This is a guest article by Curtis Allen…

Record: 3-1

Thoughts

Another 3-1 quarter lands the Seahawks at 6-2 for the year and on a great pace.  There is no reason to expect anything less than an 11 or 12-win season at this point.

It was a challenging quarter that included three games that had frustrating misses, penalties and turnovers at times, several key injuries (some that came during the bye week, when they should typically exit healthier) and did not deliver much progress in the way of establishing more of an effective running game.  Winning three of four in those conditions is something that every top team needs to do at times.  At this time of the year, teams with a losing record are collecting excuses by the bushel.

Winning teams are collecting ‘despites.’  Despite a rash of defensive injuries, they are still one of the NFL’s best.  Despite not having a consistently productive running game, the passing game is lights out.  And despite the long-haul travel and body-clock change of two East Coast games, they won them both.

This team is in a great spot: They are winning handily, and the arrow is pointing up.  If they can get healthy and just slightly more balanced on offense, they can play with anyone in the NFL.

MVP

1a. Sam Darnold

The first quarter was no hot stretch that fizzled out when teams got Darnold on tape and adjusted their defenses accordingly.  Darnold has improved in nearly every category in the second quarter and put together one of the NFL’s best four-game stretches.  Have a look:

His quarter also compares favorably with any four-game stretch he had last year in Minnesota.

When the details of Darnold’s contract were fully revealed this spring, it was noted that the Seahawks had a ripcord option to escape it after just one season.

Nobody is talking about that anymore.

Now the discussion is on Darnold being considered for league MVP and what a bargain the contract is.

1b. Jaxon Smith-Njigba

He and Darnold are linked and are synching like no QB-receiver duo in Seahawks history.

This season, he has five of the top four-game stretches in the NFL.  And the second quarter stretch is his best.

• 32 catches
• 546 receiving yards
• Three touchdown catches
• 23 first downs
• A gaudy 17.1 yards per reception

Legitimate questions in the offseason about defensive attention he would get in the wake of trading D.K. Metcalf away now seem laughable.

Smith-Njigba is far and away Darnold’s top target and defenses have not figured out how to contain him.

3. The Front Four

I know an MVP discussion should include only one player.  I agonized over which player had the best quarter and I just cannot figure it.

I mean, just look at these numbers:

Murphy had an outstanding game against Jacksonville.

Nwosu is fully healthy once again and has put the ‘why did they keep him’ offseason question to bed.

Lawrence got those numbers in only three games.

And Leonard Williams did all that plus chased down one of the NFL’s best running Quarterbacks on fourth down.

This defense is getting the fifth-most pressure on Quarterbacks with the next-to-last rate of blitzing.

It starts with these guys.  They all had an outstanding quarter of play.

Rookie of the Quarter

1. Grey Zabel

This:

Seahawks rookie OL Grey Zabel has not allowed a sack this season and has the sixth lowest QB Pressure % allowed (3.5%) among all offensive lineman (min. 50 pass blocking snaps), per @NextGenStats ✋🛑#GoHawks pic.twitter.com/YxJjCxQViE

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) November 3, 2025

How often do Offensive Linemen get Rookie of the Year votes?

His play is making us ask that question.

If All-Pro votes were cast based on this season so far, he would be neck and neck with 5x All-Pro Quinten Nelson.

2. Nick Emmanwori

22 tackles this quarter, three tackles for loss, two passes defended and neither of them cheap.

He affects plays even when he is not the primary defender.  Go back up to that Leonard Williams clip and see who flushed Daniels out of the pocket.

Watch his decisiveness and closing speed. And then there is this. The link features a play against Deebo Samuel, who has been one of the NFL’s best tackle-breakers at the wide receiver position the last few years.

That is physicality, desire and pure strength.

3. Tory Horton

Three touchdowns this quarter make it five for the season.

Sam Darnold does not have to scan the field when Horton beats his man this badly off the line.

People are saying that Rashid Shaheed’s acquisition might cut into Horton’s touches.

I am inclined to think when Shaheed, JSN and Horton are on the field, Horton will be drawing single coverage from the defense’s worst pass defender.

This season might be one of those “all he does is catch touchdowns” type affairs with the mismatches he will pull.

Successes

1. Pass Protection

Sam Darnold was sacked three times.  The whole quarter.  Three times.

The numbers after eight games this year vs last year are staggering:

John Schneider had some white-knuckle moments this offseason.

Fans are putting a ton of focus on the decisions to trade Geno Smith and D.K. Metcalf and rightly so.

Let’s not forget that he had the vision to understand that bringing in a new Offensive Staff would have as much – if not more – impact than going on a spending spree on the Offensive Line.  He told us that was his plan and he stuck to it.

He held fast on Will Fries and gave only passing glances to other Free Agent guards.  Grey Zabel was available at their pick and Jalen Sundell’s potential as a starting center was strong enough to deter the Seahawks from spending big there as well.

