As Mike Macdonald joined Seattle to become its ninth head coach in franchise history on January 31, 2024, it was a passing of the torch for the franchise. After more than a decade under Pete Carroll, the franchise’s identity had become simply tied to his defense, which was of simplicity, consistency, and discipline. Macdonald, however, had a more contemporary, unconventional defensive scheme, and now the returns indicate it’s paying dividends.

Former Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril recently provided an insightful look at how Seattle’s defensive approach has changed under its new regime. Drawing comparisons to the new scheme and what it was under Carroll, Avril stated, “Our defense was very simple. 80% of the time, you knew what we’d going to line up, where we were going to

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