Through seven games in 2026, the Seattle Seahawks have allowed fewer points and posted better yards-per-play figures than they did in 2025.
The Story
The Seattle Seahawks’ defence has not shown the expected drop-off from 2025 through the first seven games of the 2026 season, according to a statistical comparison that credits improvements in multiple areas rather than regression.
Seattle has allowed 17.9 points per game so far this year, compared with 17.2 points per game in 2025.
The figures are reinforced by a reduction in yards allowed: the Seahawks rank first in the NFL in yards allowed per game at 233.9, improved from 285.6 last season. They have also limited opponents to 4.0 yards per play, better than the 4.7 mark from 2025—described in the source as the best yards-per-play allowed any defence has produced this century.
Advanced measures cited in the comparison also point to continued improvement. The Seahawks are said to be at -0.118 EPA per play, and their success rate allowed is 36.5%, down from 40.1% in 2025.
The source also highlights that the Seahawks have limited opponents in several recent matchups involving top offensive play-callers, noting defensive performance across three weeks against Kyle Shanahan, Sean Payton and Andy Reid.
It further states that Seattle has played (essentially) two games without Nick Emmanwori, two without Drake Thomas, four without Ty Okada, and one without Julian Love, while receiving “plus play” from Tyrice Knight, Rodney Thomas II and Nehemiah Pritchett.
Overall, the comparison concludes that the 2026 defence has experienced no drop-off from 2025 and is actually better at this point in the season.
← More stories