Hawks won't let trouble pass by

The problems are in the past, but they're not behind Seattle's defense.

At least not any more.

That's good because the last place a defense wants to have problems is behind it, and a year ago that's precisely where the Seahawks were most vulnerable. Opponents went around, over and through them. The defense spent so much time looking over its shoulder as opponents ran by that it could have been diagnosed with a critical case of whiplash.

That's why the Seahawks went out and signed free agents Deon Grant and Brian Russell in a 24-hour period and the reason Ken Hamlin and Michael Boulware are now down in Texas. And the biggest reason the Seahawks are No. 3 in scoring defense right now is that the big plays that were their bugaboo a year ago have evaporated this season.

"It was something that hurt us last year," coach Mike Holmgren said of the big plays. "There was no question about that.

"And we're just better at it this year."

They'd better be in Cleveland today, when Seattle faces one of the most proficient offenses in the NFL this season. Stop laughing. It's true. The Browns finished second-to-last in the league in offensive yardage last season, but they've been on a fast break for much of this season and rank sixth in yardage.

The Seahawks have kept three of their seven opponents from scoring a touchdown this season. Only two teams allow fewer points than Seattle after the Seahawks repaired a defense repeatedly gashed for big plays in 2006. A 95-yard touchdown run by Minnesota's Chester Taylor, the longest allowed in franchise history. A 67-yard touchdown pass to St. Louis' Torry Holt that nearly cost the Seahawks a game.

Chicago's Bernard Berrian had three catches of more than 40 yards against the Seahawks in two games, including a 68-yard touchdown in the divisional playoffs.

The Seahawks allowed seven plays of 40 yards or more the first seven games of last season, five for touchdowns. Opponents had three plays of 50 yards or more in those seven games. The Seahawks have allowed three plays of 40 yards or more this season, none for a touchdown. They haven't given up a play longer than 49 yards this season, improving what had been the soft spot of the defense.

"You don't want to let it be an ongoing thing, especially in the secondary," said cornerback Marcus Trufant. "... It's not just bad for the defense, it's bad for the team. So we can't allow that to happen."

The Seahawks have two new safeties, a new assistant coach in the secondary, Jim Mora, and a newfound success keeping opponents in front of them.

"We're running the same defenses," linebacker Lofa Tatupu said. "It's a matter of just executing the defense."

Some of it is the personnel change at the back. The headstrong Hamlin was allowed to leave for Dallas as a free agent. Boulware was traded to the Houston Texans and otherwise may not have made Seattle's team because he had a linebacker's instincts burned into his hard drive. His first step took him toward the line of scrimmage too often. He lost his starting job after the defeat to Minnesota last October and returned to the starting lineup in December against San Diego only to give up a 37-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson that cost the Seahawks a victory.

The Seahawks overhauled that position in the offseason. They signed Grant from Jacksonville, who can remember being beaten deep only once for a touchdown and that was because he overran Santana Moss. Seattle signed Russell a day after coming to an agreement with Grant, and preventing the big plays that stung Seattle last season was clearly a priority.

"They felt like it was an area we could improve as a defense," Russell said. "But I think we've been better because the entire team is playing well."

There are plenty of numbers that show just that. The Seahawks haven't given up a touchdown in three of their seven games this season. They've intercepted eight passes in seven games after picking off 12 in the 2006 season. The Seahawks are fourth in the league in sacks.

But the number that really matters is points. The Seahawks are giving up third-fewest in the league and they haven't allowed a touchdown longer than 30 yards this season.

"That's something that's deep, deep inside you when you're a safety," Russell said. "You know that nothing can get behind you and you know a lot of times, when you're making tackles, you miss and it's big trouble."

That's the reality of the position. Safeties are the last line of a defense, and a position that left the back of Seattle's defense exposed too often last season. That's a hole that has been sewn up this season.

Danny O'Neil: 206-464-2364 or doneil@seattletimes.com