Author: Rob Staton (Page 8 of 440)

This is a guest article by Curtis Allen…

What a strange exercise looking at the NFL schedule is.

In August, this matchup against the Colts was a speedbump. A pretty easy win for the Seahawks that was just a stepping stone toward the final three-game gauntlet of games.  Sure, the Colts had Jonathan Taylor and a good Offensive Line but they signed Daniel Jones to compete with Anthony Richardson for the Quarterback job.  The guy the Giants cut and spent a few weeks as QB3 in Minnesota.

By mid-October, the outlook had completely changed.  Jones was in a groove, flourishing in Shane Steichen’s offense.  Jonathan Taylor was looking like an Offensive Player of the Year candidate and their defense was doing just enough to get by.  A massive trade for Sauce Gardner confirmed the team felt like they were ready to make a run.

And now here the Colts are, back to speedbump status.  Daniel Jones is lost for the season with an Achilles injury and they will not have Gardner, Charvarius Ward, DeForest Bucker and Braden Smith (their starting Right Tackle) available due to injury.  They have been forced to bring Philip Rivers in to start at Quarterback.  He has been retired for almost five years.

If you could craft a warmup for the Game of the Year on Thursday night, this would be it.  The Seahawks will have a huge talent advantage and while there are some unknowns, that will help sharpen their anticipation for what Sean McVay will throw at them.

With so much that will be off script, I thought the Watch Points should follow suit and be a collection of some thoughts on this matchup.

Attacking the Colt Defense

Indianapolis’ defense is right about league-average in the number of points they concede.  They excel at run defense and are poor in pass defense.

They are not used to carrying the team this year and yet that is what they will need to do if the Colts are to have a chance in this game.

It will not be easy.

The Colts will be running out backups at both cornerback spots against Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed.  They blitz a fair amount but their numbers conceded when they blitz are crazy:

This could help Sam Darnold get ready for the Rams matchup.  Pressure led him to make some unfortunate decisions that led to four interceptions.  Getting blitzed with multiple offensive options at his disposal who should be able to win their one-on-one matchups can help tune him up to face the Rams.

The Colts are one of the bottom teams in the NFL on Third Downs, conceding 43.4%.  They do tighten up in the Red Zone and that will be where the game is decided.  Settling for Field Goals will not be the worst thing given their defensive matchup.  Again though, seeing some execution would be a welcome site and confidence booster.

The Colts are one of the NFL’s worst defenses against offenses who line up under center.

Opposing Quarterbacks have a 108.5 rating, their first down percentage is one of the NFL’s highest and the Colts only have four sacks in over 300 plays.

Which is helpful, because the Seahawks run their offense under center about 57% of plays.  They know how to work under the center.

Another:  While the Colts are one of the NFL’s better defenses against the run, Daniel Jones and the offense have been very effective and taking that feature of opposing offenses away with scoreboard pressure.

However, in the first half, the defense is conceding 4.4 yards per carry on the ground.  While the offense should be able to move freely down the field with passes, establishing the run should be a goal and with a depleted defense, this should be an opportunity to enforce their will on the team.

When the Seahawks Are on Defense

Tackling and keeping Yards After Catch down will be a key against Rivers.

In his last season, Rivers was among the shortest passers in the NFL, with one of the best Yards After Catch numbers.  Steichen relied on him to get rid of the ball quickly, distribute the ball around the field and let the receivers make things happen with their feet.

I think it is fair to expect a game like this from Rivers:

This chart is from Week Nine of the 2020 season.

Look at all those passes five yards past the line of scrimmage or less.  Any pass beyond 10 yards is a 50/50 proposition and the Seahawks have Julian Love, Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen able to defend down the field.

Expect a ton of short screen passes, particularly involving Tyler Warren.

Warren is the fifth-most targeted Tight End in the NFL but he has one of the shortest Average Depth of Targets at five yards.  Nick Emmanwori, Ernest Jones and Julian Love swarming to the ball will be critical.

The same is true of Jonathan Taylor.  He currently leads the NFL in rushing yards, first downs and touchdowns.  He also is on track for a career-high in targets in the passing game.

The natural inclination is to assume that Steichen will load up Taylor with touches in this game.  He might reach 100 yards rushing just simply due to getting 30 or more rushes.

He will have his moments in this game but the offense should keep him in check by putting scoreboard pressure on the Colts.

1. He got a big call on the quarterback right

The online scoffing when the Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Raiders was enormous. The internet cool kids didn’t like it. ‘What are they thinking?’

When it quickly emerged that the replacement would be Sam Darnold, the reaction ramped up even more. You’ve all seen the clips and read the articles. There was an epic internet meltdown from some.

Eight months later and John Schneider has had the last laugh. All those people who slammed the Seahawks and hailed the Raiders for the Smith trade (and the hiring of Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly) have been left with not only egg on their faces but the whole chicken — sat plonked awkwardly just above the nose area.

Darnold hasn’t been flawless but he’s provided far better value for money, he’s enabled the Seahawks to win 10 games (with four more games still to come) and in the process is only the second ever quarterback to win +10-games in consecutive seasons with different teams (the only other being Tom Brady).

The Vikings let Darnold walk and they’ve collapsed amid a quarterbacking shambles. The Raiders are worse than ever despite acquiring Smith. The Seahawks got younger, cheaper, added a third round pick and became a better team. That’s without even noting Brady Henderson’s report on the significant leadership benefit of swapping Smith for Darnold.

Even if Darnold’s issues rear their head again in big games down the line, Schneider smashed a home-run with this decision. It was hotly debated, it carried risk. It would’ve been easier to maintain the status quo. It took some balls to make this switch and it paid off.

2. He had an outstanding free agency

It’s easy to forget that the Seahawks were hammered for their moves in March. ESPN’s Benjamin Solak ranked them 31st for their free agency. He criticised their decision not to throw money at veteran offensive linemen, noting:

“Even if every move general manager John Schneider made this offseason works, the ceiling of this Seattle squad will be capped by its inability to pass protect.”