The run game has yet to click.  But for just a moment, let us marvel at how effective this line has been compared to previous seasons.

And smile.

2. The post-bye closed-circle game at Washington

It might be the most lopsided half of football in Seahawks history:

— They outgained Washington 316 yards to 110

— It took five minutes for the Seahawks to go from leading 7-0 to 28-0

— Sam Darnold had a perfect first half

After the Seahawks pulled ahead 38-7 in the third quarter, the Seahawks mercifully called off the dogs and started subbing in backups.

The Seahawks are 2-0 in Mike Macdonald’s tenure following bye weeks.  Both games were on the road and were important matchups.

This year the team has struggled to put complete games together.  Even at 6-2, you can see things that need work.  But not in this game.

3. The Ready Squad

The Defense had ten games of missed play from their starters this quarter.

Julian Love missed all four games.  Devon Witherspoon missed three.  Derick Hall missed two.

That is not an insignificant los — and yet the Seahawks were able to adjust and keep their defensive vision intact.

The Tampa Bay game was the defense’s worst game of the season to be sure.  The defensive backfield looked confused and uncoordinated at times.

But since then, the team has gotten major contributions from Ty Okada, Brandon Pili and Drake Thomas — among others.

The Seahawks have been shuffling their roster like crazy this season, cutting and resigning players and making other moves to keep their “70-man roster” as competitive as possible.

It is working.

Challenges

1. Turnovers

They were an ugly -4 this quarter with seven turnovers and three takeaways.

Some are more bad luck than anything.

Others are poor execution or poor effort.

The excellent defense has been able to minimize the damage from turnovers often this year.  But it is far better for them to not need to the defense to bail them out.

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.

2. The Run Game

In the first quarter, the team had 27 rushing first downs.

This quarter, they dropped to an anemic 19.

On the bright side, the Seahawks averaged 3.8 yards per carry this quarter — which is actually an improvement from the 3.6 number from the first quarter.  To be fair, all four of the defenses they played were in the top half of the league in defending the run.

This is another potential lurking danger.  If the passing game is a little less explosive – whether through injury, a good defensive game plan, or just circumstances like weather or a bad day – they will need to be able to rely on the running game to be more than a decoy for the play-action passing game.

The time to get it working is now.

3. Boye Mafe

He is having a truly awful season.  He is being carried by his mates, so it is far less noticeable than it should be.

Quarter stats:

• Zero sacks
• Zero forced fumbles
• Zero Quarterback Hits
• One Tackle for Loss
• Three Quarterback Pressures

This is not because he is not getting snaps.  He currently is #8 in snaps on the defense with 330.

In the Washington game, they cut his snaps back and brought in Mike Morris and Connor O’Toole more – yes, mostly due to the lead the Seahawks had.

The Seahawks made no secret of the fact that Mafe was available at the trade deadline.  He is still here.

He and the Seahawks need to find the fairway again.  Maybe all he needs is a big play to get his confidence recharged a bit.

He needs something.

Third Quarter Games

Arizona

@ Los Angeles Rams

@ Tennessee

Minnesota

Goals for the Third Quarter

1. Beat the Rams

The division is looking like one of the NFL’s best.  While San Francisco deserves a lot of praise for surviving all their injuries, the Rams have emerged as the biggest roadblock to a division title.

Matt Stafford has gone from a preseason ‘will he ever play again / what kind of treatment is he getting on his back’ question mark to legitimate MVP candidate.  He cannot match Sam Darnold’s accuracy but is just as deadly with deep passes.  They have also retooled their defensive line quicker than anyone thought possible after Aaron Donald finally retired.

However, this is more than just a win towards a division title at stake with this game.  The Rams are next to Tampa Bay as the toughest team on the Seahawks’ schedule.

Mike Macdonald was hired for games like this.  As good as the Seahawks have been, if they want to find another gear this season, they need to leave Los Angeles having sent a message.

Another 3-1 quarter would be a great accomplishment.  But if that one loss is in Los Angeles, there will be unanswered questions for the rest of the season.

2. Get the Running Backs Involved in the Passing Game

This is mystifying.  Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet have a total of 19 targets among them so far this year, projecting out to 40 total.

Last year they had 105.

Last year they had 25 first-down catches.  This year?  Five.

We know Klint Kubiak can draw up pass plays for Running Backs.  He targeted Alvin Kamara 89 times last year, a five-year high for him.

Perhaps if they focus on getting the Running Backs involved (in concert with utilizing Rashid Shaheed to open things up a bit) they can get the running game working.

It would also greatly assist Sam Darnold in diversifying his targets and keeping defenses from keying even more on Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

3. Do not Stand Pat on the Rookies

It is critical that the Seahawks keep pushing their rookies and giving them opportunities to affect the outcome of games.

