When Tyrice Knight missed part of training camp while dealing with injury, it opened up the opportunity for other players to get first-team reps. One of those players was Drake Thomas who on Monday, showed why head coach Mike Macdonald said, "You've seen what Drake is doing out there. Hard to take him off the field."
Thomas made his fourth start alongside Ernest Jones IV this season and has five passes defensed, 2.0 sacks and 32 tackles through seven games.
"Drake's a baller man," Jones said. "I said it at the beginning of the season. If things were to go down, regardless of the names in that room, bro, we got a bunch of ballers, a bunch of true linebackers who can go out there and any given Sunday they can go out there and make plays and Drake's just a testament to that. He's doing that. Proud of him."
Safety Julian Love has been sidelined with a hamstring injury for three games, although he is expected to be back after the bye week. In his absence, third-year safety Ty Okada has made the start in his place. Okada has 1.5 sacks and 37 tackles through seven games played.
Immediately following Monday's game, Macdonald said, "Really proud of Ty. Talk about another guy as we walk in the door, just does everything right all the time with a great attitude. His teammates love him. Just an absolute worker. He's tough, smart. We take a lot of pride in upholding the standard. That was one of the things our guys talked about last night. Ty is one of those guys that does it. He's done a phenomenal job. He deserves a major shout-out. He's worked his tail off for this opportunity. He's helped us win, what, two football games here in the last three games."
"Every time I go out there, I want to uphold the standard that we're the best defense in the league," Okada said. "And that's what we expect, no matter who's out there, no matter what 11 guys are out there."
The Seahawks' ability to have players ready to go as soon as one player goes down with an injury is something Macdonald has harped on since the beginning of the season. Players walk the halls of the Virginia Mason Athletic Center with shirts that say, "READY SQUAD," a term the Seahawks football staff has coined instead of using "practice squad." The messaging behind the shirts is that all 70 players, active roster and practice squad alike will add to Seattle's successes. And this has proven to be truer each week, when a starter is unable to play.
"It's why the 70 matter," Macdonald said earlier this season. "It's why we coach everybody all the time. It's why we do what we do. It's always been my personal philosophy of depth and growth and development, that's really important, but it was really John's vision of how he wants it to operate, and it meshes with our philosophy," Macdonald said. "It makes a lot of sense, and I think it's the best way to do it. I love how we do it."
While Thomas and Okada have just been the latest players to embody this mindset, cornerback Derion Kendrick and safety D'Anthony Bell have also showed success when called on this season.
Go behind the scenes with team photographer Rod Mar as he shares moments from the Seahawks' Week 7 win over the Houston Texans.
Hours before kickoff, coaches from the Seahawk and the Texans joined to run the stadium stairs in honor of Greg Knapp, who passed away after being hit by a distracted driver. Knapp was an assistant with the Seahawks during the 2009 season.
Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde runs the stairs at Lumen Field before the game in honor of Greg Knapp, a longtime NFL assistant who was killed by a distracted driver.
Members of the Seahawks equipment staff check helmets containing headsets for signal callers on both sides of the ball.
Seahawks fans came ready to also support the Seattle Mariners, who were playing Game 7 of the ALCS with hopes of making the team's first-ever World Series.
Members of the Seahawks defensive backfield meet in the locker room before the game.
Seattle's Leonard Williams has fun with teammate Boye Mafe during early warmups.
Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo catches passes with one hand during pregame.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen walks to the field from the locker room.
Seahawks linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence gathers teammates during pregame.
Seahawks tight end Brady Russell does some last minute study in the locker room.
Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas gets ready for the game.
Seahawks defensive lineman Jarran Reed gathers the team around him just before leaving the locker room for kickoff.
Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is introduced under the lights for Monday Night Football.
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu celebrates after making a play in the first quarter.
Seahawks Jarran Reed and Leonard Williams combine to make a stop.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold leaps out of pressure.
Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba catches a touchdown pass from quarterback Sam Darnold.
Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba "dunks" the football after scoring a first half touchdown.
As the Mariners fell behind in their baseball game, fans of wore "rally shoes" at the Seahawks game hoping to give luck to the neighboring baseball team.
Seahawks defensive lineman Byron Murphy II lets out a yell after making a play with Ernest Jones IV.
Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe knocks the ball away from Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Seattle's Coby Bryant sends a Texans ballcarrier flying as Ernest Jones IV closes in.
Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas breaks up a pass in coverage.
As the final score of the Mariners Game 7 loss spread through Lumen Field, fans reacted in the stands.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III breaks free around the right end.
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu signals "fourth down" after a defensive stop.
Seahawks receiever Jaxon Smith-Njigba breaks into space after the catch.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold fires a pass as Anthony Bradford and Charles Cross protect.
Seahawks special teamer Brady Russell reacts after making a tackle.
Seahawks safety Ty Okada sacks Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Seahawks safety Ty Okada celebrates after sacking Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
The Seahawks Dancers perform in a darkened stadium during Monday Night Football.
Lumen Field is awash in lights from mobile phones during a time out.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen breaks up a pass downfield.
This 12 came ready for Halloween.
After the game, quarterback Sam Darnold celebrates with safety Ty Okada on their way to the locker room.
In the winning locker room, Seahawks Ty Okada, Sam Darnold, Nick Emmanwori and Shaquill Griffin celebrate.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald hugs defensive coordinator Aden Durde after awarding him a game ball.
Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde is congratulated by players after receiving a game ball for the performance of the defense.
