Remember when the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line was the team’s biggest weak spot? You should. It was like five minutes ago. After Friday night’s outstanding performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, I think maybe we can stop worrying.
Sure, KC didn’t have all-world lineman Chris Jones or dynamic linebacker Nick Bolton on the field. But they did have George Karlaftis, Mike Danna, Mike Pennel, and Leo Chenal out there. That’s four projected starters on the front seven who combined to play 146 snaps in last year’s Super Bowl.
Besides, the Hawks were missing their best lineman, too. Left tackle [Charles Cross sat this one out](https://12thmanrising.com/only-training-camp-seattle-seahawks-offensive-line-injury-issues). He was replaced by free agent Josh Jones. It is vital that Cross heals up from his thumb injury and comes back at full strength. The Seahawks will certainly need him. But they sure didn’t need him against Kansas City.
The Seattle Seahawks' offensive line offers a tantalizing hint of how good they might be
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Jones at left tackle, rookie Grey Zabel at left guard, second-year UDFA Jalen Sundell at center, Anthony Bradford at right guard, and Abe Lucas at right tackle. Average age – 25 years old. When Cross takes over from Jones, that average drops to 24. And on Friday, they were, in a word, dominant.
I went back and watched the opening drive – a 10-play, 81-yard masterpiece that resulted in a touchdown – and I saw something I rarely see. Not only did the Seahawks' offensive line win all ten plays, but every single lineman won his individual matchup on every single play. Five players. Ten snaps. Fifty wins.
Could this possibly be the same line that we were all wringing our hands over last season?
Well, it isn’t the same line. The new kid, Zabel, [has been as advertised](https://12thmanrising.com/rookie-grey-zabel-earns-respect-honoring-seahawks-legend), a potential Pro Bowler in his rookie season. Sundell, who has yet to formally win the center job, is playing at a very high level and keeping the line well-organized.
Bradford, so far, has ironed out the troubling inconsistencies that plagued him in his first few seasons. Lucas is showing what he can do when healthy. And Jones is doing a pretty good imitation of Cross.
Let’s look at those ten plays and highlight just how well these five men performed.
On the first play from scrimmage, Bradford and Lucas collapsed the left side of the line while tight end A.J. Barner sealed the edge, allowing Zach Charbonnet to cut between them for a major gain.
Then Bradford pulled left while Jones and Zabel blocked back creating another big hole.
The third play was the first pass. Bradford essentially got to take this play off because the other four linemen won their individual matchups, sustaining their blocks long enough to allow Sam Darnold to eventually throw to his third read.
Play four was a successful tush push. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a lineman get as low as Abe Lucas did while still maintaining blocking leverage.
Next, it was Lucas’ turn to pull on a sweep while Sundell sealed the backside, followed by another example of perfect pass protection. North Dakota State teammates Zabel and Sundell drove Marlon Tuipulotu halfway into Elliott Bay on the double-team.
Then, Sundell again sealed the middle while Bradford exploded into the second level on another run play.
Notice the variety of blocks that had been employed to this point. There were pulls and counters, and straight drive blocks. The Chiefs' defense was being defeated mentally as well as physically because they never knew where the block was coming from.
That’s why on the next two plays – both passes – the line barely had to do anything. They simply sold counteraction, and KC’s line retreated. Darnold had no pressure as he completed consecutive passes to move Seattle into the red zone.
Then, it was just pure power from the entire left side. Jones, Zabel, and Sundell blew KC off the ball. With an excellent seal block from tight end Eric Saubert, Zach Charbonnet could practically walk into the end zone from 15 yards away.
Fifty blocks. Fifty wins.
It didn’t stay like that the entire game, but it was close. The starters came out on both sides, and Seattle continued to pound away at the Chiefs' defense. In the first half, they had four drives of ten, nine, eleven, and six plays respectively.
Three resulted in touchdowns while the other stalled a few feet from the end zone. Ten runs of six or more yards. Nine passes of more than ten yards. All in the first half.
I am confident that neither Bradford nor Sundell is a fluke. When Cross and center Olu Oluwatimi are healthy, Seattle will have seven very good linemen. They still need to develop added depth, but I think rookie Bryce Cabeldue looked good on Thursday, and even the maligned Christian Haynes seemed more comfortable.
After Friday’s performance, I am not too worried about finding that depth. Klint Kubiak’s system makes it hard on opposing defenses. New line coach John Benton has already created a more cohesive unit than we saw last year. They should only get better from here.
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