To return to the postseason, the Seattle Seahawks need to improve in some key areas. A quick look at the first round of the playoffs provides some key takeaways for the next steps this franchise needs to take to get back in the hunt.
By most standards, the Seahawks had a successful season in 2024. They won 10 games, defying expectations. That's with a new head coach, who set a new franchise record for most wins in their first season. But they didn't make the playoffs, and that's the standard in Seattle. That standard is why the Hawks need to learn some lessons from teams that did make the postseason.
Head coach Mike Macdonald said he was really proud of his team after the final win of the 2024 season. He also said, "It's ultimately our responsibility to put ourselves in a better situation at the end of the season." So true, coach, so true.
The Seattle Seahawks could learn a lot from this postseason
The running game isn't just alive, it's critical to success
Remember when all the pundits said the running game was dead in the NFL? Did you notice what happened in the Wild Card round of the playoffs? The Ravens ran for a stunning 299 yards, compared to the Steelers 29 yards. Yes, Baltimore has singular talents in Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. But the Eagles outgained the Packers 169-107, the Bills 210-79 over the Broncos, and the Texans 168 - 50 over the Chargers. The teams that dominated the ground game all won.
True, the Vikings outgained the Rams 106-90, and the Buccaneers outrushed the Commanders 101 - 82. Nothing was going to save the Vikes, and I'll get to that soon enough. As for the Bucs, that was such a seesaw battle, just one key run could have propelled them to the next round. Instead, one key play - which I'll get to, of course - sank them.
Also, don't give up on the running game. The Houston Texans had just three yards in the first half against the Chargers. Did they panic and abandon the ground game, or seem to forget they had a great running back, as we've seen the Seahawks do for so many games? No, they adjusted their game plan and trusted their players. Joe Mixon wound up with 106 yards rushing for the day. He's far from the only reason the Texans smashed the Chargers, but he certainly played a key role.
Don't let great players get away
Some of the game's best players changed teams in 2024. Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley both changed addresses and had spectacular seasons. No, they wouldn't have done nearly as well if they had stayed in Tennessee and New York. Both moved to teams that had far better offensive lines and were better able to use their talents. Sometimes, the best players mandate the type of team and scheme an organization should build.
Bobby Wagner is another of those players. No, he wasn't as spectacular as either Barkley or Henry. But he did lead his new team in Washington in tackles, as his birthright. He also helped lead them to the playoffs. I'm not minimizing the amazing performance of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, but he does play on one side of the ball. Wagner was named the All-Pro second team, his 11th straight season on the squad as either first or second team.
For 2024, the Seahawks wanted linebackers that would be better in pass coverage. Out went Wagner and Jordyn Brooks. Instead, the Hawks brought in Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker, who in the past had both excelled at defending the pass. By midseason, both were gone. Seattle eventually replaced them with Ernest Jones IV via trade and rookie Tyrice Knight. The Seahawks' run defense made a huge leap with those two back in place.
Yes, I did write that letting Wagner go was the right move. Nope, that was stupid. I still believe that letting Brooks walk was the right move. Keeping Wagner, though, could have certainly made the difference in more than a few games this year. And all they needed was one more win. Great players make great plays. Great teams keep those players.
Practice to perfection, not just to practice
Speaking of practice - it may not make perfect, but execution does. The Buccaneers lost in the first round, mainly because they missed two great scoring opportunities. And what happened? They had bad center-quarterback exchanges. Wow, that doesn't sound familiar, does it, 12s?
I may have mentioned this guy already. Enter Bobby Wagner on the first of those plays, pouncing on the loose football. He would have blown up the jet sweep anyway because that's what BWagz does. Too often teams get complacent and just run through practice because, well, they have to. I'm not even suggesting that's something that happened with the Seahawks this year.
But we did see a lot of penalties and mistakes that shouldn't ever happen. Against the Vikings, Seattle committed two key penalties that cost the Seahawks 14 points and the game. A cornerback lining up offsides is inexcusable. and a facemask on a sack is bad technique. As Mike Macdonald said, “Against a team like this, the unforced errors have to get cleaned up. Starts with me, so we’ll look at that just like we do every week." That game cost the Hawks the postseason.
Pressure the quarterback
"The other team's quarterback must go down, and he must go down hard." That's one of the great quotes of the sport, from the Raiders owner and guru, Al Davis. It's another no-brainer, sure, but all too often, teams can get too involved in the details. I originally wrote a metaphor about trees and forests and arborists, but it went so far off the path that it got lost in the woods.
So I sacked it. And that's what the Seahawks need to do. Hey, I'm glad the Rams destroyed the Vikings. It shows the Hawks just how high the bar is in the NFC West. As I wrote earlier, yes, Minnesota ran for more yards than Los Angeles. And it made no difference because the Rams put their quarterback down, and they put him down hard.
Sam Darnold's storybook season ended in a nightmare, as the Rams sacked him nine times and cruised to a 29-7 win. Their season finale against the Lions was, in essence, a playoff game, as the number one seed and a first-week bye was at stake. Detroit only got two sacks that day but added eight QB hits and pressured him 15 times in all.
The Seahawks ranked fifth in quarterback hits and seventh in pressures this season. They ranked tenth in sacks, so they could certainly move up there. It's a great starting point for Macdonald's defense, to be sure. I absolutely believe they're on the right path. The first round of these playoffs points the way for even greater success in 2025.