Oops. Solak’s employer has Seattle ranked in the top-10 for pass-block win rate. Composite rankings have the Seahawks in the top-five. It appears they pass protect in a way that is not capping their ceiling at all.

Amusingly, Solak ranked the Raiders’ off-season the eighth best, stating:

In (Geno) Smith, the Raiders — who were potentially not in position to get a top quarterback with the sixth overall pick in the draft — do more than solve their dilemma. They added a quarterback who couldn’t reach his highest potential due to bad offensive lines and questionable playcalling in Seattle. Trading away a third-round pick to pay Smith $47 million a year on an upcoming extension is good business.

Again… oops.

It felt like the whole internet was screaming for the Seahawks to spend money on any offensive lineman, regardless of actual talent or fit. Even sections of the local media were suggesting it would be an enormous failure if they didn’t spend big on expensive veterans. It was a massive, barmy overreaction as we noted at the time.

Instead the Seahawks drafted Grey Zabel, appointed the right offensive staff to install a new system and trusted the process.

On top of this, they also made inspired moves elsewhere. We’ve already talked about the Darnold signing being a plus. DeMarcus Lawrence might be the best free agent signing of 2025. He’s produced at a consistent level, delivered big impact moments and helped shape Seattle’s attitude and intensity on defense.

As I noted on Bump & Stacy this week — don’t forget the impact of the Red Bryant’s and Chris Clemons’ on the 2013 roster. Yes the LOB era defense was loaded with young talent but it also had something else that was important — true leaders with experience and an alpha mentality.

The Lawrence and Cooper Kupp signings were mocked. Too old, too injured, too past it. They didn’t need a 12-sack season or 1000-yard campaign to justify being added. It’s pretty clear they’ve helped set a tone all year. The ‘MOB’ (mission over bull-shit) mentality is crafted through characters like Lawrence, Kupp, Leonard Williams and Ernest Jones.

Lawrence in particular was a masterstroke addition. He has produced big plays on the field to go with his impact off it.

So while teams like the Vikings were praised for splashing out on Ryan Kelly and Will Fries (a player the Seahawks chose not to pay mega money too without a medical — a wise decision with hindsight) — it’s the Seahawks who made their ’31st worst free agency’ ranking look like a total mockery.

3. Another great draft

The Zabel pick was a big move and while nobody can suggest he’s landed on his feet completely in the NFL, the talent and potential is there to be a mainstay for years to come at left guard. He has been a very solid rookie addition and that’s all you can ask for.

However, trading up for Nick Emmanwori looks like an inspired move.

He’s a perfect fit for the defense. Mike Macdonald, the man who helped Kyle Hamilton become the player he is in Baltimore, is doing it again with Emmanwori. With his physical potential and speed, he could even top Hamilton and Derwin James. They both fell in the draft in part because they weren’t the quickest. There’s no such issue with Seattle’s second rounder — he ran a 4.38 at the combine.

It was a big call to trade up for Emmanwori. People are starting to ask why he fell to round two. There was talk of him not being the easiest to manage sometimes — something a scouting source in the league validated to me. There were some flaws on tape too. This wasn’t a home-run, sure-fire, nailed on pick like some are making out. It was a calculated move to go up and get him and it would do Schneider a disservice to suggest it was a total no-brainer. It was a savvy move — one that had to be judged and shouldn’t be seen as obvious or without risk. They clearly decided it was worth taking the shot and it’s paying off.

I’m convinced over time Elijah Arroyo will prove to be an excellent pick. Tory Horton looks the part. Robbie Ouzts is doing a job at full-back and when he returns from his re-shirt situation, watch out for Rylie Mills.

This was another strong class with star potential at the top and depth in-between.

4. Getting his staff appointments right

This was absolutely critical. Ryan Grubb bombed as offensive coordinator and was lucky to see out last season. Appointing a defensive-minded Head Coach then botching successive offensive coordinator hires would’ve created a lot of pressure on both Schneider and Macdonald. They had to get this right.

They took their time and spoke to multiple candidates. The hiring of Klint Kubiak was absolutely the right one.

Firstly, his contacts within the game saw him bring a loaded staff with him to Seattle. The O-line has massively improved under the experienced John Benton. Rick Dennison has been around the block a few times. Andrew Janocko is well thought of and Justin Outten also added a layer of experience.

This is exactly what the Seahawks needed after the Grubb experience. His lack of NFL chops paired with the equally inexperienced Scott Huff simply didn’t work. They needed people who’d been there and done it. Kubiak had called plays and knew what this job was all about. It wasn’t time for another novice.

Kubiak could not only lean on the experience of his father but also his time spent working with Kyle Shanahan. He’s cut from Shanahan’s cloth — thoughtful, modern but also clear schematically on what he wants to do. Part of Seattle’s problem for too long is it not being obvious what they were actually trying to be on offense. Not any more.

Under Kubiak, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has developed into one of the best three receivers in the NFL. The O-line is unrecognisable from the 2024 shambles. Things function — not perfectly and not all of the time — but the offense works.

They have 47 +20 yard passing plays, fifth most in the NFL. Their 11 +40 yard plays are tied for first with the Cowboys. They’ve given up the joint fewest sacks (17) and have the seventh best sack percentage. Sam Darnold is second only to Matthew Stafford for ‘big time throws’ and he’s thrown as many touchdown passes this season as Josh Allen.

The Seahawks are ranked sixth for EPA per pass. They’re eighth per DVOA.

The running game has been inconsistent and by this point, it seems it’ll never truly reach a formidable level. There’s plenty of room for growth despite the successes we’ve seen this year.

Nobody can deny that Schneider got this hire right. Kubiak is being linked as a hot candidate for Head Coaching jobs next season. That’s a sign of how well things have gone.