Nick Emmanwori is getting comfortable and effective in the Nickel role.  That’s fine.  But expanding his repertoire of assignments will be a key factor to an explosive second year in the league like Kyle Hamilton had.  He can be used deeper in the field, even more as a blitzer and the team is still vulnerable when facing top-notch Tight Ends.

Elijah Arroyo has too much talent to get lost on the roster, even on an offense as loaded as this.  He had his first touchdown against Washington and could be used in so many different packages.  Arroyo, Barner and Tory Horton all have the capability to break a defense because they must pay attention to JSN, Shaheed and Cooper Kupp.

Robbie Ouzts appears healthy and could be a big key to success in the running game.  Two or three of these a game could be just what the doctor ordered.  Also, as a former Tight End, he could be a weapon in the passing game that can catch the defense totally unawares.

1. Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese is the best player eligible for the next draft. His athleticism, speed, mobility and effort are all top notch at linebacker but the most impressive thing about his tape is when he lines up off the edge and dominates linemen who are 60-70lbs heavier than he is with pure power.

2. I have Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza currently graded for round three. I wouldn’t take him in round one. I just don’t see anything particularly striking about his physical talent and he isn’t elusive or creative. Is there really much of a ceiling here? Today Todd McShay noted his coach at California wasn’t exactly disappointed to see him move on. Interesting.

3. I’m going to keep banging this drum. Reuben Bain is not going to go as early as the media is saying. There aren’t many defensive ends with 30-inch arms who go early. I also think his tape is overrated and that he’ll be a limited pass rusher at the next level. To me he feels like another AJ Epenesa, Boogie Basham or Myles Murphy type. I’m surprised at how he has been portrayed.

4. There have been a lot of underwhelming performances from big names in college football this year, including Peter Woods, Keldric Faulk, Avieon Terrell and Kadyn Proctor. Yet the sheer dearth of first round level players mean all could still find a home in the first frame based on potential and testing.

5. The interior O-line options seem reasonable if you want the Seahawks to go early on another guard like last year. Brian Parker at Duke is a tremendous zone-blocker who is destined to kick inside. Iowa’s Gennings Dunker would make a similar solid fit. Miami’s Francis Mauigoa might go a bit too early thanks to the class but he’s another right tackle who will likely be a top-level guard. Meanwhile Penn State’s Vega Ioane, who plays left guard for the Nittany Lions, is a tremendous talent. Spencer Fano, Mauigoa and Vega could end up going in the top-18 given the lack of obvious first round picks — with Fano a top-10 lock.

6. Receivers Carnall Tate, Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson all show natural ability and they’re all having highly productive seasons. However, it’ll be interesting to see how fast all three players run to determine just how early they’ll go.

7. Jeremiyah Love will be the first running back taken and he has a chance to go in round one. Who will be RB2? Justice Haynes is having foot surgery. Nicholas Singleton has had a disappointing season. I genuinely think Mike Washington Jr at Arkansas is being slept on. He’s big, finishes his runs and has a burst of speed.

8. If I were a team in need of drafting a quarterback this year, I would much rather take a shot on Arkansas’ Taylen Green later on than reach on one of the ‘bigger names’ in round one. He has a skill-set that will be very interesting to try and develop and there’s a little bit of Colin Kaepernick about him. He’s far from perfect but the tools are enticing and he can create and make things happen off-schedule.

9. A lot of defensive tackles get touted early but most of that is based on flashes only. Game-to-game consistency? I like Gracen Halton at Oklahoma. Solid run defender. Plays with an edge. Four sacks in nine games. 14th for pressures (21). A good football player. Other value interior defenders could include Alabama’s Tim Keenan and Oklahoma’s Damonic Williams. It’ll be interesting to find out how the league views Domonique Orange too.

10. At no point have I put LaNorris Sellers or Dante Moore on my board and the intel from Todd McShay today was that both are likely to return to college next season. I have added Ty Simpson to the board as QB1 because with the way he’s playing, a Heisman Trophy and a strong playoff run isn’t out of the question. Tick those boxes and he might strike while the iron is hot — plus he turns 23 before Christmas.

There’s no smoke without fire.

By now, we should all be well versed in this when it comes to the Seahawks. The Russell Wilson trade is the best example of reading the tea leaves but there are others.

Adam Schefter, Jay Glazer and Albert Breer weren’t all talking about the Seahawks on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday as a team to keep an eye on ahead of the trade deadline because nothing was going on. Admittedly, a lot of the chatter was about Seattle ‘being in on everything’. I think it was more than that though.

I think they were in on something big and just couldn’t get it over the line. We all saw how the NFL is in a new era of aggression. Big trades happened on deadline day and I suspect there were others that nearly happened too.

John Schneider has pretty much been front and centre when it comes to trading in the NFL. I’m pretty sure he was working on something significant and my guess is it was a big name pass rusher.

It would explain why Boye Mafe’s name was dangled over the weekend through Schefter. They were working on a big upgrade, already know they aren’t going to pay Mafe beyond this year and were seeing what was out there just in case everything aligned to bring in a new pass rusher. That’s my guess.

