The first test was encouraging for Seattle’s offensive line, and now comes a sturdier one.
In the Seahawks’ 13-10 season-opening win over the New England Patriots, rookie running back Jadarian Price flashed the kind of burst that made him a first-round draft pick. He took a first-down handoff late in the first quarter, bounced to the right side behind a wall of blockers and ripped off 12 yards. It was a clean look at both his explosiveness and the work up front.
That blocking drew praise from Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL offensive lineman Ray Roberts, who came away impressed with how Seattle handled the run game in Week 1. On Thursday’s Bump and Stacy on Seattle Sports, Roberts pointed to the way the Seahawks’ line opened space for Price, who finished his NFL debut with 52 yards on 10 carries.
“In the run game, they were capturing the edge faster than they ever did last year,” Roberts said. “I mean, Price just had to like put his track shoes on and sprint to the edge and the space was there. So I think even with them having more opportunities to run block, they’ll create some more lanes.”
Seattle’s line also held up in pass protection, even as the offense had to adjust after quarterback Sam Darnold left early with an injury. Drew Lock came on in relief and was sacked once in 24 dropbacks.
“I felt for what they were asked to do and the way the game plan kind of changed on them, I thought they did a really good job,” Roberts said.
The next challenge arrives Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, who made life difficult for the Los Angeles Chargers’ ground game in Week 1. Arizona allowed just 3.5 yards per carry in a 26-14 win.
Roberts expects that front to force Seattle to be sharp with its blocking details.
“They do a really good job of getting off blocks at the line of scrimmage,” Roberts said. “And so the double teams are going to have to be tight.
The cutoffs on the backside are going to have to be tight. … Being able to secure these double teams and not allowing them to penetrate the line of scrimmage is going to be vital for the running game.”
In Other News...
Mike Macdonald's New Edge Already Has Rams Fans Talking
The Seahawks have spent the week drawing attention for reasons that go beyond the usual divisional buildup, with coach Mike Macdonald leaning into modern preparation tools as Seattle gets ready for another round with the Rams. Macdonald has said AI tools such as Copilot are becoming part of the teams strategy, a sign that the Seahawks are trying to find any edge they can as the NFC West race keeps tightening.
Kelly Staffords Instagram story added a little extra spice to the matchup, since the Rams quarterbacks wife made clear she was uneasy with Seattles use of AI in preparation. With the teams still staring at another meeting ahead and both clubs coming off recent stretches that have given their fans plenty to evaluate, the conversation around this matchup has widened well beyond the usual injury reports and game plans. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Macdonald Opened Up About A Seahawks Struggle Fans Never Saw
Mike Macdonalds first season guiding the Seahawks came with more than the usual rookie-coach turbulence. In an interview with Graham Bensinger, he talked openly about how the demands of leadership in 2024 affected him, describing a difficult stretch in which he felt pressure to live up to his own standards while trying to steer a team through the grind of an NFL season.
Macdonald said those challenges reached beyond the sideline and into his own well-being, touching on depression and the mental strain that came with the job. Seattles improvement the following season only sharpened the spotlight on how much his self-awareness and recovery mattered, even if the full story of how he worked through that period still leaves one important piece to be told. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face Two Key Week 2 Injury Questions Against Arizona
The Seahawks head into their Week 2 matchup with Arizona already dealing with a trimmed-down depth chart, with quarterback Sam Darnold and safety Ty Okada ruled out because of injuries. Those absences force Seattle to shuffle both a key spot on offense and an important piece of the secondary, while the team waits to see how the rest of the roster holds up through the final stages before kickoff.
Nick Emmanwori and right guard Anthony Bradford are both listed as questionable, leaving two more spots in flux as Seattle works through its game-day decisions. If either player can go, it could soften the blow of the early injury news, but the Seahawks are still in a spot where lineup changes may continue right up until they face the Cardinals. [Read more 🡒]