The Seahawks are at a crossroads, and the offense is the reason why. At 3-3, they’ve already handed away three games because of turnovers, and now they’re staring at the possibility of slipping below .500 for the first time since the middle of Mike Macdonald’s first season - more than 30 games ago.
That’s the backdrop for Sunday night’s matchup with the undefeated Chiefs, a game that can turn ugly fast if Seattle shows up with the same mistakes that have haunted the offense for the past four games. A win over Kansas City is more than just a nice result.
The Seahawks need it with a sharp offensive showing, one that proves the team is finished with self-inflicted damage and can actually support Sam Darnold the way Macdonald expected. They also need it to show they can hang with one of the league’s best teams.
Seattle is still listed as the favorite, which says plenty about how odd this stretch has been. The offense has been inconsistent at best, Zach Charbonnet still isn’t back, and several key defenders - DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, and Nick Emmanwori - are questionable.
Drew Lock remains limited by an elbow injury, which helps explain why Macdonald has stayed with Darnold even after a string of game-losing interceptions. It’s hard to make a change when the backup isn’t healthy enough to step in.
The run game might be the first place Kansas City tests Seattle. The Seahawks haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in two years, but Kenneth Walker III - now the NFL’s leading rusher - has a real chance to end that streak against his former team.
That becomes even more likely if Lawrence and Nwosu, Seattle’s top edge run defenders, are out or restricted. If Walker gets rolling, Patrick Mahomes will be working with all the time he wants.
Still, even if the Seahawks contain Walker, the offense has to do its part. Darnold and Brian Fleury need the unit moving in the right direction, and that hasn’t happened yet.
After the Thursday overtime loss in Denver, Darnold said the offense used the extra time to self-scout and focus on emphasizing strengths while trimming weaknesses. He also said he’s trying to be decisive and consistent and avoid making bad plays worse.
Four games in, that’s still a work in progress.
There are reasons for optimism on paper. Many expect Anthony Bradford’s return to help the ground game.
Seattle has faced a light box 40% of the time, which should create running lanes, but the production hasn’t followed. The line has been a problem, especially Abe Lucas and the guards, including Grey Zabel.
The Seahawks are also running outside far more than they did in 2025 - 51% compared to 31% - and the results have been brutal, with backs getting hit before they can even reach the line.
Fleury’s play-calling has also made life harder. When Seattle lines up under center, he’s calling play action 92% of the time, and defenses aren’t buying it.
More motion, more misdirection, and more play action from shotgun could help change that. So could better route design.
Defenses have leaned on Cover 2 and Cover 6 zone twice as often as they did in 2025, closing off passing lanes for Darnold. Seattle has also struggled against man coverage, and the lack of separation across the receiving corps reflects the quality of the plays being drawn up.
The trends get worse from there. Fleury is throwing on third-and-short 63% of the time, and Darnold isn’t pushing the ball deep very often because he’s been pressured on 64% of his long throws.
Even when the pressure doesn’t arrive, Darnold has made too many costly decisions. Unlike 2025, he hasn’t balanced those mistakes with enough explosive plays.
Matt Hasselbeck summed up the situation on the Hawk Blogger podcast: “He needs to look in the mirror. … Trust more.
Come back to fundamentals. Go back to being simple.
Protect the team by protecting the ball. … This is so fixable.”
Seattle thought it might see that fix in Denver, but the pass rush overwhelmed Darnold and the game slipped away in overtime. Kansas City brings an aggressive defense, though not one that gets a ton of pressure, so this may be the spot where Darnold can finally shake loose from the funk.
That won’t happen unless Fleury helps him. Hawk Blogger’s Value Over Replacement numbers show regression across most of the offense from 2025, and that points in one direction: the coordinator. Fleury needs to break his habits in the run game and the passing game, mix up the calls, use more misdirection, get AJ Barner involved again, design cleaner routes, and help Darnold find his open man faster.
Hawk Blogger laid out the fixes in plain terms: beat man coverage, protect the ball on runs, block better on play action, get the ball out faster, run less outside zone and more gap, move Jalen Sundell to Zabel’s side more now that Bradford is back, use shotgun more on early downs, pull George Holani out on passing downs after he’s given up 18 pressures, and help Lucas more often with chip blocks.
The math is getting harsh, too. The Seahawks are down to a 1% chance at the NFC bye, and their playoff odds sit at 50-50.
If they want to stay in the race, and especially if they want any chance at catching San Francisco for the bye, the offense has to turn around now. Sunday night against the Chiefs is the next chance.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Running Back Decision Fans Didnt Expect
With the NFL trade deadline approaching and the backfield picture starting to shift, the Seahawks are suddenly in a position where they may have to decide whether to add at running back or move pieces out to make room. Injuries around the league, the possible return of healthier options in Seattle, and the chance to chase a bigger name all have the front office looking at a group that includes Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Zach Charbonnet.
What makes this a little more intriguing is the contract side of it. Wilson, Holani and Charbonnet are all on expiring deals, which gives Seattle some flexibility if it wants to pursue another runner, whether that means a splashier target or simply more depth. Charbonnets recovery from ACL surgery only adds another layer to the discussion, because the Seahawks still have to weigh what he can be coming off the injury against what the roster might need in the short term. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Just Got A Painful Kenneth Walker Reminder From Mike Macdonald
Kenneth Walker III has stayed in the conversation around Seattle even after moving on, and Mike Macdonald made sure of that during a recent SiriusXM NFL Radio appearance. The Seahawks coach was complimentary about the running backs work with the Kansas City Chiefs, pointing to Walkers strong play and the way he has backed it up with some of the leagues top statistical production.
For Seattle, the reminder stings a little because Walker was not kept on the franchise tag earlier this year before landing a three-year deal with Kansas City. Macdonalds comments arrived just as the Chiefs are set to face the Seahawks, adding a little extra weight to a matchup that already carries an obvious layer of familiarity and second-guessing. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Put Perfect Start On The Line Against Walkers Former Team
Kenneth Walker III has helped fuel Kansas Citys 5-0 start, giving the Chiefs another dynamic piece as they try to keep their perfect opening intact. The matchup also brings some familiarity for Seattle, which is trying to settle in as defending Super Bowl champions while navigating a 3-3 beginning that has been shaped by uneven quarterback play from Sam Darnold and injuries in the backfield.
The Seahawks have still had a dependable presence in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whose value has only grown as the offense works through its issues. Still, this is the kind of game that can sharpen the questions around Seattles early-season identity, with the Chiefs carrying momentum and a back who knows exactly what his former team is trying to do on the other side. [Read more 🡒]