For whatever reason it didn’t come together. It would’ve been very difficult for the Raiders or Browns to trade Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett with half a season of football still to play. Trey Hendrickson is perhaps the one who surprisingly wasn’t dealt — but were the Bengals ever going to be reasonable over a 31-year-old defender on an expiring contract? It appears not.

The Seahawks ended up trading for Rashid Shaheed but I’d love to know whether there was another move they were working on. Another big splash to match the Colts’ deal for Sauce Gardner and the Cowboys’ move for Quinnen Williams.

It’d make sense if they were. This is a wide open NFL season. Adding a proven blue-chipper for the rest of the year could’ve put the Seahawks in the conversation for NFC favourites. You can’t make other teams give away their best players though — and neither can you be reckless in trade talks to chase one season of opportunity.

However — they could easily return to the negotiating table in March.

My horizontal board currently has 111 graded players. Only five have first round grades. There are 67 players graded for day two. There will be over 100 picks made before the start of day three.

This is a thin draft lacking in top-end quality and depth. If the Seahawks pick towards the back-end of round one, it’s highly unlikely they’ll claim a player with a first round grade. It’s also unlikely they’ll get a player in round two with a second round grade.

It appears to be so thin in 2026 that their fifth round pick used in the Shaheed trade could’ve easily been a player with a priority UDFA grade on their board.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still early. The Senior Bowl and combine will impact grading. I have a handful of players I’m prepared to move into the round one conversation in the future.

There will also still be appealing players available whenever the Seahawks pick. I’m fond of Duke’s Brian Parker — a right tackle destined to move inside who’s a brilliant zone blocker. Francis Mauigoa’s in a similar boat, while Vega Ioane is very interesting too. Yet I think round two could present opportunities to improve your O-line this year (Iowa’s Gennings Dunker or Logan Jones, for example).

My prediction is this — the Seahawks will try to trade for a veteran star in the off-season. They will make the same calls they were making over the last few days. They might have a better chance of succeeding when a selling team can put a PR plan in place, plus sign some free agents to provide some positive headlines.

The 2026 draft class combined with the opening window of opportunity for the Seahawks, not to mention the previous history of Schneider as GM, suggest a future big trade is plausible.

We might not be watching a player like Crosby on Sunday against the Cardinals. We might only have to wait a few months to see him land in Seattle, though.

If there was ever a draft or a time to do it, it’s now.

Finally, please check out my latest conversation with Puck Sports — discussing the Rashid Shaheed trade and other topics!

Before I get into my thoughts on today’s trade, please check out my latest conversation with Stacy Rost in the video below! Also, please like the video on YouTube and leave a comment if you can!

This a move many people thought might happen at various times over the last few months. Rashid Shaheed enjoyed a breakout season under Klint Kubiak a year ago, providing a dynamic deep-threat and becoming a big weapon for the Saints.

The Seahawks didn’t have a desperate need at receiver, even with the recent injury for Cooper Kupp. Tory Horton scored two touchdowns against the Commanders, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba has shown to be one of the very best at his position.

However, this is a team that clearly wanted to be opportunistic today. There were various reports of an aggressive approach by the Seahawks, trying to be in on everything. In the end they saw this as a move worth making to add pure talent, rather than address a glaring need.

It’s no secret the Seahawks are facing a lot of stacked boxes. If this forces opponents into more coverage situations and opens up opportunities for the running game, it could challenge opponents in a whole different way. If you have to pick between limiting the run and defending Seattle’s variety of weapons, which poison will you pick?

The price doesn’t bother me. The 2026 draft, as we’ve been saying for weeks, is poor. There’s a distinct lack of first round talents and the depth isn’t up to much either. Frankly, I would’ve fully supported a big, bold trade that included higher picks if it would’ve happened. I’m not going to lose sleep over a lost fourth and fifth rounder in this draft, especially when a trade down or two can recoup that stock.

Adam Schefter was on with Pat McAfee this morning.

It was… interesting…

"The Seahawks are interesting and something is going on in Seattle..

They are a team to watch before the trade deadline" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/29OesCP712

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 3, 2025

Here’s the line he used on the Seahawks:

“Seattle is interesting. Something is going on in Seattle. Seattle would be a team to watch.”

The way this is phrased is a lot more revealing, I’d argue, than merely suggesting the Seahawks are ringing around to see what’s out there.

This follows Jay Glazer reporting on Sunday that the Seahawks were being aggressive in the trade market. In the last 24 hours, suddenly this is the team being singled out to keep an eye on.

Schefter’s face above is a picture. It’s the face of somebody who knows something.

Truth be told, he probably does.