An exec of the year award in 2025 can’t take into account the Head Coaching appointment of 2024 — but it also still warrants noting that Schneider’s ‘final two’ to replace Carroll appeared to be Mike Macdonald and Ben Johnson. He had his finger on the pulse when it came to making the biggest decision of his career.

5. Trading away DK Metcalf

The Seahawks had a choice this year — give Metcalf a massive new contract or move on. They chose wisely.

Metcalf is currently ranked 23rd for receiving yards this season. His average salary is now $33m a year — fourth most among receivers in the NFL.

The Seahawks received plenty of criticism for dealing Metcalf — seen as their most dangerous target. It was said his departure would make life much harder for Smith-Njigba. They’d decimated their arsenal of weapons without a realistic hope of adequately replacing their big name.

Seattle didn’t drag things out like the Bengals with Trey Hendrickson. They knew they had to resolve this issue before the draft and took the best deal they could get. That was ‘only’ the 52nd overall pick from the Steelers. That’s the pick they used to trade up for Emmanwori. They might not have made that move without the extra stock acquired in the Smith and Metcalf trades.

This deal saved them a bunch of cap space now and in the future. The Seahawks don’t miss Metcalf. Smith-Njigba, instead of being negatively impacted, has had the freedom to grow into a legit WR1. The pick they turned into Emmanwori looks like a fantastic use of resources.

Another big win for Schneider.

6. Finding contributors everywhere

Part of Seattle’s success isn’t just down to trades, good drafting and big name talent acquisition. It’s also about combing smart scouting to find hidden gems and then letting a talented coaching staff turn those players into contributors.

Drake Thomas is Seattle’s second leading tackles — an undrafted player picked up a couple of years ago after he was discarded by the Raiders. Ty Okada — another undrafted player — filled in during Julian Love’s time out through injury. He and Thomas have been excellent.

Josh Jobe is having a second season of significant play, another former UDFA brought in after he was released by the Eagles. Players like Brandon Pili and Cody White have mucked in. Patrick O’Connell flashed against the Titans.

A Championship team needs to find contributors in non-conventional ways. Schneider and his personnel team have excelled in this area.

7. Turning the Seahawks into a contender again

The franchise had drifted into a middling position in the final years of the Carroll era. Change was needed. Not everyone was a fan of moving on from Carroll. Some thought it was time for a change at both coach and GM.

Schneider took the wheel when Carroll left, picked the right replacement, has drafted superbly, made smart trades and used the open market to his advantage.

The Seahawks are no longer drifting on the periphery, hoping to sneak into the seventh NFC seed. They’re back challenging for the #1 seed. They look set-up for a run over the next few years and fans can dream again of what is possible.

Schneider made this happen. Amid a crowd of vocal doubters and while having to make numerous big calls, he’s come out of this with a confirmed status as one of the very best GM’s in the business.

It’s criminal he didn’t win an executive of the year award for helping create the LOB era team. Now it’s time to make amends.

He should win executive of the year in 2025.

WiFi issues sorted (just about) in time to join Bump & Stacy today to talk about the Seahawks — and why John Schneider deserves to be named Executive of the Year. As always you’d be doing me a big favour by checking out the video below and if you can — leaving a comment on the YouTube page and giving the video a like!

I’m going to jot some brief thoughts down seeing as I’m currently in the middle of the Atlantic ocean on a boat (apologies for the quality of the stream not being great — the expensive WiFi is absolutely useless).

Firstly, this was a great test. The Seahawks were really poor in the first half and I’m sure I wasn’t alone in wondering if this was going to be Seattle’s ‘Bills losing in Miami’ from a few weeks ago, or the Rams blowing their game in Carolina last weekend.

They were lucky to be tied 6-6 at half-time. Could they take advantage of this, play better in the second half and get the job done?

That question was emphatically answered with a blistering final two quarters, demolishing the Falcons.

I’m a big fan of this whole ‘blowing out the bad teams’ thing. It’s a refreshing change from the ‘we like close games, so suck it up’ attitude of the previous regime.

The big positives?

— Nick Emmanwori threatening to be an even more athletic version of Kyle Hamilton and Derwin James. This was an incredible performance. He might not have their polish — yet — but the potential is through the roof.

— Special teams coming through in a huge way again, including Rashid Shaheed’s first big contribution and Emmanwori’s blocked kick. Jay Harbaugh deserves major credit.

— The way Sam Darnold bounced back from a rough first half — and frankly, a difficult last few weeks — to show a lot more sharpness in that second half.

— The general toughness and pride in their performance of the defense. It’s an incredible group that can be the catalyst for a big playoff run.

I’m off for an old fashioned to celebrate.

This is a guest article by Curtis Allen…

The Seahawks today have the last of three games that round out the softest part of their 2025 schedule, matching up with the hapless 4-8 Atlanta Falcons.

After starting the season 3-2, the Falcons have stumbled into a 1-6 stretch that has sunk their season.  They hobble into the game without their starting Quarterback and two of their best players (WR Drake London and DT Brandon Dorlus).  In addition, two of their better trench players (DT David Onyemata and OG Christ Lindstrom) are both Questionable to play with foot injuries.

The frame of this game is similar to the last two weeks, when the Seahawks played the Titans and Vikings — also teams playing for 2026 and unable to match the Seahawks for talent and productivity.  While neither of those games were classic blowouts, the Seahawks handled their business well and finished with comfortable wins and little to no injuries suffered.

That said, the Falcons do have some skilled players on both sides of the ball and they have some fight in them.  They lost to the Patriots by a point and they took the Colts and Panthers to Overtime.  They are no patsy.

Logging a win is more critical than ever, particularly with the Rams giving them an opening by losing to Carolina last week.  Winning the division is entirely in the Seahawks’ hands and the top seed and a bye week is not out of reach.  It is fair to assume that Mike Macdonald will have the Seahawks focused on the Falcons.

