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Seahawks Mailbag: Defensive Adjustments, Another Rookie Steps Up & More

You had Seahawks questions; we have answers.

Dec 18, 2024 at 01:44 PM

John Boyle

Seahawks.com Senior Reporter

The Seahawks unfortunately saw their four-game winning streak come to an end with a Week 15 loss to the Packers, but the good news is that, even with that loss, they still control their own destiny in the NFC West with three games left to play.

"The good news is everything, all of our goals, are still ahead of us," is how Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald put it after Sunday's loss.

Up next for the Seahawks as they look to make a final push for a playoff berth is a home game against the Vikings, but before we fully turn our attention to that game, it's time once again to open up the mailbag and answer some questions from you, the fans.

As always, thanks to everyone who asked questions this week, and apologies if I wasn't able to get to yours this time around. And remember, the mailbag is always open for submissions at Seahawks.com/mailbag.

@booksnends asks, "Why did Josh Jacobs run crazy in the first half and do practically nothing in the second half. Did Green Bay take out their starers or did Seattle adjust?"

A: The Seahawks played considerably better in the second half, and that included their run defense against Jacobs and company, though unfortunately that wasn't enough to overcome a 17-point halftime deficit.

As for what improved, there were some adjustments made, as is the case in any game, but it wasn't anything as drastic as you might think, Macdonald explained, just players and coaches settling in a doing a better job in the second half.

"I think we just settled down and played our style of ball, so sometimes it's more simple than one may think," Macdonald said. "I think that was it. It's really that simple. A couple of things structurally that we tweaked but no major changes. We just played better."

As for the start of the game, which saw the Packers score on their first four possessions, Macdonald said, "Our guys were really excited to play, came out with the right intent, we just weren't as sharp as we needed to be to start the game. So, disappointing that we have the two touchdown drives to start the game, definitely expect us to play better in those scenarios, but our guys did respond, they did adjust, and they did play incredibly hard to the last snap. I mean our guys are competing their tails off, running to the ball, playing the right way, so there's a lot to build off of, but we definitely want to start faster."

@tompage asks, "Jalen Sundell stepped in at center this week, but we don't know much about the undrafted rookie from North Dakota State, can you tell us more?

A: Sundell took over for an injured Olu Oluwatimi on Sunday and saw his first significant playing time on offense—he did had a few snaps as a fullback prior to Sunday—and for the most part he held up very well for a rookie thrown into a tough spot.

"Jalen did a nice job, he operated it well," Macdonald said. "A couple plays that maybe took a minute to get his feet wet, get ready to go, in his first meaningful action at center, but had some really good plays as well, so he did a nice job."

As for who Sundell is, as the question notes, Sundell went undrafted out of North Dakota State, and eventually signed with the Seahawks, who liked his versatility and athleticism.

"Well, he kind of plays all five spots," Macdonald said. "That's part of his value. He's gotten a lot of reps at (offensive) tackle throughout camp and throughout the season. And then I think his athleticism and body type allows him to play the interior, and he's really sharp. Being able to play center and make all the calls and be on point with that stuff is helpful as well."

Sundell finished his career with the Bisons as a left tackle, earning AFCA FCS First-Team All-American honors, but prior to that he primarily was a center. This season he has been a backup at multiple spots, as Macdonald noted, while also filling in at fullback in some short-yardage situations.

Sundell also played basketball in high school, something a lot of coaches really like for the athleticism that helps build, and he comes from an athletic background, with his dad having played basketball at Northwest Missouri State and his mom having played hoops at Missouri-Rolla, while his sister, Serene, plays at Kansas State. Also, according to his NDSU bio, Sundell was the founder and president of his high school's bass fishing club team, so there's that.

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@MrEd315 asks, "Is Santa Clause a Seahawks fan?"

A: Well Seattle is the northernmost city in the NFL, so I suppose as a resident of the North Pole, he ought to be a Seahawks fan, right?

Fred from Snohomish asks, "When will the Seahawks wear their Wolf Grey uniforms?

A: Oh, Fred, I've got some bad news for you. The Wolf Grey jersey was retired last year to make room for the throwback jerseys. NFL teams are allowed a total of four jerseys, so for the Seahawks to add a throwback, they had to get rid of one, and they chose to move on from Wolf Grey instead of Action Green. We can debate that decision all we want, but as things currently stand for the Seahawks, their four jersey options are blue, white, throwback royal blue and Action Green.