Being in control of an offense with numerous playmakers can cause an offensive coordinator to become a bit too gimmicky. That has certainly happened with Seattle Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak in 2025. Inside opponents' territory, he has dialed up a few plays he shouldn't have.
Such was the case in Week 7 against the Houston Texans. With Seattle leading 14-0 in the second quarter inside the Texans' 30-yard line, Kubiak called a play where quarterback Sam Darnold tossed the ball backward to wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who was then supposed to throw a pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The issue is that Kupp's main job isn't throwing football. His pass was relatively easily intercepted by Houston. Over his long career, Kupp has been asked to throw the ball five times. None have been completed. Until Week 7, though, none had been intercepted.
Mike Macdonald has the perfect phrase for the Seattle Seahawks' needless mistakes
Head coach Mike Macdonald had the perfect way of summarizing the Kupp mistake when speaking with reporters postgame. He said, "It might go in the freezer."
While Macdonald might have been speaking about the specific play-call by Kubiak to have Kupp throw the ball, the coach might have also meant it generally. This isn't the first time this season that the Seahawks have had momentum and might be driving to put a game away early when the offensive coordinator made a questionable decision.
In Week 5, Kubiak inserted rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe in place of Sam Darnold for one play. Milroe was supposed to run to his left and pitch the ball to running back Zach Charbonnet, but Milroe made a bad toss, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers recovered the fumble. That play happened around the same part of the field where Kupp's interception occurred.
Being creative as an OC is great, but that needs to be tempered with making sensible decisions and not potentially drive-killing mistakes. What if Milroe hadn't fumbled? That changed the course of Week 5. Against a team with a better offense than Houston's, Kupp's pass might have done the same.
Maybe all the gimmicky plays at that part of the field on drives that appear headed for points for the Seattle Seahawks need to go into the proverbial "freezer." Not only have they not produced points for the team this season, but they have also given the ball to the opponent. If those plays aren't called, Seattle might have had a much easier time in the game.