Thursday night in Seattle brings a simple setup with a few dangerous pressure points. The Seahawks and Broncos come in with the same record, both trying to keep pace with unbeaten teams in their divisions, and both carrying obvious issues that could tilt the game in a hurry.
Seattle’s biggest concern might be the one right in front of Sam Darnold: the left side of the offensive line. Grey Zabel has had a rough second season, and the 2025 first-round pick from North Dakota State heads into this one ranked No. 42 at his position by Pro Football Focus.
That’s a bad spot to be in with Zach Allen lining up across from him. Allen leads Denver with four sacks, ranks 11th among interior defenders by PFF, and sits 10th in pass rush prowess.
The Seahawks have already allowed eight sacks over their last two games, including five in the loss to the 49ers, after giving up only three in their first three.
That protection battle matters even more because Darnold has been giving the ball away lately. In his last three games, the nine-year pro has thrown seven touchdown passes and five interceptions. Seattle’s offense has also been behind the chains because of that pressure and the mistakes that follow it.
Denver’s defense, meanwhile, is not playing at last year’s level. A season ago, only the Houston Texans allowed fewer total yards per game than the Broncos, and Vance Joseph’s unit finished second against the run while surrendering just 18 passing touchdowns in 17 regular-season games.
This year has been different. Through five weeks, Denver is 22nd in total defense and allowing the fourth-most rushing yards per game.
Still, the Broncos have forced turnovers of their own. In five games, they’ve allowed seven touchdown passes while coming up with five interceptions.
That sets up an interesting matchup against a Seattle defense that has been the league’s best at stopping both total yards and passing yards per game. Mike Macdonald and Aden Durde’s unit also leads the NFL with 11 takeaways, and the Seahawks have picked off seven passes.
Julian Lobe and Nehemiah Pritchett are tied for the team lead with two interceptions apiece, while Pritchett’s four passes defensed trail only Love’s five.
Pritchett is also one of the names to watch when Denver has the ball. The Broncos’ offense has struggled badly around third-year quarterback Bo Nix, who has nearly matched his touchdown passes with turnovers, 6 to 5, while completing just 59.9 percent of his throws.
Denver has scored only nine offensive touchdowns in five games, and if Seattle’s pass rush gets home early, that number could stay stuck right where it is. Pritchett may have another chance to add to his interception total if Nix is forced into mistakes under pressure.
In Other News...
Chargers Loss Just Added Fuel To Denvers Bo Nix Debate
The Broncos got the kind of win that should quiet a few arguments, but instead it only sharpened the one around Bo Nix. Denver beat the Chargers with Nix still in place at quarterback, yet the postgame conversation quickly shifted away from the result and back to how he looked doing it, with criticism following him even in a victory.
Nix was Denvers first-round pick in 2024 and remains under contract through 2027, so the organization has time before any real decision point arrives. Still, the longer his passer rating trends down and the offense stays below average, the harder it becomes to sell the idea that a long-term extension is coming anytime soon, no matter how the standings read in the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Fans Need To Watch Seattles Injury Report Closely Thursday
The Seahawks did not practice Monday, but they still put out an estimated injury report for Thursday Night Football against the Broncos, and that kind of early-week snapshot can tell you plenty about how Seattle is lining up for a short-week matchup. For Denver fans, it is the sort of document worth reading closely, especially with players working back into the picture and others expected to be available despite the abbreviated preparation.
Irv Charles is aiming to make his debut after a stint on injured reserve, while George Holani is expected to play, giving Seattle a few more offensive options to monitor before kickoff. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Charbonnet also showed up on the report with injury designations, which leaves the Seahawks with some uncertainty as they head toward Thursday and keeps the Broncos guessing a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Sends Mixed Message On Broncos Offense After Big Change
After the Broncos made a notable change in how the offense was being called, Sean Payton spent Monday trying to strike the right balance between reassurance and honesty. He said the group handled the adjustment well, and he singled out Webb for the work put in during the week, which suggested there was at least some belief the process is settling in.
Payton also made clear the bigger picture is still far from clean. Even with the response to the change, he acknowledged the Broncos are not doing a lot of things well through five games, a candid assessment that leaves the offense with more questions than answers as the team tries to sort out what actually moved the needle. [Read more 🡒]