Seahawks’ defense shows big-play potential in bounce-back practice vs. Titans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Seattle Seahawks expect their defense to be the best in the league.

Because their standard is so high, Wednesday’s joint practice with the Tennessee Titans was a bit disappointing, as they started slow and played down to their competition. The goal on Thursday was to turn up the heat.

“If we want to be the best in the world,” safety K’Von Wallace said, “we’ve got to start acting like it.”

The finish to practice Thursday punctuated a strong bounce-back day for Seattle’s defense. The situation: Tennessee’s offense had the ball at its 40-yard line with 1:10 remaining, needing a touchdown to win. The result: Devon Witherspoon jumped an out route by receiver Mason Kinsey, picked off quarterback Will Levis’ pass in front of the Titans’ sideline and then paraded down the sideline in search of his ex-teammate, Jamal Adams.

Witherspoon located Adams – an avid trash talker on both days of practice – and attempted to hand him the ball before running off to celebrate with the rest of the defense.

The interception was not only one of the best plays from two joint practices but also an example of the defense improving from one day to the next. Tennessee ran that same concept on Wednesday, Witherspoon said, and the pass was underthrown, but Witherspoon didn’t make the play.

“Today I was just a little bit early, and he threw a bad ball,” Witherspoon said. “So, that’s a pick. That’s how you end two-minute (drill).”

And seeking out Adams afterward?

“He was ducking me, he was hiding from me,” Witherspoon said, laughing. “He was just talking trash earlier, so you know I was coming to see my dog. I was looking for him so I could give him the ball and show him how you do it for real – that’s how you really run this defense.”

These joint practices are about testing out coach Mike Macdonald’s scheme against a different opponent, but they’re also about attitude and developing an identity. Playmaking, trash-talking and making a concerted effort to live to their high standard is exactly what the Seahawks want to see.

“We don’t flinch,” Wallace said. “We have times where we can play down to our competition, but today proved that we’re way above and beyond that. This is something special brewing. It takes time, it’s a process, but we’re (going) the right direction.”

Communication is a critical component of Macdonald’s defense on the sideline and during plays. Wednesday’s practice wasn’t good enough. On Thursday, Wallace could be heard hollering alerts, other defensive backs were calling out coverages and defensive linemen were jawing back and forth with Tennessee’s front.

“We have a standard of how we want to communicate here, and we didn’t meet it yesterday,” Macdonald said. “Felt like the guys had more sense of urgency out there (Thursday). If you communicate the right way, it’s a lot easier to play. That means you’re confident. I’m pretty sure in the history of football there hasn’t been a good, quiet defense.”

The red zone period was intense. About three plays into the drill, safety Rayshawn Jenkins got into it with Kearis Jackson after a run play and took a swipe at the receiver’s head. That fired up both sidelines. On the next play, Levis threw a touchdown to Kinsey on an out route against cornerback Tre Brown.

The second-team defense gave up a touchdown as well when Malik Willis lofted a ball over the head of linebacker Blake Lynch and into the arms of receiver Jha’Quan Jackson. On the next play, Wallace taunted running back Julius Chestnut mid-play while stuffing a goal-line run, then kept antagonizing him while a shoving match between the offensive and defensive lines broke out behind him.

That, too, fired up both sidelines, but the Seahawks were the ones who responded. Outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu flew in for what would have been a sack of Levis for a huge loss on a play-action dropback. Then, after a run by Tony Pollard, defensive tackle Leonard Williams came close to punching rookie tackle JC Latham, igniting another confrontation between the two lines.

Witherspoon ended the starting defense’s turn with a pass breakup in the end zone on an out route by receiver Calvin Ridley. Seattle’s sideline erupted.

“Today we just picked it up, got back to our original selves and did what we normally do,” Witherspoon said, “which is communicate, ball and have fun.”

Macdonald said he needed to watch the film to give a more complete assessment of the defense Thursday, but his initial feelings on the red zone period were positive. Seattle ranked 24th in red zone efficiency last season, so that’s an area Macdonald is going to be focused on throughout camp.

“Guys seem like we were on top of things in the red zone, which things move faster there, especially against a new offense, new schemes, things you haven’t seen,” Macdonald said. “That was encouraging.”

The two days of joint practices were a continuation of what has been a strong training camp for Seattle’s cornerback room. On Wednesday, that unit fared well in one-on-one drills against Tennessee’s receivers (however, that group is missing Tyler Boyd and DeAndre Hopkins to injuries). Cornerback Riq Woolen had several good reps against Ridley on Wednesday, then picked off Levis in the red zone Thursday during a seven-on-seven drill.

Woolen has been one of Seattle’s best defenders in camp, so it was only a matter of time before he generated a turnover.

“Terrible ball,” Wallace said. “Riq played it low to high, and he just made a play on it. That’s what great players do. No matter what kind of balls come their way, it’s theirs. That’s the mentality Riq has. He’s having a great camp. It’s actually his first pick all camp, but it definitely was something sweet, something special. Now I think it’s gonna start flowing.”

Another standout thus far has been first-round rookie Byron Murphy II. He keeps checking boxes every step of the way. Murphy played well the first couple weeks of camp and then carried that over into the preseason opener and caused several problems for the Chargers’ offensive line. Joint practices were much of the same.

Murphy was tough for the Titans’ offensive line to handle in one-on-one pass rush drills on Thursday. He played with the starting defense in a lineup that featured Williams playing defensive end next to Johnathan Hankins and Jarran Reed. For most of camp and the preseason opener, Murphy has been a backup, but it’s not a surprise Macdonald trotted him out with the starters. His rookie season is off to a good start.