The Seahawks are carrying a lot of momentum into Week 3, and the national picks are piling on to match it. Seattle is 2-0, Washington is 0-2, and every expert in one roundup is leaning the same way: the Seahawks.
That kind of unanimous confidence can feel dangerous. The old “kiss of death” label hangs around when every panel lands on one side, and Seattle has to deal with the usual trap-game chatter after a perfect sweep of predictions from 31 experts.
The matchup looks even more fragile for Washington now that Jayden Daniels is out. He suffered a dislocated elbow in the Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and while he will avoid going to the IR, he still won’t play this weekend. Marcus Mariota will take over.
Seattle, meanwhile, may have Sam Darnold back. Even if he doesn’t return, there’s still confidence in Drew Lock’s ability to move the ball against a Washington secondary that has struggled.
The travel also matters here. Seattle has to cross the country for a 10:00 a.m.
PT kickoff, and that kind of early start can drag a team into a slow beginning. But the Seahawks have reasons to trust their coaching, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba has already shown he can flip the script in the second half.
That’s the shape of this one: a shaky opening, then a Seattle push later on. The prediction here is a second-half surge that sends the Seahawks out of Washington with a two-touchdown win.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have A Terry McLaurin Problem They Cant Ignore
Terry McLaurins opening to the 2026 season has been quieter than anyone in Washington expected, with the veteran wideout managing only four catches for 64 yards through two games. The early numbers are jarring, especially for a receiver who has long been one of the Commanders most dependable weapons, but McLaurin has brushed off the slow start and said he trusts his process.
The concern for Washington is that the quarterback situation only makes the margin for error smaller. Jayden Daniels is dealing with a dislocated left elbow, and while McLaurin has experience working with backup Marcus Mariota, the Commanders still need their top target to find a rhythm quickly if the passing game is going to hold together through a shaky stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Just Put Washington In A Tough Spot
Jayden Daniels left elbow injury has already changed the Commanders early-season plans, and not in a small way. After dislocating it in Week 2, the rookie quarterback will miss Week 3 and likely Week 4, leaving Washington to move forward with Marcus Mariota expected to start while the team tries to dig out of an 0-2 start.
What makes this situation harder is Daniels decision to avoid surgery and try the nonsurgical route in hopes of getting back this season. It is a choice that has prompted criticism from multiple NFL executives, who worry about the risks to his long-term health and financial future, and it leaves Washington hoping the short-term gamble does not become something more complicated as the season goes on. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Home Opener Brings One Real Chance To Stop This Slide
The home opener arrives with an unusual kind of urgency in Washington, where the Commanders are already staring at their first real checkpoint of the season. After losing Jayden Daniels, the offense has shifted to Marcus Mariota, and the pressure on the rest of the roster has only grown as the team looks for its first win of the year in Week 3 against Seattle.
For a defense that has talked about needing to create more disruption, this matchup offers a chance to help change the tone. The Seahawks bring their own uncertainty at quarterback because of Sam Darnolds injury, which gives Washington an opening to lean on pressure, chase turnovers and maybe finally give the home crowd something to build around. [Read more 🡒]