ESPN’s top NFL insider published a report on Saturday noting Seattle was receiving interest in Boye Mafe and Riq Woolen. It was a quid-pro-quo report. This was Schefter doing the Seahawks a solid, getting those two names out there. If/when the Seahawks make a trade before the deadline, the chances are Schefter will be rewarded by being the first to receive a text confirming the news.

It won’t be a surprise, given Schefter’s connections, if he knows who the Seahawks are targeting. My guess is it’s a top pass rusher. That doesn’t mean they’ll pull something off — but I’m guessing they’re trying especially hard to get something done.

Firstly, the willingness to part with Mafe (and they clearly are if his name is being dangled in the media). You aren’t going to reduce your pass rush depth for the sake of it. To me it feels like they’re looking to upgrade that spot.

I think this is the situation:

— They possibly want to trade Mafe first or have an agreement at the same time as they add a player, in order to make sure they’re not left short

— Trading Mafe gives them extra stock to use in an additional deal for a replacement/upgrade

— If they make a big splash making Mafe expendable, it could be harder to get maximum value if you then try and sell him

Secondly, a perfect storm could be being created here. The Bengals might be more prepared to part with Trey Hendrickson after losing again on Sunday. The Raiders, who also lost again, might be at least willing to entertain offers for Maxx Crosby. Are the Browns now fully embracing their youth movement which could make Myles Garrett finally available?

Meanwhile, the Seahawks are working into serious contention. They have more cap space available than most teams (this year and next). The 2026 draft class is seriously lacking top-end talent and depth. If there was ever year a to make a late splash, this is it.

Yahoo Sports reporters Jori Epstein and Charles Robinson wrote an interesting piece a few days ago.

Here’s Epstein on Crosby potentially being available:

An NFC talent evaluator from another team didn’t think the door was closed.

“I still think for the right price, Crosby could be on the move,” the evaluator said. “First and a pick swap, most likely.”

Robinson added:

Don’t expect a Maxx Crosby trade surprise unless Crosby asks for it, which I’ve been told he hasn’t done.

Is it possible Crosby will make that request late in the day? Is Epstein’s source correct, that a deal could still be on the cards for a Raiders team clearly caught between a needed long-term build and trying to win quickly with an older coach and quarterback?

Now here’s Robinson on Garrett potentially being moved:

I’ve had two high-ranking personnel sources tell me Roseman would give up a significant bounty if the Browns were to make Myles Garrett available. It feels a little like other personnel departments are dreamcasting a bit and guessing what Roseman might do, but there’s definitely a sense that the Eagles could be the one team that comes out of nowhere to pull a big deal for a defensive player. Dot-connecting is going to speculate that player to be Trey Hendrickson, but if Roseman would genuinely be willing to give up the farm for a player like Garrett, nobody is off the table. I wouldn’t rule out a Jaelan Phillips or Bradley Chubb pursuit.

The Eagles did indeed trade for Phillips today, potentially taking a big bold push off the table. What if it’s the Seahawks instead who are prepared to ‘give up the farm’?

Let me be clear — I’m not predicting either player gets traded anywhere, let alone Seattle. Big shocking trades don’t happen… until they do (see: Micah Parsons). I’m just saying, there’s a lot of buzz all of sudden surrounding the Seahawks before the trade deadline from the top insiders in the sport. I don’t think that would be the case if they’re imminently going to acquire the 2025 equivalent of Trevis Gipson for a conditional sixth rounder.

I just wonder if this team is sensing an opportunity in the NFC and believe acquiring someone like Garrett or Crosby at a massive cost (or Hendrickson at a slightly smaller price) might be worth it.

Financially the Raiders can easily trade Crosby. The dead cap-hit is $5m this year and $5m next year. Las Vegas would save a considerable sum of money by dealing him. With Garrett it’s different. The Browns would take on $20m in dead money this year and $40m next year.

The Browns would need a massive offer to consider that kind of write-off. However, look at what the Dolphins did today. They ate $6m to get a better pick from the Eagles for Phillips. If a third rounder costs $6m, could a package of picks add up to the value of $60m? It’s not unrealistic, especially with the Browns showing their inclination to go young on their roster.

What about Seattle’s finances? In Schefter’s report at the weekend, he suggested the feeling is that the Seahawks want to pay Charles Cross, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon next year. That makes it harder to give money to anyone else up front for big, guaranteed contracts. There’s not an endless supply of cash for the Seahawks to do multiple mega deals in one calendar year after all (cash and cap-space are different things).

If you trade for Garrett or Crosby, that isn’t a problem. They are under contract until 2030 and 2029 respectively. You will take on their annual salaries but you’re not going to have to put money in escrow to sign them. Provided you can fit their cap-hits into your plan — and they easily can — it’s a major bonus for a team in Seattle’s position that both players received extensions this year.

A move like this would firmly put the Seahawks in a Super Bowl window. I’d fully support it after putting in extensive work studying the 2026 draft class. If there was ever a year to create shockwaves in the NFL, this is it.

I think Schefter knows who they’re going after. Let’s see if they get it done.

