The Seattle Seahawks demonstrated their defensive prowess in a dominant 24-3 victory over the New York Giants, recording a team-record 11 sacks and a rookie interception return. While the Seahawks’ offense has been in the spotlight this season, their defense has been overshadowed. However, on Monday night, a new Legion of Boom emerged and wreaked havoc on Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.
Rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon sealed the victory for the Seahawks with a remarkable 97-yard interception return late in the third quarter. It was his first interception in the NFL, and he showcased incredible speed and agility as he ran untouched from the right side of the field to the left for the touchdown.
Seattle’s defense set the tone early in the game, as defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. forced a strip-sack that led to a 6-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith to DK Metcalf in the first quarter. The Seahawks’ defensive line was relentless, tying a team record with 11 sacks in the game. Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, Witherspoon, and Uchenna Nwosu each contributed two sacks, applying constant pressure on Jones and disrupting the Giants’ offense.
In addition to their impressive sack total, the Seahawks held the Giants to just 248 yards of total offense and a meager 6 conversions on 16 third-down attempts. Their defense also forced two turnovers, including an interception by Quandre Diggs in the fourth quarter that set up a field goal by Jason Myers.
The Giants’ offense struggled throughout the game, especially without their star running back Saquon Barkley, who missed his second consecutive game with an ankle injury. Quarterback Daniel Jones faced immense pressure from the Seahawks’ defense and was limited to 203 passing yards and no touchdowns. The Giants’ only points came from a 55-yard field goal by Graham Gano.
With the victory, the Seahawks extended their winning streak to three games and maintained their perfect record at MetLife Stadium, improving to 6-0, including their Super Bowl triumph in 2014.
Seattle coach Pete Carroll expressed his satisfaction with the defensive performance, stating that the team is just getting started and that he couldn’t recall seeing double-digit sacks in a game before. Linebacker Bobby Wagner emphasized the importance of applying pressure and turning it into sacks, highlighting the team’s progress in that aspect.
On the other hand, Giants coach Brian Daboll acknowledged the team’s poor performance and admitted that they need to make significant improvements to turn their season around.
Looking ahead, the Seahawks will have a bye week before facing the Cincinnati Bengals on October 15th. Meanwhile, the Giants will travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins on Sunday.
Despite the Seahawks’ offensive firepower, their defense took center stage in their convincing victory over the struggling Giants. With a record-breaking 11 sacks and a rookie interception return for a touchdown, Seattle’s defense sent a clear message that they are a force to be reckoned with in the NFL.