What needs to happen for the Seahawks reach the 10-win plateau?

Win the Battle of Running Back Tandems

It is Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeie vs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet.

Both tandems have 27 broken tackles on the season.  Bijan is one of the NFL’s best with 20.  Walker has 15 and Charbonnet has 12.

Have a look at what Bijan can do.

Ironically, those are former Seahawks Trevis Gipson and Mike Jackson who have Bijan dead to rights and cannot bring him down.

Hitting him and expecting him to go down will not do.  The defense needs to have a tackling plan for him.  Typically, that means the first guy on him does not let go, and teammates need to swarm to the ball and get him to the ground.

Last week Bijan had 193 yards on 28 touches and ten first downs.  He did not lose them the game and very nearly won it for them.

There are two other elements of his game that need to be mentioned:  Keeping the edges set and defending him in the passing game.

The Falcons love to attack the outer edges of the defense with him.  If he gets around the corner, he has the speed and power to turn a simple run into something explosive.

Demarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu and players like Nick Emmanwori and Ernest Jones will need to have all their speed and strength at the ready when it is called for.

In the passing game, Robinson is a nice safety valve for Kirk Cousins, much like Dalvin Cook was in his Viking days.  Cousins can dump it off to him in the flat when he is under heavy pressure and Robinson can turn it into a big gain that can turn a third-and-6 into a 20+ yard play and flip the field.

With the defense’s ability to get pressure without excessively building, they can stand to commit a resource to keeping an eye on Robinson on passing downs.  Holding him to even just a simple gain would be a win in this area.

The Seahawks need to win with their Running Backs.  Walker is no Bijan but he has been slowly warming up and could have another impressive game like his two-touchdown performance against the Falcons last season.

With the Falcons being the #2 blitzing defense in the NFL (just a step down from the Vikings) the Seahawks will no doubt have some plans worked up for Sam Darnold to get rid of the ball quickly.  They also will likely have Walker in the flat ready to receive a pass and work through the defense.

The Falcons defense is one of the more sure-tackling units in the NFL but at times when presented with rough and rugged ballcarriers, have been forced into mistakes.  Tommy Tremble took a pass and rumbled through the tired defense in Overtime. No doubt, it was due to fatigue from the game that Rico Dowdle gave them, making them work for every single tackle.

Walker and Charbonnet (and A.J. Barner) can provide that same level of grit.  Pushing the defense around a bit will open up passing pockets and opportunities for Sam Darnold to attack the secondary.

Sam Darnold Needs to Play a Smart, Pragmatic Game

Tyrod Taylor beat the Falcons last week with this stat line:  19 of 33 for 172 yards, one passing touchdown, two sacks and eight runs for 44 yards and a touchdown.  And zero turnovers.

Two weeks prior, Bryce Young dropped back 50 times and threw for 448 yards and three touchdowns.  He was sacked five times but had zero turnovers as well.

That is not to say that Darnold should or will duplicate those performances.  I just wanted to highlight that it did not take some superhuman effort to will their teams to victory.  They played smart, within themselves, avoided mistakes and trusted their teammates to do their jobs well.

Mixing some smart runs with some quick passing (the Falcons seem vulnerable to quick slants – Young threw them again and again) should be a prescription for opening up some chances to take deep shots and let players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed run under them.

Defenders Mike Hughes (5 TDs conceded, 103.5 QB rating when targeted), Kaden Ellis (4 TDs, 107.3) and Xavier Watts (4 TDs, 95.8) are all vulnerable to being targeted in the passing game.  The frequent blitzing puts them on an island.  The Seahawks should be able to take advantage.

Look for the Seahawks to get Cooper Kupp and A.J. Barner going in the quick target game and craft some sets and plays for Shaheed to get into space.

The most important thing for Darnold to pick up on is the post-snap retreats from fake blitzers that occupy his passing lanes.  A quick check on who is dropping before he lets the ball go will be imperative — particularly on play action passes.

A clean game for Darnold without any turnovers could really get some momentum going for the home stretch.  This point is as important to beating the Falcons as it is the rest of the way.

Other Game Notes

— I noted this statistical anomaly earlier in the week, with a small sample size alert.  Cousins actually is better against the blitz this year than his history.  Keep in mind “blitzed” and “pressured” are not the same thing.  We all know the key to beating Cousins is to put pressure on him.

— Tight Ends are still an issue for the Seahawks defense.  Gunnar Helm and T.J. Hockenson were the Titans and Vikings’ best receivers the last two weeks.  Kyle Pitts will be an intriguing challenge.  He is on pace for a career-best in catches this year but he only has one touchdown and his yards per catch are way down.  Let’s keep it that way.

— Special Teams should be a decided advantage for the Seahawks and not just because they are a good unit.  The Falcons are poor in this area, perhaps one of the worst in the NFL.  They missed a PAT that would have tied the game against New England, and Jamal Agnew muffed a punt at his own two-yard line that handed the Jets a touchdown in a three-point win.

This is a guest article by Curtis Allen…

Record: 3-1

Thoughts

The Seahawks are nothing if not consistent.  Another 3-1 quarter propels them to a 9-3 season record and puts them in solid contention for 10-12 wins and a playoff spot.

Two beatdowns (Cardinals and Vikings), a win on the road against a plucky Titans team and a heartbreaker of a close loss to the Rams made for some exciting watching.

Turnovers dominated the highlight reels and the running game started to get in gear.

Sam Darnold had more lowlights than highlights and the defense held its edge as one of the best in the NFL.

The stretch run will determine much about this team.  Strap yourselves in.

MVP

1. Demarcus Lawrence

How often can you point to a defensive player and say, “he won us the game today” and it not being more of a metaphor than a solid reality?

Lawrence did that twice this quarter, with monster games against Arizona and Minnesota.

The quarter stats: 10 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 8 Quarterback Hits, 1.5 sacks, 16 pressures, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 touchdowns.

