The Seattle Seahawks defense has been as advertised through two weeks. Mike Macdonald’s stingy unit is allowing 17 points per contest, tied for seventh-lowest in the early portion of the 2025 NFL standings. Seattle’s defense has another plus matchup in Week 3 versus the New Orleans Saints.
We’ve identified three Seahawks defenders who qualify as potential X-factors against the Saints on Sunday.
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Byron Murphy II, DT
Sophomore defensive tackle Byron Murphy II played the best game of his young career against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2. The former Texas Longhorns standout recorded four stops, four pressures, and two sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Murphy will try to repeat the performance against an underrated Saints offensive line that’s only forfeited four sacks in two games.
Coby Bryant, S
Veteran safety Julian Love is questionable on the injury report, but he’ll likely play. Still, it places more stress and responsibility on fellow safety Coby Bryant. Bryant recorded a 28-yard interception of Aaron Rodgers in Week 1, and he’ll attempt to bait Spencer Rattler into a mistake on Sunday.
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Tyrice Knight, LB
Tyrice Knight was outstanding in Week 2, posting an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 73.4. Knight totaled six tackles and four stops, according to their stat-tracking data. On Sunday, he’ll face a huge challenge against Alvin Kamara, both as a run stopper and coverage linebacker.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks vs. Saints : 3 X-factors on defense for Week 3