If you missed my stream discussing the trade deadline with Jeff Simmons, check it out below:

What a joy this was to experience.

Clearly the Commanders are banged up and reeling. They’ve lost several key players to injury and they’re an ageing team at a lot of key positions.

Even so, Jayden Daniels was back at quarterback and there was a job to be done. I said on the Seahawks Collective this week it’d be a big disappointment to lose this game given the state of Washington’s roster. They didn’t just avoid losing, they absolutely hammered the Commanders.

Sam Darnold’s flawless first-half performance was masterful. He skilfully went through his progressions, showed off his physical talent and looked like a top level quarterback. My favourite two plays were the big third down conversion just before Cody White’s long catch-and-run for a score, and the first touchdown to Tory Horton — where he had to re-set his feet, throw while leaning back and still generate a ton of velocity and accuracy in the red-zone.

His connection to Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to thrill and even without Cooper Kupp, the passing offense was electric.

Defensively the Seahawks played their brand of football. They’re working together — every level of the defense — to smother opponents. Ty Okada’s amazing interception was a big ‘wow’ moment, as was Leonard Williams chasing down Daniels to force a turover on downs. The unit is still missing key players but they look extremely good — working perfectly with the offense.

Ernest Jones’ injury is a concern. Luckily there’s still time to act if it’s anything serious. Acquiring a linebacker may be necessary — but there’d be competition, least of all from the 49ers. Hopefully Jones sat out as a precaution with the game well in hand.

This team could easily be 7-0. They chucked away the Tampa Bay game and, to a lesser extent, the 49ers game. This is the perfect time to strike before the trade deadline, as Jay Glazer reported they are trying to do. It’s not a good looking 2026 draft. They are right in the mix. Are there a couple of moves to be made?

If they can add before Tuesday, they’ll be in a strong position on today’s evidence. Beating this Washington team isn’t akin to winning in Kansas City, Buffalo or even LA or San Francisco. Yet it’ll be seen as sufficiently impressive to get everyone talking about the Seahawks tomorrow as a contender. That sounds good to me.

This is a guest article by Curtis Allen…

The bye week is mercifully over.  The Seahawks have had twelve days to rest, review their play calling and assess their roster needs.  We will finally see the beginnings of this mid-season break.

They face a battered and weary Commanders team, themselves badly needing a bye week that is still weeks away.  They started out as a respectable 3-2 team but are currently in a three-game losing streak, doomed by a tough schedule, an inordinate number of injuries to their top players (particularly on offense) and a defense that has been exposed as one of the NFL’s worst.  At 3-5, they currently hold the #13 spot in the NFC, and three teams that have beaten them this year stand between them and a Wildcard spot.  And they’ll have to claw their way back into the picture without the regularly insane catches of Terry McLaurin.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks have returned Devin Witherspoon and Derrick Hall to the defense plus Fullback/Battering Ram Robbie Ouzts to the offense.  While key defender Julian Love has been officially shelved for at least four games with an injury, it is fair to say this is the healthiest their defense has been so far this season.

Notable is the fact that this will be the first game with Witherspoon and versatile weapon Nick Emmanwori on the field at the same time since the first few minutes of Week One.

This is a game where the Seahawks match up exceedingly well against their opponent.

On offense, their passing attack is #1 in the NFL with 8.3 net yards per attempt.  The Commanders are one of the NFL’s worst teams defending the pass, coming in at #30 with 7.2.  They should not have much trouble moving the ball on this team.

On defense, they are #1 in the NFL in defending the run at 3.2 net yards per attempt.  Washington’s offense is #4 with 5.2.  They rely on the running game as much as any team in the NFL, and the Seahawks have only one 100-yard rushing game conceded on defense, Week One vs San Francisco.

This is a matchup the Seahawks should comfortably win.

If a deep playoff run is truly in their vision, this a game that both sides should play like they have the decided advantages we discussed.

How can they do that?

Play Clean Football

The Seahawks were very clearly the better team in back-to-back eight-point wins against Jacksonville and Houston.  But penalties, turnovers, dropped interceptions and bizarre play-calling choices on offense have kept them from enforcing their will and making the game much easier on themselves.

Perfectly mistake-free football is a high bar to set.

That is not what the Seahawks need at this point.  They do need to get out of their own way in order to take the next step as a team though.

I have every confidence that the Seahawks identified these weaknesses during the bye week and worked to clean them up.  Reviewing their trick play calling, having defensive backs get some extra work on the Juggs machine, and reviewing their situational football work.

Let’s see the results of that work on the field.

The Commanders are one of the most-flagged teams in the NFL, the Seahawks are in the better half.  Let the results show that this week.

A double-digit lead in the second half of the game should not be too high an expectation for this game.

Pass To Set the Game Tempo

We know how good the Seahawks’ passing game is.  Sam Darnold is decisive, accurate and can have this offense striking like a coiled snake.  Jaxon Smith-Njigba is having an incredible season that has generated Offensive Player of the Year talk.

