The 2025 NFL season brings familiar powerhouses across the NFC, but beneath the surface lies potential for surprise contenders.
While most attention focuses on established championship favorites, several teams could emerge as legitimate threats despite flying under the radar.
The Seattle Seahawks represent one such franchise entering the season with minimal national buzz.
NFL analyst Colin Cowherd recently highlighted Seattle as among the most overlooked teams in football, suggesting they possess the pieces to disrupt expectations.
“Seattle went 10-7 last year with a rookie head coach. Geno Smith was the quarterback, and the offensive line was putrid. Well, they’ve certainly helped solve the offensive line, drafting Grey Zabel, who is grabbing and picking up players like Chris Jones in the preseason. And Sam Darnold, to me, is an upgrade,” Cowherd said.
Don’t be sleepless this season, take the Seattle over. @colincowherd pic.twitter.com/lZLrmJTpIK
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 21, 2025
The schedule breakdown favors Seattle as well. They face both the AFC South and NFC South, divisions Cowherd considers the weakest in football.
With the San Francisco 49ers showing vulnerabilities, he views Seattle’s projected win total of eight and a half as too conservative.
Mike Macdonald’s first season delivered encouraging results. The Seahawks finished 10-7 and nearly captured the NFC West before losing a tiebreaker to the Los Angeles Rams.
The defense showed marked improvement from the Pete Carroll era, particularly in run defense.
Offensive struggles plagued the team despite having playmaking talent. Seattle addressed these concerns by acquiring quarterback Sam Darnold from Minnesota and hiring offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
The new scheme emphasizes more aggressive passing concepts that should suit Darnold’s skill set.
The offensive line additions should provide better protection than the previous season’s struggling unit.
If the pieces mesh properly, the Seahawks could challenge for the division title and make noise in the playoffs.
The combination of coaching continuity, strategic additions, and favorable scheduling creates an intriguing opportunity for Seattle to exceed expectations in 2025.
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