Seattle Seahawks Reign As Top Defense Predicted To End

It certainly would be a bold prediction to think any other defense in the NFL besides the Seattle Seahawks finishes at the top in 2015.

After all, they’ve featured the #1 unit in points allowed for the past four-straight seasons. During that span they have reached the playoffs every reach, played in two Super Bowls and won a Lombardi trophy. Their loaded core of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Bobby Wagner and Michael Bennett remains intact and in their primes.

Throw in the fact they’re still playing in that raucous home stadium of theirs and it takes a serious amount of bravery to predict that this group won’t be able to retain their spot atop pro football. Yet that is just what NFL.com writer and analyst Eliott Harrison did. His mistrust of their largely unknown defensive line as well as the ability of Thomas Rawls to stay healthy for a full season has led to his prediction they’d be dethroned in 2016.

The bigger surprise though might be his choice for who will claim the crown.

"“Rex Ryan says the Bills won the offseason. I was under the impression that everyone gets a participation trophy (usually wood with a gold-colored foil plate that says “participant”) for the offseason. I am OK with saying Buffalo won the draft, however. The Bills picked up two pass rushers and an inside linebacker in Reggie Ragland who is capable of starting Week 1. Throw in an under-the-radar corner in sixth-round pick Kevon Seymour — as well as the departure of the disgruntled Mario Williams — and voila: You have a retooled defense. The Seahawks have led the league in points allowed four consecutive years, a record in the modern era. It has to end some time. That Tom Brady will be suspended for the Week 4 trip to New England certainly helps the cause.”"

Buffalo? Really? Admittedly it does sound a little out there but in truth it’s not entirely. After all they did rank 12th last season in their first year of a new system. Now that they’ve had time to get personnel who make a better fit, odds are improvement will be seen. Then there is the presence of Rex Ryan himself. Regarless of what people say about his bluster, most agree he’s one of the best defensive minds of this generation.

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Twice before he’s coached a defense to the #1 ranking in the NFL, once in 2006 with Baltimore and again in 2009 with the Jets. So this is not out of the realm of possibility. It’s a matter of whether the Bills can enjoy a run of good health and get the pass rush they’ll need to make it happen. Until proven otherwise, the Seattle Seahawks hold the throne.

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