RENTON, Wash. -- Life as an NFL interior defensive lineman requires doing the dirty work so others can make plays that show up in a traditional box score. The nature of the position makes it even more impressive when a defensive tackle manages to do the dirty work and deliver splash plays.
Take the Seattle Seahawks' opening defensive series against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, for example. On first-and-10, Leonard Williams flew by right guard Will Fries as soon as the ball was snapped and tackled running back Aaron Jones after a gain of just 1 yard. Williams split a double team on the next snap and pressured quarterback Max Brosmer into a checkdown that gained 6 yards. On third-and-3, Williams registered another quick win against Fries and sacked Brosmer for a loss of 9.
Only one play in that sequence will end up on a highlight reel, but all three were essential to forcing a punt. Williams has long been that sort of every-down difference maker, which is why the Seahawks were willing to give up a second-round pick to acquire him in 2023. He led Seattle with 11 sacks last season -- the first Seahawk since 2018 to reach double digits -- finished fifth among defensive tackles in All-Pro voting and made the Pro Bowl as an alternate.
Williams felt snubbed by the lack of accolades last season. This year, he's making it even harder to leave him out of any conversations about the best interior defensive lineman in the league.
"Turn the tape on and show me players that are playing better than him," coach Mike Macdonald said. "I'd be willing to watch that tape. It wouldn't be a long tape."
Seattle used the 16th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Byron Murphy II, thinking he would develop into a similar sort of game-wrecker. He has. Together, the 31-year-old Williams and his 23-year-old running mate are anchoring one of the league's best defenses while simultaneously making a case as the best defensive tackle tandem in the NFL.
"Two tremendous tackles," Macdonald said.
Williams' sack on Brosmer in the first quarter of Seattle's 26-0 victory was his seventh of the season. Murphy recorded his seventh in the fourth quarter when he used a bull rush against backup left tackle Justin Skule on second-and-13. The Seahawks are fourth in the NFL in sacks (40), with Williams and Murphy leading the way.
They also lead all defensive tackles, which is something many might have expected from Williams but not from Murphy, who had just a half-sack and no other QB hits during his rookie season. Murphy is playing more often this season because of his continued growth in Macdonald's scheme and a wrist injury that has sidelined Jarran Reed for the past month. Murphy is maximizing those opportunities and becoming a more consistent presence on the stat sheet. His 12 QB hits rank third on the team behind Williams (18) and outside linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence (16).
"It means a lot," Murphy said of his uptick in production. "It's showing that my preparation and everything I did in the offseason is paying off."
Taking down the quarterback is only a piece of what Seattle asks Williams and Murphy to do. But that they are doing that and contributing to one of the best run defenses in the league speaks to how dynamic that duo has been through 13 weeks. Against running back carries, the Seahawks rank first in yards per attempt allowed (3.5), first in EPA and second in success rate (all stats provided by TruMedia unless stated otherwise).
"They're problems in practices," Seattle center Olu Oluwatimi said of Williams and Murphy, "and on game day, they're going to be a problem."
The Seahawks' defense leads the league in EPA on running back carries with 1 yard to go on third and fourth down. They're fifth in success rate. There's a lot that goes into being stout in those situations, but a big part is having guys who are dominant at the point of attack. Murphy and Williams excel in those moments, even when not making the play.
In Week 11 against the Los Angeles Rams, for instance, Murphy made what Macdonald called an "incredible play" by defeating three players and allowing linebacker Drake Thomas to combine with defensive tackle Brandon Pili for a fourth-and-1 stop. Plays like that might explain why the Vikings decided Sunday to not only throw the ball on fourth-and-1, but also to run a play-action rollout away from Williams and Murphy.
"The amount that (Williams) sets his teammates up for success is understated," Macdonald said. "There's so many plays where he's setting somebody else up. Whether he's getting doubled in the pass rush or he's running a stunt to free somebody else up or in the run game, he's making the ball go a certain direction. There's at least a dozen plays every game where not a lot of people in the world can make those types of plays."
The same applies for Murphy.
"Byron's game is growing. It's on the way," Macdonald said. "We're probably putting (Williams) in more position flexibility than we are with Murph. Not that Murph can't do it -- it's just Leo has more experience, and we can move him around a little bit more than we do with Murph. But Murph is on his way. He's doing a lot of great things."
Seattle's shutout Sunday was the first under Macdonald and the franchise's first since 2015. The two stars of the game on defense were Lawrence and inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV. Lawrence generated the pressure that led to Jones' pick six in the second quarter, recorded a sack later that period and forced a fumble in the third quarter. Jones led Seattle with 12 tackles and had two interceptions.
Williams and Murphy made more unheralded contributions, but those efforts certainly don't go unnoticed by their teammates, who often benefit from playing behind the two stud defensive tackles.
"It's a dream come true," Thomas said of lining up with Williams and Murphy. "They're not going to go one-for-one. It's going to take more than one guy to block them. Sometimes, two guys can't even block them. They're disruptive, they're selfless, they're great dudes. So many different things make them what they are."
Reed is eligible to return from injured reserve this week, and his availability for Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons will depend on his practice participation. Re-inserting the 32-year-old veteran should only improve a Seattle defense that ranks third in points per drive (1.53) and EPA per play (0.12). Both those marks are No. 1 in the NFC. Seattle's offense ranks third in points per game and eighth in points per drive, but it clearly has some kinks to work out, namely with ball security (Sam Darnold leads the league in turnover rate).
The defense, on the other hand, is undoubtedly playing at a championship level. So much of what makes the Seahawks dominant starts with their interior line play. They stop the run consistently and earn the right to rush the passer, which they're doing as well as anyone. They rank fourth in pressure rate and seventh in sack rate.
Voting for the Pro Bowl opened last week, and after having just one player (Devon Witherspoon) on the initial roster in 2024, the Seahawks are on track to have several members of the defense in the mix this year. Seattle has five players among the top 10 vote-getters at their positions after the first round of fan voting: Coby Bryant, Uchenna Nwosu, Lawrence, Murphy and Williams. So far, Murphy is the second-highest vote getter among defensive tackles. In the initial release from the NFL, Williams was listed as a defensive end, though that has since been corrected, according to a team spokesperson, and will be reflected in the next update.
Any accolades Murphy and Williams receive will be well-earned. They are playing like two of the best in the business. Their film supports that. The numbers do, too.