The Seahawks may have spent the offseason losing familiar names, but their season opener made one thing clear fast: the Rams are still going to have their hands full.
Seattle rolled into Wednesday night without cornerback Tariq Woolen, safety Coby Bryant, edge rusher Boye Mafe, or Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in the backfield, and even had star safety Nick Emmanwori sidelined by injury. None of that stopped the Seahawks from looking like the same problem they were a year ago. Against New England, they leaned on a punishing defense, a steady run game, and enough from their passing attack to walk away with a 13-10 win.
That’s the part Rams fans care about most. Whatever questions the offseason departures created, Seattle’s identity held up.
The defense did the heavy lifting from start to finish. Seattle picked off Drake Maye on each of the Patriots’ final three possessions, with Josh Jobe ending the night by snagging an interception in the end zone while New England was still in field-goal range and pushing for more. Maye’s three-turnover performance came partly from his own poor choices, but it was also a direct result of a Seahawks unit that never stopped hunting the football.
The pressure came from everywhere. Seattle’s interior rush and defensive back blitzes kept Maye uncomfortable all night and produced three sacks. New England averaged just 4.1 yards per play, and Maye finished at 5.4 yards per pass attempt and 7.7 yards per completion.
What made it even more impressive was how long the Seahawks had to hold up. They were on the field for more than 34 minutes while the Patriots controlled possession, but the defense never cracked.
Seattle’s offense didn’t need fireworks. Backup quarterback Drew Lock managed the game well enough, and the ground attack stayed on schedule.
Rookie first-rounder Jadarian Price, the Notre Dame product, led all rushers with 52 yards on 10 carries. As a team, the Seahawks ran 22 times for 97 yards.
And when they did throw, Jaxon Smith-Njigba handled the heavy lifting. He caught eight passes for 122 yards and a touchdown, providing the kind of difference-making production that can cover for a lot of other issues.
There was some concern around Sam Darnold’s hip injury, and it remains a real issue for Seattle’s passing game. But even with that setback and a sloppy, penalty-filled debut, the Seahawks still found a way to win.
For the Rams, the takeaway is pretty straightforward: this doesn’t look like a softened division rival. It looks like the same relentless Seattle team, just with a few new faces and the same hard edge.
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Kyle Shanahan has already said Kittle and Nick Bosa will have limited playing time as the 49ers ease them back from major injuries, which adds another layer to a matchup that was never going to be simple. For the Rams, the challenge is obvious enough: face a division rival on a long trip, with one of the leagues most disruptive defenders unavailable and San Francisco getting a key weapon back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Donald's Comeback Starts With A Rams Reality Fans Won't Love
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For a defense that has long leaned on Donald as its centerpiece, the wait is the reality fans were hoping to avoid, even if it was always part of the plan. Donald last played in the NFL in 2023, and the earliest expectation for his return is Week 2, leaving the Rams to navigate the opener without one of the most important players in franchise history. [Read more 🡒]