The touchdowns against Arizona put the Seahawks up 28-0 minutes into second quarter.  One of his touchdowns was the very next play after he sacked Jacoby Brissett, putting the Cardinals into a third and long situation.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the only other Seahawk to have a two-touchdown game this quarter.

Against Minnesota, consider the impact of this three-series sequence:

— Seahawks up 3-0: Vikings in the Red Zone.  Lawrence forces Brosmer into an Ernest Jones pick-six.

— Next, Seahawks up 10-0:  Lawrence sacks Brosmer on Third Down to kill the drive.  Seahawks sneak in a Field Goal before the half with a 17-yard drive.

— Next, Seahawks up 16-0: Vikings have crossed into Seahawks territory.  Lawrence gets chipped out of the play but closes like a freight train on Aaron Jones and forces a fumble with a thunderous tackle.

What a performance.

And that does not even include his contributions to the run defense.

His salary cap hit this year is $7.6 million.  There isn’t a team in the NFL that would not gladly write that check in exchange for two wins.

That, my friends, is the very definition of value.

2. Leonard Williams

12 pressures, three sacks, 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, and seven Quarterback Hits this quarter.

Williams had an eight-pressure game against the Titans.  Only two NFL players have had a nine-pressure game this season.

I am running out of superlatives to describe how good (and how critical) Leonard Williams has been to the Seahawks defense.

3. Kenneth Walker

Walker and Zach Charbonnet are still job-sharing but Walker has significantly improved his performance this quarter.

He especially was the unsung hero of the Vikings game.  With Jaxon Smith-Njigba having a season-low day and Sam Darnold under near-constant pressure, Walker kept the offense from freezing up.  He had five first downs, broke two tackles and was a pressure release valve in the passing game.

On the quarter, he led the Seahawks with 23 first downs to go with 4.83 yards per carry and seven broken tackles.

With Sam Darnold having a rough quarter, the running game quietly filled the gaps on offense and has done more than enough to complement a very tough defense.

Honorable Mention

Jason Myers was perfect in PATs and 14 of 15 in Field Goal tries, including 54, 56 and 57 yarders.

We all know what the miss was.  He makes that 61-yard try against the Rams and he is more than an Honorable Mention.

Rookie of the Quarter

1. Grey Zabel

A knee injury scare only highlights how fantastic he has been this season.

He was able to recover quickly enough to get back in the following week with a minimum loss of effectiveness.

Two penalties this quarter (a false start and a holding) only serve to highlight he has only been flagged four times all season.

Zabel is a lock for Rookie of the Year for Seattle.

2. Nick Emmanwori

Last quarter we saw a lot of fireworks from Emmanwori.  This quarter lacked those game-changing wow plays but he was still extremely effective.

He played 95% of the defensive snaps this quarter and had half a sac and led the Seahawks with six passes defensed.

He had only one missed tackle and Quarterbacks had a 61.9% completion rate when targeting him.

Playing with a rotating cast of Linebackers and without Julian Love to partner with this quarter, Emmanwori was very solid.

3. Everyone Else

The quarter was not a very good one for the rest of the rookie class.

Elijah Arroyo had a career-low quarter of targets with only six and his snaps dipped a little.  He had two catches for 10 yards and no First Downs or Touchdowns.

Robbie Ouzts and Nick Kallerup had some nice blocks.  Tory Horton missed the entire quarter on Injured Reserve.

Jalen Milroe has not gotten on the field in a while (which is actually a good thing – it appears the Seahawks have abandoned the package of plays idea).

Successes

1. Situational Run Defense

In key moments when establishing the run is vital (The first half of Arizona, Tennessee and Minnesota games, the second half of the Rams game) opponents ran 42 times for 116 yards.

That is just 2.76 yards per carry.

In the Rams game, their offense badly needed to bleed the clock, as Matthew Stafford was not having his typical MVP-type game.  The Seahawks allowed 33 yards on 11 attempts and gave the ball back to the offense enough times to win the game.

The defense made the opposing offense one-dimensional and did not allow them to control the game even in the least.

Setting the table for the pass rush to get after the Quarterback and give the ball back to the offense is more than just something to achieve.  It is a philosophy that Mike Macdonald and Aden Durde have drummed into this team, and the results this quarter were fantastic.

2. Consistent Competitive Play and Depth

A third straight 3-1 quarter demonstrates the Seahawks are focused and prepared far better than last season, when they had a 1-5 stretch which included a loss to the eventual 3-14 Giants and several games that were close but just slipped through their fingers.

Just about every team in the NFL has at least one loss per year to a lesser opponent that could have been avoided.  The Seahawks’ three losses this season were by two, three and four points to three well above-average teams.

Mike Macdonald has this team focused and competing in every game, no matter what is thrown at them.

A secondary reason is the intuitive coaching that makes the best use of their great depth, so a key injury or two does not derail a quarter or a season.

This quarter, the Seahawks had these players miss all four games: Julian Love, Jarran Reed, Eric Saubert and Dereke Young.  They also missed Jalen Sundell (three games), Ernest Jones (two games) and Josh Jobe and Tyrice Knight each missed a game.

Those losses would hurt any team.  Yet once again, others have stepped up.  Ty Okada, Byron Murphy, Olu Oluwatimi and Drake Thomas among others have met the moment and allowed the team to continue playing well.

Do not take that for granted.

3. The Rams game

I personally hate the ‘coulda shoulda woulda’ reasoning.  “Take out that 90 yard run and they only gave up 38 yards rushing!”

I am making an exception because the Seahawks played so thoroughly well in the Rams game.  If not for that one thing (or I should say those 4 things), this game is a healthy win and a statement that they are ready to break through into the top echelon of the NFC.

The defense held Matthew Stafford to his worst passing day to date (53.5% completion percentage and only one pass longer than 20 yards), they had goal line stands, Coby Bryant forced Puka Nacua to fumble for only the second time in his career and Jaxon Smith-Njigba did this.  They are the only offense to hang over 400 yards on the defense in regulation play.

