The Seahawks pass rush has been anything but consistent this year, in no small part due to changing personnel.
But when the Seahawks have been at full strength and their pass rush has gotten going, their defense, not surprisingly, has had some of its best games. That was true in Weeks 10 and 12 when the Seahawks pressured the 49ers and Eagles into miscues and turnovers in consecutive road victories, and it was true again in last week's wild-card win over the Eagles.
The Seahawks weren't able to force a turnover against Philadelphia, but their pressure, which included seven sacks, did help keep the Eagles from scoring a touchdown, and it also helped all but eliminate the down-field passing game.
With a divisional round game coming up against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, the Seahawks know they'll need to again find ways to affect the quarterback again like they did in Philadelphia.
"We've got to do that every week, especially this week," defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said. "We've got to try to apply pressure on Aaron Rodgers. They've got a great front. We'll try to get some pressure on him, and hopefully he can throw us some."
Added defensive tackle Jarran Reed, "We want to build off that, continue to do that through the playoffs. It was huge, the defensive definitely needs it, and it's a good game to go into Green Bay and see if we can do it again."
Clowney pointed to Green Bay's loss to the San Francisco 49ers, a game in which Rodgers was sacked five times and the Packers were held to a season-low 8 points, as an example of how valuable pressure can be.
"The losses they did take it was all because of the fronts applying pressure and getting off the field on third down," Clowney said. "It's the same thing for us, we've got to get pressure and get off on third downs."
Clowney has been playing through a painful core injury since Week 10, one that has caused him to miss three games late in the regular season, and both he and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he's feeling about the same as he did last week. That's pretty good news considering what a big factor Clowney was in last week's game, an impact that went far beyond the one sack he recorded—though that was a big one, coming on fourth down to end Philadelphia's final possession.
"I thought Clowney had a big factor," Carroll said. "Just his presences, his activity, it was very much reminiscent of games we've seen like the San Francisco game earlier. There's been a couple of those games when he's just a problem. Everybody's still working and all the other guys were clawing and scratching to get there. I think that was the factor that was the difference maker. He's a big factor for us and we're hoping he's going to be there again."
Clowney isn't at 100 percent, but if he's playing, he has no intentions of the injury limiting him, "I just like to play the game. When I'm out there, I tell them, don't try to limit me. If I'm up, I'm up. I'm not halfway up, I'm all the way up. I put it on myself when I dress out."
The Packers are well aware of the challenges Clowney will present.
"When he's in there, he's a game changer," Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters in Green Bay. "You've always got to account for him, because he can wreck a football game."
Of course, it's a lot easier to talk about affecting Rodgers than it is to actually do it. He is one of the best quarterbacksof his generation for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the way he can extend plays and turn a broken play into a huge gain (yes, that probably sounds familiar to Seahawks fans, but it's much less fun to watch when the quarterback not named Russell Wilson is the one doing it). Add to that the way Rodgers controls things at the line of scrimmage—doing everything from changing plays to drawing offside penalties and getting free plays with hard counts, to quick-snapping opponents when they're trying to change defensive personnel—and Rodgers is a handful in just about every way imaginable.
"I jumped offsides last game, and I know he's seen it on tape the last few games with a couple of us guys," Clowney said. "We've got to be smart. We're in their house, we know they're going to hard count, we know that's a way he likes to control the game. We've just got to be smart and watch the ball. If we watch the ball out there, we'll be OK."
Added Carroll, "Oh, he's ridiculous. He's ridiculous. He's so good. He controls the game so much and he does so much at the line of scrimmage. Every aspect of the quarterbacking position from seeing and reading the defense to get his offense in the right place, to tempo, to cadence. Everything about it. The scramble aspect of his game is as good as you can get. His extraordinary accuracy making throws when he's in unusual positions and things has been heralded. I'm not telling you anything you don't know. He's a great player and he's a great player at the end of the game, too. He's a Hall of Famer."
There's no easy way to stop a future Hall of Famer, but the Seahawks know that a good pass rush is a pretty good place to start.
The Seahawks and the Packers will meet this Saturday at Lambeau Field for the final week of the 2023 preseason. Take a look back at the best photos from the teams' matchups over the years.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Lynn Dickey (10) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Steve Niehaus (71) and defensive tackle Richard Harris (77) during an NFL game in Green Bay on October 10, 1976 . The Packers defeated the Seahawks 27-20. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Mike Curtis (32) stops Green Bay Packers running back Barty Smith (33) during an NFL game in Milwaukee, Oct. 10, 1976. The Packers defeated the Seahawks 27-20. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Greg Collins (50) closes in on a Green Bay Packers running back during an NFL game in Milwaukee, Oct. 10, 1976. The Packers defeated the Seahawks 27-20. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Seattle Seahawks punter Jeff West (8) punts during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay on November 1, 1981. The Packers defeated the Seahawks 34-24. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Seattle Seahawks fullback Jim Jodat (43) runs upfield during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay on November 1, 1981. The Packers defeated the Seahawks 34-24. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame wide receiver James Lofton (80) beats Seattle Seahawks cornerback Dave Brown (22) during an NFL game in Milwaukee, Oct. 15, 1978. The Packers defeated the Seahawks 45-28. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Brian Bosworth, top, of the Seattle Seahawks, tackles Kenneth Davis of the Green Bay Packers, holding him to a one-yard gain during the first quarter of their NFL game in Seattle, Nov. 15, 1987. Seattle beat Green Bay, 24-13. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe (84) runs his route covered by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Patrick Hunter (27) during a 20-14 Seahawks victory on December 9, 1990, at Milwaukee County Stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback John Friesz (17) is taken down by Green Bay Packers' Sean Jones (96) in the fourth quarter Sunday, Sept. 29, 1996. Friesz gained two yards on fourth and ten. The Packers beat the Seahawks, 31-10 in Seattle.(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck looks for a receiver as Green Bay Packers Marques Anderson defends Monday night Aug. 16, 2004 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. during second quarter action of their preseason game. (Mike Roemer/AP Photo)
Seattle Seahawks defensive back Ken Hamlin (26) breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver (80) in a snow during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers, Nov. 27, 2006 in Seattle.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Nate Burleson (81) heads downfield in the snow during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers, Nov. 27, 2006 in Seattle.
Seattle Seahawks' Shaun Alexander, center, runs against the Green Bay Packers in a football game Monday, Nov. 27, 2006, in Seattle. Alexander's 201-yard performance on a career-high 40 carries across the snow-covered turf Monday rescued Seattle from a 21-12 deficit in the second half to beat the Packers. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Nate Burleson (81) makes a catch during the second half of an NFC Divisional Playoff game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 42-20. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck calls signals during the first half of an NFC Divisional Playoff game Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Seattle Seahawks' Matt Hasselbeck scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
The line of scrimmage between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers during an NFL Monday Night Football game in Seattle, Washington Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Tom Hauck)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) stands on the field against the Green Bay Packers during an NFL Monday Night Football game in Seattle, Washington Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Tom Hauck)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (89) runs the ball as Green Bay Packers free safety Micah Hyde (33) defends during an NFL football game at CenturyLink Field on Thursday September 4, 2014 in Seattle, Washington. Seattle won 36-16. (AP Photo/Aaron M. Sprecher)
Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril (56) rushes the passer during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field on Thursday September 4, 2014 in Seattle, Washington. Seattle won 36-16. (AP Photo/Aaron M. Sprecher)
Running back Marshawn Lynch (24) of the Seattle Seahawks evades Packers linebacker Brad Jones in a game in Seattle on September 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Scott Eklund)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (15) throws the ball into the stands after scoring the game-winning touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during overtime of the NFC Championship game in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson celebrate defeating the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game on Jan. 18, 2015.
Seattle Seahawks' Tanner McEvoy catches a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Green Bay Packers running back Ty Montgomery (88) runs with the ball during an NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in Green Bay, Wis. (Tom Hauck via AP)
Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) during an NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in Green Bay, Wis. (Tom Hauck via AP)
Seattle Seahawks center Justin Britt (68) on the line of scrimmage during an NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in Green Bay, Wis. (Tom Hauck via AP)
Seattle's Tyler Lockett makes a running catch on Seattle's final scoring drive for 18 yards.
Seahawks defensive ends Rasheem Green and Frank Clark celebrate after Green sacked Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews (52) attempt to tackle Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson (32) during an NFL game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in Seattle. (Tom Hauck via AP)
As he makes his way to the field, Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner accepts greetings from 12s who made the trip to support the team.
Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf looks for running room on a 13-yard gain in the second quarter.
Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett grabs a 28-yard pass from quarterback Russell Wilson on Seattleís first scoring drive of the game.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers converts on a 45-yard field goal.
Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch gains yards in the first quarter.
Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett is congratulated by teammate DK Metcalf after Lockettís seven-yard touchdown reception.
Seahawks defensive captain Bobby Wagner runs onto the field.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown reacts after making a play.
Seahawks safety Jamal Adams intercepts a pass in the end zone to thwart a scoring drive.
Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett lays out but can't make the catch just before halftime.
Seahawks Jamal Adams and Jordyn Brooks combine on a tackle.
Seahawks tight end Will Dissly gains yards and a first down.
Brave 12s endured the cold and being surrounded by "Cheeseheads" at Lambeau Field.
