Having allowed 30 points in each of their last two games, both losses, the Seattle Seahawks defense is searching for answers this week.
Head coach Pete Carroll has at least identified one -- improving the pass rush.
"We need more," Carroll said Monday, per the team’s web site. "We need to be more effective. We have not disrupted the quarterback. That shows you in terms of turnovers and us being able to get after that football. It starts there. Our guys are working it. They're busting their tails to get it. We just need to work together. I think the whole thing just needs to work together tighter. We caused some holding on the football at the quarterback's point and sometimes we'd disrupt. It just needs to work together more effectively and we're working for that."
The Seahawks have seven sacks on the year, but came up with just one on Sunday in a 30-17 loss to the Vikings. Of greater concern is that after three games, a fumble recovery by cornerback D.J. Reed stands as the only turnover the Seahawks' once-opportunistic defense has mustered. And without a pass rush to cover for a secondary that entered the season as a major question mark, more of them will be hard to come by.
"We've been through a lot, and the leadership can speak on a lot of different topics and help guys understand how things go, the course of seasons and how many games are left, all that kind of stuff," Carroll added. "We have really good voices in there to help -- and I'm trying to do my part, the coaches are trying to do their part -- just to be realistic and not follow the storylines that come from outside here. We've got to take care of business in here."
Seattle is allowing an NFL-worst 440 yards per game. That's no storyline -- it's just a hard fact. And if the Seahawks hope even their record at .500 in their first NFC West game Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, they'll need to come off the mat defensively.