Darnold leads Rashid Shaheed just a little more on a deep pass, and they do not have to settle for a field goal.  The Rams punter does not make the kick of a lifetime to the one-yard line, the Seahawks have a shorter field to work with to win.  Jason Myers puts a little more juice and accuracy on that kick as time expired….

I know the scoreboard is the only thing that matters.

But this game felt like the closest the Seahawks have ever come to the legendary slugfests they had with the Jim Harbaugh Niners in Pete Carroll’s glory days.

Mike Macdonald is closing the gap.  It is excruciatingly slow but it is happening.

Challenges

1. Turnovers I

Last Quarter I wrote:

This is a bigger Achilles heel than the lack of a good run game now.

This is a lurking danger that needs attention right away.  It could derail a good playoff spot or a deep run in the playoffs if the Seahawks are not careful.

Sometimes I hate it when I am correct.

Turnovers are so very critical.  You can do so, so many things right and still lose if you turn the ball over.

2.Turnovers II

Four Interceptions thrown by Sam Darnold sunk them in the biggest game of the season.

Aside from the Rams game, Darnold had one more interception and four fumbles, losing three of them this quarter.

He personally accounts for eight turnovers (five interceptions and three lost fumbles) in four games alone.

Unacceptable.

3. Pass Protection

The Offensive Line – which entered the quarter leading the NFL in least sacks conceded – had a rough one to bring them back to the middle of the pack.

Sam Darnold faced pressure all day in the Rams and Vikings games.

Ironically, he did not take a sack in the Rams game and he probably should have instead of making a couple of the throws he made.

He was pressured 12 times for a 26.7% rate.

The Vikings sacked him four times and he fumbled one of them.

In the Titans game he was pressured nine times for a 33% rate.

The team got a reality check that their Offensive Line challenges – long the Achilles heel of the team – are still there.  This unit is a work in progress.

Fourth Quarter Games

@ Atlanta

Indianapolis

LA Rams TNF/Rivalry Uni’s

@ Carolina

@ San Francisco

Goals for the Fourth Quarter

1. Win the Tough Games

Closing out the year with five wins in five games is a very tall order.  They have been 3-1 every quarter so far.

The key may be the fifth game.  If they go 3-1 again, how will the fifth game go?

Losses to both division teams mean the Seahawks got swept by their two main competitors.

They simply cannot allow that to happen.  It could seriously hinder their chances of making the playoffs and/or at least winning one game.  Combine that with a loss to Tampa Bay earlier this year, and you have a Seahawks team that is still on the cusp of taking the next step, but not quite ready to sit at the grown-up’s table.

The Seahawks cannot be their own worst enemy this quarter with a bushel of turnovers.  A baseline of protecting the ball, running with a modicum of success and playing tough defense must be established.  At the very least they can hold their heads high if they do those things.

But we want more.  And there should be more.

2. Stabilize the Offensive Line

Sacks and pressures are not all created equal.  When the game is on the line, this line must be up to the challenge.

I think at this point, it is more about playcalling and sniffing out blitzes and finding hot reads than about asking the linemen to individually improve.  Routines are locked and the trade window to upgrade has come and gone.

It is very possible that with Robbie Ouzts now back and Eric Saubert almost ready to return from Injured Reserve, the running game and pass protection will simply improve from those two elements returning to the offense.

At any rate, down the stretch the Seahawks will face a Falcons team that blitzes just slightly less than the Vikings, a very deep Colts Defensive Line, Derrick Brown and their two division rivals who can cook up some problems on defense.

It is not unfair to say those matchups will determine how far the Seahawks can go the rest of the way.

3. Get Other Players Involved More

I think every third quarter, I write this goal out for the team.  For whatever reason, NFL teams always have players that just cannot get into the flow of games or have trouble getting snaps and touches.

The Seahawks have many of these this year.

Elijah Arroyo, Boye Mafe, Devon Witherspoon, Derick Hall and Cooper Kupp are just some of the many names the Seahawks could really get a boost from.

To be sure, they get snaps and have roles and have collected stats.  But when the lights are shining the brightest, when Leonard Williams and Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Sam Darnold are carrying the team, just a little extra something from each of those guys could go a very, very long way.  Who will be the hero this year?

Somebody among that group needs to make a game-turning play.

Check out my latest conversation with Puck! Coming tomorrow, Curtis Allen’s third quarter report card…

Please check out this week’s conversation on Seattle Sports below! And if you can, head over to the YouTube page and leave a like and comment:

A mock draft published in December is not an exercise in trying to guess what will actually happen in April.

You’re highlighting players. You’re assessing the positional strengths and weaknesses. You’re looking at options for teams. It’s a discussion starter, not an actual prediction.

Last week I tried to do one just for fun. I’m not publishing it. The 2026 class is so bad it was virtually impossible. I was fitting players with third round grades into the first frame. It was a legitimate struggle to find 32 worthy candidates.

There’s not even any respite in shortening things to a top-10 mock. The better players in this class do not play premium positions.

I get the sense that hard liquor will be passed around draft rooms next Spring. Teams are going to be weighing up using premium assets on bad value additions.

Let’s put it this way. The first round is going to be full of teams feeling like they’ve got $50,000 to spend on a new car. Yet the only cars available are worth $10,000. So, they spend the full $50,000 on the $10,000 car. Because they have to.

It’s going to be the hardest draft I’ve covered since starting the blog in 2008. It’s that bad. Don’t be fooled by those in the draft media business trying to convince you otherwise. They know they need to talk this up. Good luck with that. This is going to be a horror story Wes Craven would be proud of.

No top quarterback prospects. No top left tackles. No blue-chip pass rushers. The best player is a linebacker and the second, third and fourth placed rankings will likely be set between a safety, a running back and a right tackle.

