Seahawks could learn a little about rushing the passer from Vikings

Pressure can burst pipes or batter quarterbacks, and in the NFL the best way to disrupt an opposing offense is to get large, snarling defensive linemen in the opponent's backfield.

Through nine games, Minnesota's ability to apply pressure ranks first in the league with 34 sacks while in Seattle, the Seahawks' defensive line is under pressure to provide more production in today's game at the Metrodome.

"It has been somewhat of a struggle for us lately," coach Jim Mora said.

Last Sunday, it was nonexistent in Arizona. Seattle took a clear step forward in offensive production against the Cardinals, but the pass rush up and vanished.

Not only did Seattle fail to sack Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, but it knocked him down only once.

Part of that lack of pressure was because Seattle dropped back in coverage and at times rushed only three linemen. But in football, a willingness to blitz is confused with a desire to apply pressure. There's no prohibition against a defense getting to the quarterback without resorting to unleashing linebackers and safeties on the opposing passer. In fact, it's preferred.

Minnesota has been able to do it. Defensive end Jared Allen has 10.5 sacks, second-most in the league. Seattle's entire defensive line has combined for 11. The Vikings have three different linemen with more than five sacks. The Seahawks? They've got none. Patrick Kerney and Lawrence Jackson are tied for the team lead with four.

The Seahawks' defensive line was supposed to be a big improvement this season, emphasis upon the word big. The Seahawks signed 330-pound Colin Cole to play nose tackle and traded Pro Bowl linebacker Julian Peterson to Detroit for 295-pound Cory Redding, who was versatile enough to play tackle on third down and big enough to allow Kerney to move to right end.

Back in training camp and through the four-game exhibition schedule, Seattle's defensive line was touted as a strength.

"In the games that didn't count," Mora said, "when we practiced in underwear. So these regular-season games, they start to reveal some things."

And the biggest revelation has been that for all the resources Seattle has stacked up on that front line, only one defensive lineman has improved in his pass rush this year and that's Jackson. He had three sacks the first two games and one in the past seven.

Seattle signed Kerney to a top-shelf free-agent contract in 2007, chose Darryl Tapp in the second round in 2006, tackle Brandon Mebane in the third round in 2007 and Jackson in the first round last season.

The result? Seattle's defense has been stout against the run this season — allowing only one opposing back to surpass 100 yards — but has only 11 sacks.

Minnesota's defensive line? It has totaled 26.5 sacks.

Allen was acquired by the Vikings last year when they not only signed him to a huge contract but traded a first-round pick to Kansas City for the right to do so.

But Minnesota's pass rush includes more than that big-budget addition. Ray Edwards has 5.5 sacks. He was a fifth-round pick in 2006. The Vikings have not drafted a defensive lineman higher than the fourth round in the past four drafts yet they've assembled a fearsome pass rush.

"They're very good," Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "You can see why they have sacks. You can see why they're disruptive, so we know what we need to do to not allow that to happen.

"Saying it and doing it, that's two different things."

Totally different, just like saying Seattle needs pressure from its defensive line is one thing and actually applying that pressure is something else entirely.

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