The Seattle Seahawks went into Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers without starting free safety Tedric Thompson, who was inactive thanks to a hamstring injury suffered in Week 1.
As expected, the Seahawks went with a healthy dose of Lano Hill in his place. Hill is a more natural strong safety, which slid veteran Bradley McDougald over to Thompson’s old spot.
And after Sunday’s performance, Hill certainly doesn’t look ready to relinquish that role back to Thompson, even when he’s healthy.
“He did fine,” coach Pete Carroll commented on 710 ESPN’s Brock and Salk Show Monday morning. “He was running and hitting. He looks good out there. So, he’s making it competitive, which is great.”
Many felt Hill would split time with rookie Marquise Blair to replace Thompson, but that did not end up being the case. Hill played all 57 defensive snaps, while Blair only saw the field on special teams.
Hill also finished with Seattle’s second highest grade on defense, according to Pro Football Focus, earning a 67.3.
Hill did get beat down the field on a fleaflicker play (although Carroll took the blame for that) but he still finished with three combined tackles.
Plus, his best play of the game did not go down in the scorebook: an interception of Mason Rudolph on an attempted two-point conversion early in the fourth quarter.
“It was a huge play just to leave you in the lead,” Carroll said after the game. “It was unfortunate we let them get down there, but that was a big play.”
It is unclear when Thompson will be back for the Seahawks, and until then Hill will continue to start in the secondary for Seattle.
That lineup could persist through Thompson’s return as well, and it will be something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.