When you get to about pick #20, there’s going to be no desire to even use these picks. My guess is teams will end up taking random fliers on good testers from the combine and pro-day circuit. We might see the premium position players pumped up as teams just to try and salvage what they can. It could be chaotic.

The Seahawks only have four picks at the moment and I think that’s partly by design. By the time they get beyond their third round selection, they might be onto priority free agent graded players on day three.

So what will it mean?

We might see more trades than ever when free agency starts. Teams will think they’re better off shifting out of the draft and using their best asset — their first round pick — to attack the veteran market.

Selling teams will inflate price tags accordingly because they’re unlikely to want loads of picks in the 2026 draft. They’re likely to do what the Jets did in the Quinnen Williams trade. They took a 2026 second rounder and preferred to have one of Dallas’ 2027 first round picks instead.

The good teams will face a dilemma. How prepared are they to overpay a little and give up 2027 stock to enhance their roster in 2026, knowing the options to improve via the draft will be limited?

If you were close in 2025 but didn’t win a Championship, you’re going to want to take the next step.

Let’s say the Raiders are open to finally trading Maxx Crosby but they want a high pick in 2026 and 2027. You have to balance out two thoughts. Acquiring someone like Crosby could help a team take a huge leap next season and give you a better shot at winning a Super Bowl. It’s hard to imagine how this draft class can do that. However, you might need to accept giving up stock in 2027 to take that shot.

People are already saying the next draft will be far better but it’s too early to say. A lot of the bigger name quarterbacks remain unproven. Pass rushers Dylan Stewart and Colin Simmons appear legit, as does receiver Jeremiah Smith and cornerback Leonard Moore. It could be a lot better but perhaps only at the top end for certain. The overall depth of the class is to be determined — and good teams are unlikely to find themselves in a range to pick Stewart, Simmons, Smith or Leonard.

Some will argue a big splash should be avoided simply because Seattle’s past history isn’t great. The Percy Harvin, Jimmy Graham and Jamal Adams trades didn’t deliver as intended. Yet their more recent history — calculated moves for Leonard Williams and Ernest Jones — have paid dividends.

A lot of fans are suggesting the Seahawks just continue to add on the O-line. I will never complain about focussing on the trenches. What I would say, though, is there are two problems. The class is so weak, don’t be surprised if any good O-liner — interior or tackle — is pushed way up boards. The desperate need for linemen and a weak overall draft could force teams to reach for these players.

For example, there’s talk that the likes of Peter Woods (disappointing), Caleb Banks (injured) and Blake Miller (average) could all be taken earlier than people realise. The reason is they are all trenches-based players who at times in their college careers have shown a degree of high potential.

Secondly, as much as I like players like Gennings Dunker, if they do not test well it is going to be difficult to justify drafting a player who would typically be taken well into day two a round earlier than is typical.

You might say you don’t care — but it’s the GM who has to deal with the blowback if the player looks and plays like a day two pick (or worse). Put it this way, imagine ‘just taking Christian Haynes’ in round one in a weak draft.

I really like Dunker and I’m not condemning him to the status of Haynes. However, we need measurements and testing data. It’s unclear how much upside he possesses. Grey Zabel went in the top-20 partly because he had outstanding physical testing results.

Value matters to GM’s. Their reputations are built on good drafting. Nobody wants to be placed in a situation where you know you aren’t getting value. The reality is 20 first round picks selected next April could bomb.

Trading for a big name is a surer bet to success and the chances of ‘winning’ a trade are going to be higher than ‘winning’ with this draft class. Yet supply will not meet demand in the trade market and the price of doing business will be high.

It’s a dilemma and will set off what could be a fascinating start to the new league year, leading into one of the more underwhelming drafts any of us have experienced.

My prediction for the Seahawks is they will be very busy at the combine checking in on various players. They and others might set up a sliding scale of potential trade targets, with the Crosby types at the top, moving into second tier options — perhaps players like De’Von Achane — and beyond.

How the rest of this season plays out will likely determine how aggressive they want to be. I think it’s coming though.

Ah, Greg Olsen. Oh how the former Seahawks tight end and current Fox announcer divides opinion. Some think he’s the best in the business, others not so much. The truth is probably somewhere in-between.

I have mixed views on Greg. I found his early-season take on how teams attack the Seattle’s offense by setting out to defend the run (and why that was a mistake) fascinating and insightful. I also find his views on ‘going for two’ and ‘never taking the points’ frustrating enough to want to boil my own head.

Today’s broadcast particularly irked me though.

Olsen and his colleague Joe Davis didn’t seem to be picking up on what actually happened in the first half. Every drop-back made by Sam Darnold was an adventure. The Brian Flores-guided Vikings defense was doing an exceptional job making Darnold’s life thoroughly miserable. Each play there was the threat of a sack-fumble, tip-drill interception or a Darnold injury.

Equally, the Vikings had nothing on offense. They weren’t going to score unless the Seahawks turned the ball over and offered them a gift.

Once the Seahawks had established any form of lead, they could run three times and punt on every possession and still win this game.

Faced with these facts, the sensible thing to do in order to get a comfortable win — which is surely the aim — was to play conservatively on offense and let the rest take care of itself. There’s no reward for style points. In a season filled with upset wins, there was no reason to give Minnesota any chance to claim another.

Yet with a 10-0 lead at the end of the first half, Olsen and Davis were bemoaning Seattle’s lack of urgency and play-calling on their final possession. ‘They should be throwing, they should be attacking!’

Why?

Every week in the NFL is a separate entity. An exclusive, unique ‘test match’. Get the win and move on. If you can do it with a complete performance that earns rave reviews on the shouty TV shows for the rest of the week, that’s a bonus. The key though is to win. In that moment before half-time, there was absolutely nothing suggesting it would be wise for the Seahawks to try and unlock their passing game in the final 60 seconds of the half.

Get into position to kick the field goal, lead 13-0, adjust and regroup at half-time.

