The Seahawks headed into Monday night's matchup knowing it was going to be a tough battle. They also knew that the Lions' offense would be a good early-season test for Seattle's defense. In Monday's game, the Seahawks defense played without four keys players, Uchenna Nwosu (knee), Boye Mafe (knee), Leonard Williams (rib) and Byron Murphy II (hamstring). Despite those four players not playing, the defense took accountability for how they performed.
"I don't think the players that was out have anything to do with the way we lost today," Johnathan Hankins said. "It was just a lack of communication, a lack of discipline."
The Lions offense finished with 116 rushing yards and 299 passing yards, and Lions quarterback Jared Goff did not throw an incomplete pass.
"They didn't do anything that different," Jarran Reed said on the Lions offense. "They just executed it better than we did. We just have to get back to the drawing board and see what we did wrong and fix all the problems."
On Goff's 18 for 18 performance, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said, "That's about as obvious as it gets. So, we've got our work cut out for us on defense. We have to improve quickly."
The Seahawks defense found success in limiting explosive plays throughout the first three games of the season, but struggled to contain them on Monday, most notably a 70-yard touchdown catch by receiver Jameson Williams in the second half.
"I would just say they were self-inflicted wounds," Rayshawn Jenkins said. "At the end of the day, a simple execution at that point would've prevented the long past to 9 (Williams). A lot of it was just self-inflicted."
Hankins adding, "It wasn't really disciplined today. We weren't really executing as 11 and gave up some big plays. Just wasn't sound football, especially not Seahawk football out there tonight."
But one of the silver linings to how the defense played tonight was their mentality they showed throughout the matchup.
"We showed resiliency," Reed said. "No one got down in the game. We all had belief that we could win at any point in the game, we just had to get a stop but that didn't happen."
Head coach Mike Macdonald added that he was "proud" of how the team kept their composure.
"The defense wasn't able to get stops," he said. "Especially in the second half, and there's a feeling that you see in the guys' eyes where no one's hanging their heads, everyone's just laser-focused, poised, just like we've talked about throughout the Denver game. That's a characteristic of our team that we've had throughout the season, so proud of that. It's easy to start looking around and woe is me type of idea, but that's not our guys."
Looking back at how the game unfolded, players said that their game plan going into Monday night was solid, it just came down to communication issues and execution.
"I think the game plan was good," Jenkins said. "Coming into the game, like I said, we just got to execute it better and just understand how they're attacking us. We knew they wanted to run the ball and I mean obviously they were successful in that tonight, so we just got to just do our job and everyone has to hold up their end of the bargain."
Must-see shots of the Seahawks at their Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (87) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) and Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks guard Laken Tomlinson (70) and Seahawks tackle Charles Cross (67) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) and Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Dee Williams (33) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson (0) and Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Dee Williams (33) at the Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday, September 30, 2024.