Missing Cooper Kupp for this game is a setback but should not hamper this team too terribly much.  Tory Horton has potential, A.J. Barner has proven to be a back-breaking weapon at key times and Elijah Arroyo is just getting started making noise in the NFL (Do not be surprised if he lined up in WR formations with Barner as a standard in-line option today).

What we need to understand is how truly horrible the Commanders’ pass defense is.  As we mentioned above, they are the third-worst team in the NFL in yards-per-pass attempt.

Let me tell, you the more I dug into the numbers, the wider my eyes got.

To wit:

— Bobby Wagner is an ageless wonder and a lock to be a Hall of Famer the moment he is eligible.  But teams are exploiting what Seahawks fans already knew about him in his last couple of years in Seattle:  He is vulnerable in pass coverage.  But 2025 has shown further regression in this area.  He is targeted in the passing game very close to the line of scrimmage (2.6 yards avg depth of target), but is conceding a career-worst 12.4 yards per reception.  Meaning, he is giving up over 10 yards after the catch, also a career-worst.  His game is smarts, positioning and moving toward the line of scrimmage.  The Seahawks need to create plays where he is covering Wide Receivers on crossing routes, Running Backs like Ken Walker on dump-offs and Tight Ends like Elijah Arroyo to get him backpedaling where he cannot keep up.

— Safety Quan Martin I can honestly say is the worst starting pass defender in the NFL.  He has conceded a whopping 500 yards in the passing game, worst in the NFL.  But it is so much worse than that.  He is the #72 most-targeted defender in the passing game.  Which means he is conceding unheard-of yards per catch.  His 20.8 yards would qualify him as the second-highest number for a starter in the NFL in the last five seasons.  The worst?  Quan Martin last year.  Other defenders are getting beat on completions but Martin is conceding a 75% completion rate and a 137.5 QB rating when targeted.

— Overall, there is not one specific position they are having a problem defending in the passing game.  They are #27 in defending Wide Receivers, #29 in defending Tight Ends and #30 in defending Running Backs in the passing game.  Their blitzing and pressure rates are just outside the top-10, so they are doing well there.  But it is a boom or bust proposition, as they are conceding a 112 QB Rating when they blitz and have zero interceptions.  So, their back end and front end are not aligned at all.

— Perhaps worst of all, when they are trailing in the game, their ability to defend the pass collapses.  They are conceding (deep breath) a 123 QB Rating (36% worse than when tied or leading), 9.5 yards per reception (27% worse), and are conceding almost the same amount of first downs.  On offense?  Their play mix goes from 52/48 run/pass when tied or leading all the way down to 40/60 and their effectiveness drops from 6.6 yards per play to 5.13.  The Quarterback is also under considerably more pressure.

I do not think I can spell out the game plan any better than that.  Pass to control the scoreboard.  Get your tempo in place and supplement it with the running game, and let the Commanders chase the game.  They are flat out terrible at it.

Robbie Ouzts is back and no doubt the team has studied and discussed heavily their lack of effectiveness in the run game.  I completely agree that an improved run game is necessary for the stretch run.  But for today – let the passing game carry the load, and that will give them breathing room later in the game to try out some of their run game enhancements.

Keep The Commanders’ Running Game in Check

Washington is one of the best running teams in the NFL.  Kliff Kingsbury has the team trying all kinds of formations and sets to be effective in this area.

However, in their three losses the Commanders have been markedly worse at running the football, and it is not where the obvious answer lies – Jayden Daniels dealing with leg injuries and not playing.

No, Marcus Mariota has been blossoming as a Quarterback runner and more than adequately filling in while Daniels has healed.

Their Running Backs have dropped off a cliff.

Have a look at Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s run game charting this year.  He started out with a burst, surprising the NFL as a great rookie option and making Brian Robinson Jr expendable.

Look at his last three games though.  He has been confined to running in between the tackles and defenses have been bottling him up very effectively.  It is a combination of both the plays called on offense and the defense effectively setting the edge and having safeties and cornerbacks be willing and able tacklers on the perimeter of the defense.

This has put more pressure on the Quarterback to provide a larger share of the offense, at the same time putting down-and-distance stress on them.  And if they are behind on the scoreboard… you get the idea.

Their formula has stopped working the last three weeks and it has really hurt them.  Their aging defense is on the field more often, the defense can key on the Quarterback more and they are at a strong disadvantage when they get in that position.

As for keeping Jayden Daniels in check in the running game?  I would suggest that Nick Emmanwori and Devon Witherspoon will likely take turns being a lane-clogging presence that steps up and uses their speed to take the angles away from Daniels when he scrambles.  Coming off a hamstring injury, Daniels may not be as effective with his legs and will need to rely on short-game passing and his running backs to carry more of the offense.

