THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: What a difference one month made in Seahawks

You wouldn’t have been able to stop yourself.

If someone insisted, just a month ago, that the Seahawks defense would morph into one of the best in the NFL, surely you couldn’t have prevented a fit of giggles.

And how about if you also heard that this new, rugged Seattle defense is likely to return intact in 2025?

It seemed crazy.

But the facts are there in bold, flashing lights.

Stats, too.

The Hawks allowed at least 26 points in five straight games, but now have turned around to yield a total of just 49 in a three-game stretch against their NFC West colleagues.

The best of those efforts was last week’s 16-6 victory over Arizona and star quarterback Kyler Murray, a win which tied Seattle with the Cards at 6-5 atop the division — but to this point, sitting in first place by virtue of various tiebreakers.

So?

How did the Hawks flip this thing around?

Was it Mike Macdonald, the guru of coaching defense?

Obviously, his fingerprints are all over the turnaround.

“Coach Macdonald, he’s been in his bag lately,’’ cornerback Jevon Witherspoon said. 

“He’s been on point with the calls, so we just go out there and execute.”

SOME OF the Seahawks’ makeover is actually pretty obvious.

They’ve added Ernest Jones IV at middle linebacker via trade and installed rookie Tyrice Knight on the weak side.

Cornerback Riq Woolen is back from injury, allowing Witherspoon to move into the slot — where he does plenty of damage playing what sometimes appears to be several positions.

The other corner spot belongs to Josh Jobe, who has played well enough to earn his snaps and free up Witherspoon.

Edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu — who played only 33 snaps for Macdonald before getting hurt — is expected back for the Arizona rematch in two weeks.

The Hawks also have spent some money, specifically on defensive tackle Leonard Williams.

Williams and vet Jarran Reed play each side of rookie Byron Murphy, who is living up to his first-round status by holding down the middle.

Boye Mafe and Derick Hall are locked in as edge linebackers (let’s call Nwosu a question mark) with Dre’Mont Jones — having been given up as underachieving — battling his way back into that fight.

Safeties Julian Love and Coby Bryant have settled in as safeties along with Rayshawn Jenkins, giving the Seahawks talent and depth.

MACDONALD and GM John Schneider will have decisions to make with next year’s defense — but not many, unless you’re counting draft choices.

Kenneth Arthur, who writes the most knowledgeable publication about the Seahawks (called Seaside Joe), has already gone some way toward filling out the 2025 defense.

Arthur (let’s call him Joe) was the first reporter I’ve found to make connection in ’25 with the defense that stuffed Arizona last weekend.

He points out that 12 of the 16 players who played snaps in that game — including the top 14 — are all under contract for next year.

Here’s Joe’s take on a good-looking future.

“This is the type of continuity that money can’t buy that money literally bought. 

“And good drafting.

“The Seahawks have very little work to do on that side of the ball as long as players like Coby Bryant, Tyrice Knight, and other pleasant surprises continue to perform as well as they have recently. 

“That makes retaining the few hanging chads — Ernest Jones and Jarran Reed — a straightforward and simple process between the end of the season and the start of free agency.

“By all accounts, John Schneider didn’t trade a fourth-round pick for Jones IV just to let him walk without a fight (Jones projects to sign for $9-14 million).

“The defensive depth chart that the Seahawks take into their Week 13 matchup against the New York Jets isn’t likely to have many changes when Seattle opens the season in 2025. 

“A few years ago, a sentence like that one would have terrified Seahawks fans worse than the bedroom scene in Terrifier 2. 

“But now it’s actually a positive.”

To be sure, this is a professional sport and several bumps and changes are likely to keep the Seahawks working on the sturdiest possible roster.

But listen to Joe.

“Essentially, Macdonald already knows next season’s starting defense and that’s as simple as John Schneider extending Jones and re-signing Reed, which shouldn’t be that hard given his obvious affinity for being in Seattle.”

Yes, things can always swivel sideways.

At the moment, though, the Seahawks have a defense you wouldn’t have imagined a couple of months ago.

Let’s see where it goes.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”