The Seattle Seahawks proved their win in Week 2 over the Pittsburgh Steelers wasn’t a fluke, as they beat the brakes off the New Orleans Saints in Week 3, picking up a dominant 44-13 victory when all was said and done. After the game, star linebacker Ernest Jones IV sent a warning to the rest of the league that will surely catch fans’ attention.
From the get-go, the Seahawks ran riot on the Saints, as they shut them down in every facet of the game. That includes perhaps New Orleans’ most dangerous aspect of its offense, which is its rushing attack. Jones believes that was a product of Seattle’s dominant run defense, leading to a strong message from him after the game.
Ernest Jones IV’s Confident Message on Seahawks’ Run Defense
An overlooked piece of the Seahawks‘ first two games of the season was how well they played against the run. In their loss to the San Francisco 49ers, they allowed just 3.3 yards per carry, and against the Steelers, that figure was only marginally better, coming in at 3.4 yards per carry. Playing with a lead for much of Week 2 helped, but it was clear that Seattle was going to be a tough team to run the football against.
It’s worth noting that the game script in their win against New Orleans never really resulted in their opponent having a chance to run the football. Before the Saints even had a chance to get settled, they found themselves facing a 20-0 deficit, which meant a large diet of Spencer Rattler throwing the football in an attempt to keep them in the game.
When N.O. did try to run the football, though, they had virtually no success, racking up 2.9 yards per carry in this game. As one of the team’s top linebackers, Jones played a big role in helping the Seahawks shut down the Saints‘ ground game, and afterwards, he warned the rest of the league about trying to run the football against Seattle.
“We kind of heard the noise earlier in the week, I believe one of their coaches were excited about the challenge of having him and thinking they were gonna run the ball on us, so we took that personal,” Jones said when speaking to reporters after the game. “Listen, it’s gonna be tough to run the ball against us, just because of the mindset and the physicality that we play (with). We’re gonna make it hard on you to run the ball on us, and if you, good luck to you.”
Seahawks On a Roll Heading into Week 4 Matchup vs. Cardinals
Kevin C. Cox/GettyATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 20: Head coach Mike Macdonald of the Seattle Seahawks looks on prior to a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
After a bit of a slow start against the Niners, the Seahawks have begun to round into form over the past couple of games. Anytime you beat your opponent by more than 30 points, you have to be doing something right, and while the Saints are widely believed to be the worst team in the league, a blowout win is something to be proud of, no matter who the opponent is.
Seattle still has a lot of work to do, though, as they are staring up at the 49ers in the NFC West currently. The Seahawks have a good thing going for them currently, and they will look to keep up the positive momentum in Week 4, as they have an important divisional clash against the Arizona Cardinals. With this game set to be played on Thursday Night Football, Seattle has a short week on its hands, so it will have to turn the page quickly after this big win.
Ernest Jones IV Sends Strong Message on Seahawks Run Defense After Blowout Win