It’s been an encouraging start for the Seattle Seahawks.
The defense has lived up to expectations, ranking in the top five of nearly every major statistical category. The offense has steadied itself after a Week 1 dud. And the special teams have been special, coming through with a slew of impact plays.
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As a result, the Seahawks are 3-1 and riding a three-game win streak as the calendar flips to the October.
With the NFL season nearly at its quarter mark, here are three big questions for Seattle going forward.
Can the run game achieve more consistency?
The Seahawks placed a major emphasis on fixing their rushing attack this offseason, most notably with the decision to bring in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and his wide-zone blocking scheme. But so far, the ground game hasn’t quite come to fruition.
There have been flashes of explosiveness, with Kenneth Walker III breaking five runs of 15-plus yards, which is tied for the third-most of any player in the NFL. But Seattle also has been stopped for no gain or negative yardage on 26.8% of its rushing attempts, which is the second-highest rate in the league, according to FTN Fantasy.
Overall, the Seahawks rank just 28th at 3.6 yards per carry. That number will need to improve for the offense to reach its full potential.
Can Darnold and JSN sustain this production?
Heading into the season, there were questions surrounding Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Was Darnold’s breakout 2024 campaign with Minnesota just a flash in the pan? Could Smith-Njigba be a true No. 1 receiver without DK Metcalf there to command attention from opposing defenses? Both have answered those questions in emphatic fashion so far.
Darnold has been sharp and efficient, ranking second in the NFL in yards per pass attempt (9.1), seventh in completion rate (70%) and 10th in ESPN’s QBR metric. Smith-Njigba is the NFL’s second-leading receiver, having exploded out of the gates with 402 receiving yards. And the two have connected for a handful of big plays, including last week’s clutch 22-yard completion that set up the game-winning field goal against the Cardinals.
The question now is whether Darnold and Smith-Njigba can continue this level of play over the course of a 17-game season.
Can the defense find its closing instinct?
Seattle’s defense has been excellent so far. The Seahawks rank first in defensive DVOA, second in points allowed per drive (1.43), tied for second in points allowed per game (16.8) and third in yards allowed per play (4.5). They also are tied for fourth in takeaways (7) and are sixth in sacks (12).
But for as good as Seattle’s defense has been, the unit has twice failed to close out a game in the fourth quarter. In Week 1 against San Francisco, embattled cornerback Riq Woolen misplayed a pair of passes that led to a game-winning touchdown drive by the 49ers in the closing moments. And in Week 4, after limiting Arizona to just six points through the first 50 minutes, the Seahawks allowed back-to-back TD drives that tied the game.
Seattle’s defense certainly looks like a top-five unit so far. But for the Seahawks to truly solidify themselves as an elite defense, they need to do a better job of closing games in the fourth quarter.
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