Kirk Cousins is widely expected to hit free agency this offseason, and he hasn’t given any indication that retirement is on his mind. In fact, he still feels he has plenty of football left to play. He’s also dipped his toes into media, making a few guest appearances as a football analyst, showing that he could have a future breaking down the game once his playing days are over. That potential was on full display recently when Cousins dove into what makes the Seahawks’ defense so effective.

“The first time I’ve ever seen coverage disguised as well as I saw this year was Seattle,” Kirk Cousins said in the Friends From Work podcast. “He’s playing 11 hole, which is single high man with a free player in the middle, reading my eyes. He’s playing that from a split safety alignment. And the free player, if you will, is one of the two safeties. So he’s basically saying, it used to be, you have the two safeties here, split safety, and on the snap, the one guy moves to the middle, to the post, and the other guy moves down.”

In Week 14, Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons were beaten 37-9 by the Seahawks. According to ESPN, Cousins finished 15-of-30 for 162 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. He never looked comfortable. The confusion he described on the podcast showed up clearly in that game.

That matters because quarterbacks use pre-snap safety alignment to confirm where to go with the ball. Seattle shows two safeties high, which normally suggests one thing. But the actual coverage becomes something else. That split-second doubt can be the difference between a completion and a turnover.

Normally, that early rotation tells the quarterback what coverage it is. Against Seattle, that clear picture never comes right away. That delay forces quarterbacks to hold the ball longer, which increases pressure and risk.

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“But now Mike’s saying, don’t do that… But on the snap of the ball, they just stand there,” Cousins added.

Seattle’s defense does not fully reveal its coverage until late in the play, forcing quarterbacks to process two looks in one snap. That is why even veteran QBs like Cousins struggle to find rhythm and consistency against this scheme.

Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks defense uses timing and disguise to confuse quarterbacks, forcing hesitation and mistakes. As Kirk Cousins’ Week 14 performance showed, even experienced QBs struggle against this scheme. It’s a blueprint that can frustrate any passer in the league.

Why Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks defense confuses even veteran QBs

Seattle’s defense under Mike Macdonald has confused quarterbacks all season. The key to their success is timing and patience. They rarely reveal their coverage before the snap, forcing QBs to hesitate and rethink their reads in real time.

“And so I’m like, oh, that’s like a 44 man or a 22 man… as you watch the play really late in the down, this starts to happen. But so late that the ball is like leaving my hand…” Cousins said on a podcast. “They just don’t play 11 holes until the last second, until they absolutely have to… And that’s where it started to, like, blow my mind.”

What Cousins is explaining is that Seattle shows one look early but then changes to another later in the play. For a quarterback, that means processing two different coverages in a single snap. It disrupts timing, makes it harder to find open receivers, and increases the chance of mistakes.

Seattle’s scheme is built to create confusion, not just pressure. By keeping safeties and defenders still early, quarterbacks cannot confirm reads quickly. That short delay can force hurried throws or turnovers.

Mike Macdonald’s system rewards disciplined defenders who stick to their assignments while hiding their true intentions. Cousins’ reaction shows that even veterans can be thrown off when facing this level of disguise.

The Seahawks’ defense is a mix of timing, patience, and disguise that challenges quarterbacks at every step. Kirk Cousins’ struggles in Week 14 highlight how effective the scheme is. Teams facing Seattle will need sharper reads and quicker decisions to keep up.