per Play: -0.113 (1st in the league).
- Success Rate: Opponents only score on 28.2% of drives against them.
Think about that last one for a second. More than 70% of the time an opponent gets the ball, they walk away with nothing. That’s basically defensive perfection in the modern, pass-heavy NFL.
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The Macdonald Effect
So, what changed? Basically, Mike Macdonald stopped trying to run Pete Carroll’s defense and started running his own "scientific" approach.
The most interesting thing about this group is how they handle the "box." Most teams have to stack eight guys near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. Not Seattle. They ran a "light box" (six or fewer defenders) over 50% of the time and still had the best run defense in the league.
This works because the front four is just unfair. Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II are absolute wrecking balls in the middle. They demand double teams, which frees up guys like Uchenna Nwosu and DeMarcus Lawrence to win one-on-one battles on the edge.
Macdonald doesn't even blitz that much. Why would you? They generated the fifth-highest pressure rate in the league while blitzing at the second-lowest rate. When you can ruin a quarterback's day with only four pass rushers, you can drop seven guys into coverage. That’s how you get a guy like Brock Purdy to finish a game with a 64.9 passer rating.
The Stars You Need to Know
It’s not just a scheme. You need "dogs," as rookie safety Nick Emmanwori put it after the Week 18 win.
Devon Witherspoon is the heartbeat. He’s a "force multiplier." He’s the guy who will blow up a screen pass in the first quarter and then lock down a WR1 in the fourth. He earned his second straight Pro Bowl nod this year, and honestly, he’s probably the best pure football player on the roster.
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Then there’s Byron Murphy II. The rookie defensive tackle has been a revelation. He ended the season with 7 sacks and 50 pressures. For an interior lineman, those are All-Pro caliber numbers.
And we can't forget the "undrafted wonders." Drake Thomas and Ty Okada. Thomas, a 5-foot-11 linebacker, stepped in for injured starters and finished second on the team in tackles with 96. He’s the embodiment of the "effort erases mistakes" mantra that Leonard Williams talks about.
Is This Better Than the Legion of Boom?
This is where it gets spicy. Most Seattle fans will tell you nobody touches Sherm, Earl, and Kam. And physically, that 2013 group might never be matched.
But Macdonald’s defense is smarter. It’s more versatile.
The Legion of Boom succeeded by doing one thing (Cover 3) better than anyone else. You knew what was coming; you just couldn't beat it. This 2025/2026 Seahawks defense is a chameleon. One play they’re in a 4-2-5 nickel, the next they’re showing a zero-blitz look and dropping everyone out.
George Kittle, the Niners' star tight end, admitted after their loss that the Seahawks bring pressure "randomly." It’s that unpredictability that makes them so dangerous. They aren't just faster than you; they're ahead of you.
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Why This Matters for the Playoffs
Seattle entered the 2026 postseason as the #1 seed in the NFC. That’s huge because Lumen Field is a nightmare for opposing offenses when the defense is playing like this.
The most telling stat for their playoff chances is how they play against good teams. They aren't just beating up on basement dwellers. They allowed only 17.3 points per game against non-playoff teams, but even against playoff-bound squads, that number only ticked up to 19.
They held the Texans to 19. They held the Steelers to 17. They held the Niners to 3.
Actionable Takeaways for 12s and Analysts
If you're watching the Seahawks or betting on their games, here is what you need to look for to know if the "good" defense has shown up:
- Watch the First Down Run: If the opponent is averaging less than 3 yards on first down carries, the game is already over. Seattle’s ability to put teams in 2nd-and-long is their greatest weapon.
- Pressure without Blitzing: Count how many times the quarterback is hit when Seattle only rushes four. If that number is high, the secondary is going to have a field day.
- The Witherspoon Factor: See where #21 is lining up. Macdonald moves him from the boundary to the slot to the blitz path. If he’s active early, the energy of the whole unit shifts.
The reality is that the Seahawks defense isn't just "good"—it’s the best in the league right now. They’ve proven it statistically, they’ve proven it on the field against the best offenses, and they’ve done it with a mix of veteran savvy and rookie explosion. Whether they can ride this to a second Super Bowl trophy remains to be seen, but for the first time in a decade, the "Defense Wins Championships" flag is flying high in Seattle.