CINCINNATI — For four weeks — most of the last four seasons, really — opponents have used the tedious drip, drip, drip of short, quick passing well in front of the Seattle Seahawks’ top-rated defensive secondary.
Foes have averaged just 10.7 yards in 2012, 9.9 in 2013, 10.2 last season and through four games this season 10.0 yards per completion against Seattle.
That frustrating game of keep-away is a large reason why the Seahawks’ vaunted defensive backs enter Sunday’s game against the unbeaten Bengals without an interception in four consecutive games. That’s the longest streak since one-time University of Pacific defensive back Pete Carroll became Seattle’s coach in 2010.
“It eats at me,” Carroll said this past week of the drought.
Well, the parched “Legion of Boom” is about to get a rare fire hose pointed directly at it inside packed Paul Brown Stadium.
Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton and Green Bay’s All-World Aaron Rodgers are the league’s top two rated passers. Dalton has nine touchdowns, just one interception and is competing more than 67 percent of his throws.
But the most telling number of how these Bengals strike is 15.2. That’s Dalton’s whopping average yards per completion, tops in the NFL.
Led by go-long receiver A.J. Green’s 16.7 yards per catch, these Bengals have been getting more than a first down and a half each time they’ve completed a pass. Green had an NFL season-high 227 yards receiving two games ago in a win at Baltimore.
For perspective: Seattle hasn’t had a 200-yard receiver in 28 years, since Steve Largent’s 261 at Detroit on Oct. 18, 1987.
But to the jamming, over-the-top specialists in the Seahawks secondary, danger never felt so good.
“What they do best,” Seattle’s defensive coordinator and recent defensive backs coach Kris Richard said, “is what we emphasize.”
It’s strength versus strength in the biggest regular-season game in Cincinnati since Carson Palmer was throwing there to a receiver with the legal last name of Ochocinco. That was five years ago. The Bengals have a rare sellout of their 65,500-seat stadium, after crowds of less than 58,000 for each of their first two home games.
Those Ohioans may be in for some show.
The Seahawks haven’t felt this good about their defense and specifically their secondary since before February’s Super Bowl. After starting with losses in overtime at St. Louis (34-31) and at Green Bay (27-17), Seattle has allowed three points total in wins over Chicago and Detroit. No, the defense isn’t focusing on the fact the Bears and Lions were winless when the Seahawks played them.
Seattle is first in the NFL at denying third-down conversions, second in yards allowed and tied for third in points allowed.
Its secondary is now complete with the return two games ago of strong safety Kam Chancellor, in time to save Monday night’s win over Detroit with a forced fumble at the goal line late. That and the emergence of new cornerback Cary Williams mastering Seattle’s step-and-kick technique of jamming at the line opposite All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman make this unique whole again.
All-Pro safety Earl Thomas says having Chancellor back from his 54-day holdout means he doesn’t have to restrict himself with the responsibilities of calls and arranging teammates before each snap, that he can go back to seeking the ball.
“I can be myself now,” Thomas said. “I don’t have to worry about any indecision. He’s going to be in his spots. I can create off of that.”
Thomas and Chancellor are the Seahawks’ keys Sunday. The Bengals feature seam routes down the hash marks and post routes deep to the middle, forcing safeties to play like cover cornerbacks rather than roaming and helping at the ball outside.
Seattle’s main coverage is with the free safety as the single, “high” DB in the deep middle and Chancellor, the strong safety, up closer to the line to clobber receivers running shorter routes. So Thomas will often get the deep, featured stage solo coverage against Green or Cincinnati tight end Tyler Eifert, who is second on the Bengals with 16 catches and tied with Green with three touchdowns.
“They’re going to take shots,” Thomas said. “I understand what they’re trying to do, and it’s exciting for me. I get a chance to try to make a play.”
Asked what his key will be to eliminating Cincinnati’s deep routes, the ultra-intense Thomas said: “I’m just going to try to own it. I don’t know any particular scheme to try to do that, but I’m just going try to do my best to own every seam and every post.”
On offense, the Seahawks have spent the week owning the fact they must improve pass protection before quarterback Russell Wilson gets ruined. Chicago entered the game two weeks ago with zero sacks — and left Seattle with four. Detroit had four sacks in three games before dumping Wilson six times last week, with Wilson miraculously escaping six more to make his signature, and increasingly necessary, improvisational scramble plays. Wilson lost two fumbles to that pressure to let the Lions back in the game. He has nine turnovers in his last six games after three season of exquisite protection of the football.
“We just have to play better,” Wilson said. “It starts with me.”
Cincinnati has 11 sacks this season, already more than half the 20 it had all last season. Carlos Dunlap at left end against Seahawks’ first-year right tackle Garry Gilliam, a former college tight end, and Bengals tackle Geno Atkins versus left guard Justin Britt, center Drew Nowak and right guard J.R Sweezy are the matchups that will largely determine if Wilson can get more time to make calmer, more planned plays.
Marshawn Lynch returning to the running game would help the besieged line. The NFL’s rushing leader since 2011 missed last week’s win over Detroit with a pulled hamstring. He returned to practice on Thursday for the first time since Sept. 24 on a limited basis and may be a game-time decision on playing.
“We have to be better,” Seahawks line coach Tom Cable said of his blockers. “That’s the bottom line.”
It hasn’t happened yet this season. That, and the fact Cincinnati is home and flying with its downfield passing game, are why the Bengals are favored by a field goal over the defending two-time NFC champions.
“We are the underdogs? Who says we are the underdogs?” Thomas asked, his voice rising incredulously.
“I’ve been in my house.”
Extra points
With Lynch out and fellow RB Fred Jackson questionable to play because of a high-ankle sprain, the Seahawks signed rookie RB Rod Smith off their practice squad onto the 53-man roster Saturday by the league deadline for him to be able to play against the Bengals. Smith and fellow undrafted rookie Thomas Rawls are the only fully healthy tailbacks on the roster. Smith impressed coaches with his physical running in training camp and preseason games. … To make roster room, the team placed oft-injured CB Tharold Simon (dislocated toe) on the season-ending injured-reserve list for the season time in his three seasons.
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