The Seattle Seahawks began their season with a promising start under the leadership of new head coach Mike Macdonald, winning their first three matches. However, a subsequent stretch of five losses in six games raised concerns about the team’s direction. Recently, those concerns have been alleviated as the Seahawks have secured four consecutive victories, positioning themselves solidly within the highly competitive NFC West.
“We’re in playoff mode, man,” exclaimed left guard Laken Tomlinson in a euphoric locker room following Seattle’s 30-18 triumph over division rival Arizona. Currently boasting an 8-5 record, the Seahawks have demonstrated their ongoing dominance against the Cardinals, winning their last seven matchups, including a 16-6 victory at Lumen Field back on November 24. These recent successes have granted Seattle the essential tiebreaker advantage over other teams in a division where all four squads remain in playoff contention.
Trailing Seattle are the Los Angeles Rams at 7-6, who just clinched a thrilling 44-42 win against the Buffalo Bills. The Seahawks have only one more divisional clash on the schedule— a critical faceoff against the Rams scheduled for January 5 at SoFi Stadium. Earlier this season, the Rams edged past Seattle in a 26-20 overtime battle at Lumen Field. Before that decisive season finale, Seattle will play three games—two at home against the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings, followed by a road matchup against the Chicago Bears on December 26. The Packers, who carry a record of 9-4, recently experienced a setback, losing 34-31 to Detroit and holding a subpar 1-3 record in the NFC North.
“Every game’s a championship game, and if you really take that approach then when you get to the big game it won’t feel different,” remarked Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith regarding the team’s offensive approach. He emphasized that the squad is developing a playoff mentality, which currently distinguishes them from their competition.
Several elements of Seattle’s performance are showing promise. Defensive players Ernest Jones IV and Coby Bryant each recorded interceptions that directly contributed to Seattle’s touchdowns in the first half against Arizona. While this secondary doesn’t yet evoke memories of the Legion of Boom, it has notably improved. Bryant, who previously scored a pick-six in their earlier clash with Arizona, has emerged as a leader with three interceptions to date. Overall, Seattle has managed to achieve 11 interceptions this season. Macdonald remarked on Bryant’s progress, stating, “You need those guys, so he’s playing at a high level right now, and we’re communicating really well.”
However, not all aspects of the team are functioning smoothly. The Seahawks have struggled to set the right tone at the start of games, failing to score a touchdown on their opening drive for the past 17 contests. Against the Cardinals, they only managed a 20-yard field goal by Jason Myers during their first series.
On a brighter note, the Seahawks displayed impressive offensive prowess against the Cardinals despite expectations that quarterback Geno Smith would dominate the game. With leading rusher Kenneth Walker II sidelined, many anticipated a greater reliance on the passing game. Instead, Zach Charbonnet stepped in brilliantly, amassing a career-high 134 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns. The team’s overall rushing yards of 176 marked a season best. Smith praised Charbonnet’s abilities, saying, “Zach’s always been a great player. He’s had so many tremendous games for us.”
But not everything went positively for Seattle’s veteran receiver Tyler Lockett, who finished without a catch against the Cardinals. This marked the first time since December 2, 2019, that he has been held without a reception in a game. As he chases his 100th career touchdown—two shy of surpassing Marshawn Lynch for third on the Seahawks’ all-time total touchdowns leaderboard—achieving this milestone would be significant. Lockett’s next 100-yard game will tie him with Darrell Jackson for the second-most in franchise history.
Injury updates reveal that Walker, who has led the team with 542 rushing yards and seven touchdowns this season, was among seven players unable to participate against Arizona due to an ankle/calf injury. Following the game, Macdonald remained uncertain about Walker’s timeline for a return, stating, “We’ll work through it, but we’re not sure.”
A noteworthy statistic for Seattle is their road performance; they improved their record to 5-1 with the latest victory. Although this does not make them the top road team in the NFC—where the Eagles and Lions lead with six road wins—it is still a commendable feat for Seattle, which has struggled to secure a winning record away from home since the 2020-21 season.
Looking ahead, the Seahawks will host the Green Bay Packers next Sunday night, as they continue their push for a playoff spot amidst a tight race in the NFC West.
