The Seattle Seahawks entered Sunday’s Week 1 contest versus the Denver Broncos without star pass rusher Uchenna Nwosu, who is nursing a week-to-week knee injury. That placed extra responsibility on the shoulders of young outside linebackers Boye Mafe and Derick Hall. Both players responded with quality performances.
Mafe carried a particularly heavy load in Nwosu’s absence. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher played 60 total snaps against the Broncos. That accounted for 87% of Mike Macdonald’s defensive snaps in Week 1.
Mafe totaled a team-high nine pressures, tied for the most of any pass rusher on Sunday, according to Next Gen Stats. Mafe recorded his first sack of the season, and Pro Football Focus also credited him with seven quarterback hurries. It was a dominant performance from a potentially budding superstar.
Boye Mafe catching up with old friend Bo Nix for the sack. #RTB #SkiUMah #Gophers
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Hall was also very effective in a rotational pass-rushing role. The second-round sophomore totaled a more modest 31 snaps, equaling 45% of Seattle’s defensive plays.
Hall converted 23 pass-rushing snaps into four pressures, two QB hits, one sack, and one hurry, per Pro Football Focus’ charting. It was Hall’s first career sack. He appears primed to showcase growth as a sophomore this season.
The Seahawks could be without Nwosu for the next two contests. A two-to-three-game timeline was the expectation when Seahawks general manager John Schneider didn’t place him on IR. Having young pass rushers like Mafe and Hall showcase the desired development is allowing Seattle to get by without their first-choice quarterback hunter.
