Ward’s most eye-popping plays were off-script magic. On a 2nd-and-9, he somehow escaped the grasp of a defender to get off a chain-moving pass to Chig Okonkwo. Later on a 3rd-and-4, he avoided multiple defenders and somehow fired off a pass to Xavier Restrepo while going out of bounds midair.
While those plays understandably captured national attention, it was the underappreciated improvements that are starting to make a big difference for Ward. Watching the All-22 of the Seahawks game, Ward’s footwork was clean and crisp. Lazy mechanics had occasionally been an issue earlier this season. On Sunday, Ward’s feet consistently moved with his head/eyes as he cycled through his progressions efficiently. His lower half was in sync with his top half, leading to timely, accurate throwing attempts.
Ward didn’t have any passes batted down at the line of scrimmage after having three passes defensed by the Houston Texans the week prior. Ward maintained good arm angles against the Seahawks and avoided mechanical mistakes that have hurt him in 2025. He also hasn’t thrown an interception in three straight games, 105 passing attempts and counting.
Ward also didn’t lose a fumble versus the Seahawks, scoring two touchdowns and completing zero turnovers. Protecting the football is a high-level priority considering he’s lost multiple fumbles this season. Avoiding turnovers versus the Jaguars would highlight continued progress.
Ward made off-script magic happen versus the Seahawks, but his better footwork and cleaner mechanics were the most notable development.