None of these points were raised. Instead we had accusations of overt conservatism. After half-time, when the Seahawks proceeded to claim another three points via a second successful field goal, Davis exclaimed, “It’s only six points from two drives!” — as if this were some kind of problem.

Olsen added this killer line: “Field goals are going to get you beat.”

He was speaking about future bigger tests against superior opponents. Yet he contradicted himself moments later when he noted, “You have to find multiple avenues to win.”

The second line is true, the first is not. There is nothing to suggest the Seahawks won’t find themselves in a tight defensive battle in the playoffs. In that scenario, conservatism might be necessary on offense (field goals might be too).

The Eagles, after all, kicked three field goals against the Packers and Rams in two tight playoff games a year ago. They kicked four more in the Super Bowl. So while they battered the Commanders with a flurry of touchdowns in the NFC Championship game, there were moments in their four games where the 10 completed post-season field goals were useful.

For some reason it’s the trendy belief to sneer at a field goal as some kind of Jurassic age concept.

Last week Olsen complained about the phrase ‘take the points’, saying:

“I hate when commentators say it, I hate when coaches say it, I hate when the media says it. I don’t know what ‘take the points means,’ it doesn’t make sense to me.”

I’m confused by Olsen’s confusion. If you go for it on fourth down, there is at least some chance you will not convert and could come up with zero points. Occasionally, in certain situations, kicking a field goal to take three points might be useful. There is something to be said for not coming away empty handed from drives — particularly in low-scoring or close games.

The Detroit Lions snubbed two field goal opportunities on Thanksgiving against Green Bay and ended up turning the ball over on downs. They lost by seven points. On what ended up being their final possession, they had to kick a quick field goal just to make it a one-score game to have any shot. Had they kicked their field goals earlier, they could’ve put everything on that drive to potentially win the game — instead of hoping to stay in it. I refuse to accept there’s a 0% possibility that would’ve have had an impact on Green Bay too — knowing their opponent was driving for the lead.

I also appreciate any counter anyone would present saying they could’ve or should’ve gone for it on those fourth downs. Yet that’s not what you get from Olsen or his acolytes though. To them, there is only one answer. No debate, no discussion. You’re stupid for thinking otherwise. Thus you get, “I don’t know what ‘take the points means,’ it doesn’t make sense to me.”

It’s frustrating. It’s tapping into the ‘very online’ culture of the day. Never give an inch. Act like the other side is stupid or unhinged for disagreeing. Or in this case, see them as a footballing dinosaur.

There’s a definite ‘smartest guy in the room’ energy around some NFL fans and media currently.

In the Seahawks vs Vikings game, Seattle’s conservatism was seen as a case study for future failure. I’d argue it was a sign of restraint, clear thinking and awareness — things that can be important in high-pressure games down the line.

What would Olsen or Davis had said if, in an act of frustration, the Seahawks instead tried to throw the ball to lead 17-0 instead of 13-0. Darnold is hit, injured, the ball’s turned over and returned for a touchdown. It’s now 10-7 and the Seahawks are starting Drew Lock for the rest of the season.

Sure, it’s a worst case scenario (although one that didn’t exactly feel unlikely given the way the first half went). Seattle’s actions eliminated it as a possibility and helped avoid any back-breaking drama at the end of the half.

Olsen even admitted as much later on by effectively saying there are many ways to win — just as not every single fourth down decision is a straight forward ‘go for it’ scenario.

I feel sometimes people like Olsen act like every game is basically the same and if you abide by a set-list of rules (when to go for it, what plays to call, how aggressive to be, what formations to use, how to treat the running game etc) then you’ll win every time. Or maybe not — but at least the cool kids online and in the media will highlight what a brilliant new-age mind you are.

Only recently Olsen was trying to convince people that the McShay and Shanahan coaches only want you to ‘think’ they want to feature the running game. They actually don’t. I read that take and wasn’t sold on that at all. I’ve listened to enough interviews with McVay over the years to believe he sincerely values the run — and you see it in the way his teams have played. There’s always been a significant commitment to a strong running attack and a physical edge to the McVay Rams.

I doubt Mike Macdonald’s persistent reference to the run’s importance is just a clever ruse, played out through countless press conferences for the purpose of leading other coaches down the garden path.

It does all get a bit tiring. It’s the same with the dull comments about running the ball on 2nd and 10 that you see constantly on Twitter. Or ‘running backs don’t matter’. Or the latest obsession with point differential (even though teams play easier or harder schedules throughout the league, meaning it’s never an apples to apples comparison).

There’ll be something else next. It feels like we’ve lost the ability to just watch a game of football, enjoy it for what it is and root for a win. Someone, somewhere, is always making the wrong decision and must be pointed at and laughed at.

For what it’s worth, I’m not anti-analytics in the slightest. I think any right-minded coach has to be aware of analytics, data and it should form a significant part of game-planning and in-game decision making. Nor do I think every coach or team gets everything right or shouldn’t be challenged.

We don’t have to demonise running the ball and field goals though — or lose the ability to acknowledge that what the Seahawks did today was the right call.

In 2013 — the greatest season in Seahawks history — there were ugly, conservative wins against the Panthers (12-7), Titans (20-13) and Rams (14-9). We don’t often remember those games when there’s a Super Bowl pasting to enjoy instead. NFL regular seasons are long, 17-stage battles. Every game is different.

Today, the Seahawks saw what this contest was and acted accordingly. This was a day when the defenses ruled. Get ahead, cut off any chance of a response, control the game.

Sometimes you’ve just got to accept the situation and get out with a win. Never take a 26-0 victory for granted. Don’t linger on pointless things like a great Flores defense being a great Flores defense or Jaxon Smith-Njigba having a setback on a potentially record-breaking run.

The Rams lost and the Seahawks capitalised today. That’s all that matters.

If you missed our post-game stream, where this was also discussed further, check it out below: