It might be a pre-season game only but that was a performance to warm the hearts of all Seahawks fans ahead of the start of the 2025 season.
The 33-16 scoreline barely does Seattle’s domination justice. If it wasn’t for some sloppy kick coverage and inspired quarterback play from Gardner Minshew, this would’ve been ugly. Regardless, there was a lot to like about this game.
We have to start with the offensive line.
For years fans have craved a dominating offensive front. Seattle’s coaches and GM have often talked about running the ball well and being a violent, bullying team — only for the product on the field to make a mockery of this ambition.
What we saw against Kansas City was the real deal, explicitly so in the opening drive. It was a thing of physical beauty. Grey Zabel and Anthony Bradford dominated at guard. Abe Lucas looks like he’s back to his very best (on the first drive he had huge moments in pass-pro and driving defenders off the ball in the running game) and Jalen Sundell is coming along nicely at center. Josh Jones is proving to be a decent fill-in at left tackle for Charles Cross.
With all the caveats of this being a pre-season game and we need to see this line-up against the real thing, the way they pushed around Kansas City’s defensive front allowing for big gains in the running game was a joy to watch. It speaks to a blossoming identity being created. Sam Darnold was able to play efficient football off the back of the run.
On that one opening drive, with the starters on the field, you could allow yourself to dream of what this team could be.
If they can be this effective for stretches of the 2025 season, they’ll be incredibly difficult to play against. This was the kind of tough, hard-nosed football they’ve been desperate to find and we’ve been desperate to see. There’ll be a lot of inconsequential football played this weekend as the pre-season meanders along. This felt completely consequential. Vital, necessary, a signpost to what is possible.
In Zabel they appear to have found the thing they badly needed — a high-upside, potential cornerstone interior blocker. Bradford at right guard has always had a ton of potential (plus, as noted a few weeks ago, he’s far more athletic than people realise). If the Seahawks can tap into his upside and get him playing with consistency, this could be your guard tandem for a long time.
The way the pair played speaks to the quality of coaching they’re receiving, plus it validates Seattle’s decision not to throw money at average veterans in free agency rather than attempt to develop their own.
With Cross and Lucas at tackle — whisper it quietly but this line could be legit. Could be.
Klint Kubiak’s appointment is already paying dividends with the experienced staff he’s brought with him to make this so in the trenches. Yet the way things are operating and clicking schematically already is as much a cause for optimism as the play of the line.
The buzz coming from camp has been that Zach Charbonnet might be ready to steal the starting running back job from Ken Walker. I think we’re seeing that materialise. He’s practising, he’s playing and he’s playing well. It’s pretty clear the Seahawks rate Charbonnet highly and while he might lack Walker’s incredible physical tools — he’s a tough, physical runner who is ideally suited to this scheme. Walker provides a lot of flash and upside — but Charbonnet might be the runner this offense needs.
The way the tight ends blocked was incredibly impressive. This will be an underrated feature of the offense this year.
The one area the Seahawks are arguably a little light is at receiver — yet the young players on the roster are putting their hands up and making some plays. You need that, given the ever expanding cost of a top receiver. Last week was Tory Horton’s night, this game featured Dareke Young and Jake Bobo.
On Bobo — I have no idea if he can match Jauan Jennings’ production in San Francisco (975 yards and six touchdowns last season) but Jennings is a similar height, similar build and he ran a 4.72 at his combine (with only a 29 inch vertical). You don’t have to be a physical phenom to excel in this system.
The other big takeaway I had from this game was just how locked in the team appears to be. There’s a ‘2012’ type vibe to things — an electric sideline celebrating each other. There’s very little evidence of any ego or moodiness. There’s been no holdouts or complaining, no excuses to miss OTA’s or camp. Everyone seems to be bought in, fully, with a level of intensity all of the good teams possess.
They look like a bad-ass team and they played like it on Friday.
Look at these two screenshots showing the reaction to Brandon Pili’s safety. The defense stormed the field. The first shows Coby Bryant and Devon Witherspoon celebrating, the second with Ernest Jones and Julian Love joining Witherspoon. This is a connected team, absolutely loving every second of what is effectively a backup nose tackle making a big play in pre-season. How can you not love this?
It wasn’t a defensive masterclass by any stretch and the aforementioned kick-coverage issues must be ironed out. Yet it seems very obvious this team and franchise is on the right track.
Some other quick notes on players. Brandon Pili’s play on the safety was outrageously good, Brady Russell has to have a role on this team given his special teams impact and flexibility to play full-back or tight end, I really like the way Jacardia Wright is playing and Damien Martinez had a much better night.