If the Seahawks can do what they have normally done with a minimum of mistakes, it could be a very long day for the Commanders on both sides of the ball.

Adam Schefter’s Sunday ‘splash’ report ahead of the trade deadline didn’t have much meat on the bone. However, it was led by a story on the Seahawks “fielding calls” for Boye Mafe and Riq Woolen:

Teams have inquired to the Seattle Seahawks about the availability of standout linebacker Boye Mafe and former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen, sources told ESPN on Saturday.

Seattle hasn’t wanted to trade Mafe or Woolen, according to sources, but it will be interesting to see how aggressive another team might be ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.

Schefter goes on to explain the need to pay several other players in the off-season and how it won’t be possible to pay everyone. I think this is a little bit of a red herring. The Seahawks possibly won’t pay Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Devon Witherspoon next year if they take up their fifth-year options as expected. Over the years the team has not rushed to extend contracts with two seasons left on the existing deal.

Charles Cross might get paid — but even then, I’m not sure there’s a rush to do that either seeing as his play has hardly elevated this year and he’d be under contract for 2026 with the franchise tag an option for 2027. Coby Bryant and Ken Walker are other players who might need to be extended. Derick Hall would be approaching the final year of his contract in 2026 so he’s another potential receiver of a new deal.

I think this is more a case of the Seahawks thinking they aren’t going to pay Mafe and Woolen so let’s see if there’s an attractive trade offer before Tuesday. The chances are there won’t be, because neither player is playing well enough to warrant it. Thus they’ll finish the year in Seattle. They can’t give them away like the Patriots did with Keion White and Kyle Dugger because it would seriously impact their depth. Unless, of course, there plan is to trade for superior replacements.

Any time you see an article like this it’s basically a ham-fisted way of letting everyone know your players are available. It’s an invitation to the league to make an offer.

I’m not sure anyone’s going to bite.

A final note, Ian Rapoport is the latest reporter to suggest the Seahawks could make a trade for an offensive lineman.

***Update***

Jay Glazer is reporting the Seahawks are being “very aggressive” before the trade deadline for a number of positions:

⬇️ @JayGlazer gives us an update on Marcedes Lewis to the Broncos, trade talks, and Trey Hendrickson pic.twitter.com/6ZFCCnMqhf

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 2, 2025

Perhaps the Seahawks are dangling Mafe and Woolen because they intend to trade for players at those two positions to replace them?

The trade deadline is on Tuesday and there are a couple of things to consider based on reporting from today…

Minkah Fitzpatrick should be in play

I’ve been discussing a move for the Dolphins safety for a few weeks, given Julian Love’s absence. Now that it’s been revealed he’s going on injured reserve and will miss at least four games, I think the Seahawks need to consider their options.

Per Mike Florio, Fitzpatrick could be allowed to move on:

“Multiple Dolphins players are in play. One guy to watch, we’re told, is safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was traded from Miami to the Steelers in 2019 and who was traded back to the Dolphins before the season.”

We’ve seen how stretched the Seahawks’ secondary can look against good opponents without Love (see: Tampa Bay). I would cover your bases and look to acquire Fitzpatrick. You don’t want to blow a good season, or a good defense, because you’re too light at key areas. If Miami is holding a fire-sale, I would make a call and see what the price is.

The Dolphins might be ripe for picking. Having fired GM Chris Grier, are they embracing a major rebuild? Are other players at lesser need positions for the Seahawks available, who should be considered purely for the value and opportunity? De’Von Achane or Jaylen Waddle for example?

Are the Seahawks looking for O-line help?

Dianna Russini has joined Jordan Schultz in reporting that the Seahawks are eyeing offensive linemen. Twitter has lurched to thinking this could be a big splash for Peter Skoronski or Jackson Powers-Johnson. I think it’s probably something a lot more modest.

My guess is Kevin Zeitler. It may come down to his level of interest in uprooting and moving to the other end of the country. Yet the Titans’ season is clearly heading in one direction, having already fired their Head Coach. If he wants to go and compete for something this would be an opportunity to do so. He’s traditionally been a solid zone blocker and he’s used to playing on the right side of the line.

The Seahawks showed some interest in Dalton Risner before the season began so they’ve seemingly been open-minded about adding a veteran or upgrading at right guard.

There may be competition though. He was born in Wisconsin and played college football for the Badgers. None of his NFL stops (Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York, Baltimore, Detroit, Tennessee) have been on the west coast. If the Ravens, for example, gave him a call he might prefer that opportunity.

I can’t imagine a big splash is imminent, especially for an offensive lineman. Any team trading away a very good, established O-liner before the deadline would be nuts. It just doesn’t happen.

I am very open to the Seahawks doing something with a hint of aggression though. The 2026 draft class, as I keep saying, doesn’t look good. That doesn’t mean you throw away your picks, obviously. But if there was ever a year to be a little bit aggressive to improve mid-season, this is the one.