RENTON, Wash. -- Geno Smith's second interception in the Seattle Seahawks' loss to the San Francisco 49ers last week came on an over-the-middle throw to DK Metcalf, who had veered towards the post on what was supposed to be an in route.
In typical fashion, Smith took the blame in his postgame news conference.
"We all saw it," the quarterback said. "Bad play by me."
Metcalf called Smith over the weekend and took responsibility for the pick, then set the record straight with reporters on Wednesday.
"That was definitely my fault," he said. "I was drifting upfield, saw open space, trying to do too much and let the DB undercut the route when I should've been staying flat."
For all the issues the Seahawks are dealing with as they try to end the three-game losing streak that followed their 3-0 start, accountability does not appear to be one of them. But turnovers -- on both sides of the ball -- are atop that list.
After two interceptions and a lost fumble against the 49ers, the Seahawks have given the ball away 10 times through six games compared to only four takeaways. Their minus-six differential is tied for third-worst in the NFL, and they've been minus-five in turnovers over their three-game skid.
"It's probably single-handedly the biggest thing that's hurting our football team," coach Mike Macdonald said. "We have to take care of the ball better. We have to practice it better. You get what you emphasize and apparently we're not emphasizing it enough. Shoot, that's my responsibility."
Part of the issue has been a simple matter of ball security.
Metcalf has lost two fumbles while fighting for extra yards. Laviska Shenault Jr. coughed up a kickoff return, and undrafted rookie Dee Williams muffed a punt. The Seahawks were fortunate to avoid two more turnovers against San Francisco when they recovered a Jaxon Smith-Njigba fumble and officials missed a call that should have resulted in the 49ers being awarded possession after they fell on another punt that Williams touched.
In other cases, Seattle's poor turnover differential has been a glaring symptom of other issues.
Smith's first interception last week came on a ball he sailed over Tyler Lockett's head, unable to step into the throw with Nick Bosa bearing down on him. One of Smith's earlier picks this year was also the result of pressure, as he hurried a throw to Zach Charbonnet out of the end zone while desperately trying to avoid a safety. That throw bounced off the running back's hands, while another Smith interception in the same game was deflected at the line of scrimmage.
The Seahawks, with their overmatched offensive line, rank fifth-worst in pass block win rate (51.6%). They're middle of the pack in terms of pressure allowed (18th at 31.2%), but that figure has been buoyed by Smith getting the ball out at the 10th-fastest rate (2.69 seconds on average).
Defensively, the Seahawks have forced seven fumbles -- tied for third-most in the NFL -- but have recovered only two of them to go along with their two interceptions. One of those fumble recoveries was returned by Rayshawn Jenkins 102 yards for a touchdown and a 14-point swing in Week 5, but that was Seattle's lone takeaway since the season opener.
The Seahawks' four takeaways put them on pace for fewer than 12. They finished with 19 last season (22nd) while the Baltimore Ravens forced an NFL-best 31 turnovers with Macdonald coordinating their defense.
"We got to get more people to the football consistently," Macdonald said, "and I think we have to create more situations where we're putting more pressure on the quarterback, where the ball comes to life. More shots on goal. You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don't take. So making sure that we're really taking advantage of those opportunities."
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Against the 49ers and New York Giants over the last two games, the Seahawks have pressured Brock Purdy and Daniel Jones on 40% of their dropbacks, the eighth-highest rate in the NFL in that span. But all that pressure has led to only nine combined QB hits.
"There's been some games where we're taking a lot of shots and the ball's not coming out," Macdonald said. "It's been a couple of games where the ball's out and it doesn't bounce our way. And then there's been the last two games. We haven't taken as many shots as we need to be taking and that's a function of being in a good proper angle and understanding the situation when you can punch and when the ball does come to life. So it's kind of a combination between all those things."
On the season, the Seahawks are 19th in pass rush win rate (41.6%) but have generated pressure at the fourth-highest rate (37.3%).
They'll be without one of their best pass rushers for the foreseeable future with Uchenna Nwosu expected to remain on injured reserve until late in the season. But the rest of their front is getting healthier, with Boye Mafe returning last week and rookie Byron Murphy II -- Seattle's first-round pick -- on his way back this week as well. The Seahawks upgraded their D-line depth by acquiring Roy Robertson-Harris in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this week.
On Sunday, they'll face a quarterback in Kirk Cousins who's much less mobile than Jones and Purdy, though the Atlanta Falcons have been one of the NFL's better pass-blocking teams, allowing pressure at a league-low 23.6% rate while ranking 10th in PBWR (62.5%).
The Seahawks haven't forced teams into enough pure passing situations, in large part because Seattle has fallen behind early in some games and has held a big lead in only one of them. Their opponents' average distance needed to convert on third down is 6.0 yards, second-shortest in the NFL, which is also a function of not being stout enough on early downs.
"Everyone running to the ball, everybody coming with ill intent." linebacker Tyrel Dodson said of the key to forcing more turnovers. "Just running to the ball and winning on first down. Because when you win on first down, now you make a team one-dimensional on second down. ... When you know what you're getting before then, now it's third-and-7, the big guys can go eat, the back end can go play with their eyes, me and [Jerome Baker] can disguise a little bit more. It's just playing that team ball."