Seahawks Defense Tries To Instill 'Legion Of Boom' Mindset In Practice

Before their bye week and the Rams game in Week 9, the Seahawks defense and its leaders talked about their identity and figuring out, 'What do we want to be?' safety Julian Love said.

"We kind of are still finding our identity and it won't just happen," Love said. "We have to create an identity. Some of the stuff was brought up about the LOB (Legion of Boom) days about how they went about practice and how the defense took a lot of things personally and challenged and (had) kind of an attack mentality. And so some people want to incorporate some of that into how we've led. I think some of that stuff has paid itself forward, just by 'Hey man, this isn't good enough.' Trying to hold a higher standard for who we want to be."

From that conversation, veteran Jarran Reed, who came in as a rookie surrounded by Seahawks Legends like Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman, said that he felt the mindset and approach of the defense needed to change.

"When I got here, the way the guys practiced was at an elite level, just watching Ahtyba Rubin, K.J. Wright, Kam (Chancellor), Richard Sherman, the whole crew; the way they practiced is the way they attack the day," Reed said. "Every day they were competing, the receivers and defensive backs were always chomping at each other. It was always so physical, especially for them to be defensive backs and receivers, and down in the front, it was a doghouse. So, like I was explaining to J. Love (Julian Love), I kind of had to up my game, and practice was harder than the game. I think that's the approach I was explaining to J. Love that we had to take that approach as a team, and we have to start implementing those things in our practice."

The first step to making practice harder than the game is holding each other accountable.

"I think sometimes it might take for some guys to take things personally, which is okay," Love said. "You have pride in your work and you just try to challenge as much as you can. I think as we've been going about each week, it's kind of just being on the details of 'Hey, this isn't good enough. What standard do we want to have?' And so we kind of tightened some things up in the meeting rooms, and I think it's showing itself these past few games. We've got to keep stacking, keep going, regardless of the results."

Love added, "We implemented, it took more out of the leaders, it took more out of the guys in each room to uphold that standard and kind of say what was good and what isn't good. So, it was a collective effort for sure. We're still trying to get there. We're still trying to get everybody on board and just incorporate that into how we go about each week."

Defensive coordinator Aden Durde said that he has seen a difference in practice over the last few weeks.

"I think we try and make it that practice is most important," Durde said. "You talk about LOB, that's in the fabric of this place. I've met the guys a couple of times. I've come in this league watching that and things like that don't just happen. They happen because people do it on a day-to-day basis and Jarran sharing that experience and that's what you want. That's how you become a team that is playing when the teams need to be playing at the end of the year it's by the way you practice, the way you go about your business, the way you communicate, the way you prepare. So, it's great that he said."

Keeping each other sharp also takes place in the film room. If someone catches a pass on a defensive back, the rest of the room will let that player hear about it. It's not so much about being "mean," but making sure players are playing up to the standard their teammates know they're capable of.

"I think in practice, we don't want a catch to be caught on us," Love said. "It's very simple, but if you're in a man (coverage) situation, challenge. Like, you should take it personally if somebody catches a ball on you in practice. Just that mindset, it helps you be sharper. Know that the room is going to probably get on you if you give up a catch or just don't finish a play. That's kind of the standard. The DBs, leadership-wise outside of myself, I think everybody's done a good job. Spoon (Devon Witherspoon) has done a great job of stepping forward and just leading that charge. Coby Bryant, Jenks (Rayshawn Jenkins), it's been a great effort."

For Reed, it was important to try to implement that same kind of mindset the Legion of Boom had because he didn't want to waste more time.

"I just think we have a special team, especially a special defense, and you can't let time go to waste, especially with the group of guys we have," Reed said. "You never know how anything's going to end or who's going to be here, who's not. So, I just wanted to take full advantage of what we have in front of us right now."