Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks have made a habit of shaking off a bad night and turning it into a run.
That’s the big reason Sunday’s trip to face the 0-3 Los Angeles Chargers feels like more than a simple bounce-back spot for the reigning Super Bowl champions. After last Sunday’s 33-31 loss to the Washington Commanders at Highmark Stadium in Landover, Maryland - Seattle’s first defeat in 12 games - the question is whether this team slips into a rut or snaps right back into its rhythm.
If the recent track record is any guide, the answer leans heavily toward the latter.
Macdonald’s first season in the Pacific Northwest was a weird one from the start. The Seahawks opened 3-0, but they were the only team among five clubs to do that and still miss the playoffs.
That hot beginning quickly gave way to a three-game skid and five losses in six games. Even then, Seattle found another gear, winning four straight before dropping back-to-back home games to the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.
The season ended with road wins in Chicago and against the rival Rams at SoFi Stadium, only for Seattle to miss out on the NFC West title because of the dreaded strength of victory tiebreaker.
Last year brought a similar pattern, just with a much bigger payoff.
Seattle opened with a 17-13 home loss to the 49ers, a game that turned on a late Sam Darnold fumble deep in San Francisco territory with 43 seconds left. The Seahawks answered with wins at Pittsburgh, at the New Orleans Saints, and at Arizona. A 38-35 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lumen Field followed, leaving Seattle at 3-2 after five games.
Then came another surge. Macdonald’s team ripped off four straight victories, including blowout wins over the playoff-bound Jaguars and Texans by a combined 129-67. The next setback was the much-discussed 21-19 loss to the Rams at SoFi Stadium, where Darnold was intercepted four times.
That turned out to be Seattle’s final loss until last Sunday.
The Seahawks won their next 12 games, a stretch that included a three-game postseason run, and outscored opponents 334-162 over that span. That’s the version of Seattle the Chargers are facing now: a team that knows how to reset fast and stack wins once it gets rolling.
So Sunday brings a simple test. The Seahawks sit one game behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West, and they have a chance to do something this season they never had to do all of last year: lose consecutive games.
In Other News...
Seahawks Backfield Concern Grows As Key Defender Trends Toward Return
The Seahawks Thursday injury report brought a little clarity on the back end and a few more questions in the backfield. Safety Ty Okada was limited, and Julian Love was also listed as limited, though Love is expected to play against the Chargers. Seattles running back room, meanwhile, kept drawing attention, with rookie Jadarian Price sidelined by a chest injury and George Holani limited in practice.
Zach Charbonnet was back on the field in a limited capacity after working his way back from an ACL tear, a sign the Seahawks are at least moving him closer to availability. He is not yet eligible to play in games, but his return to practice adds another layer to a backfield that already looks thin at the moment, especially with Seattle still sorting through who will be available when the Chargers come to town. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Rushing Struggles Point To A Bigger Offensive Concern
Seattles rushing problems have become one of the clearest signs that the offense is still trying to find its footing. The Seahawks are averaging 101 rushing yards per game, a drop from what they had hoped to establish, and the reasons are layered: the loss of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Kenneth Walker IIIs absence, injuries to other ball-carriers and the usual ripple effects that come with quarterback instability.
Even with that uneven ground game, the offense has still managed to put up 25 points per game on average, which is part of why the bigger concern feels less like a collapse than a work in progress. The expectation around the team is that the rushing attack should improve as the pieces settle, but for now it remains tied to a larger question about how quickly Seattle can regain consistency across the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Get Encouraging Injury News Before A Bigger Chargers Test
The Seahawks got a useful midweek lift as they worked through practice preparations for a bigger Chargers test. Zach Charbonnet opened his practice window, a meaningful step as Seattle continues to manage its backfield, while Ty Okada was back in limited work after missing time. The rest of the injury report brought a familiar mix of limited and full participation, giving the coaching staff a better sense of who might be available as the game plan comes into focus.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, had a more uneven day on the field. Some Chargers players were back to full participation, but Derwin James and Ladd McConkey did not practice after being limited the previous day, a sign that the situation still bears watching on both sides of the matchup. For Seattle, the encouraging developments are helpful, but the real test will be how much of that progress carries into a game against a Chargers team that is still sorting out its own health. [Read more 🡒]