The Seattle Seahawks should have been expected to have a bit of a rough go through six games. Since the team won the NFC West last season, Seattle had a first-place schedule, and then had the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos back-to-back on a short week. Losses to both weren't unrealistic, but still emotionally brutal to lose 17-14 in overtime in Week 6.
Sadly, that is what happened with physical matchups proving to get the better of a team that just seems not anywhere near its form from last season. Nothing comes easy for head coach Mike Macdonald's team. Not yet anyway,
Denver was simply better overall when the game truly mattered in the first half, and better prepared. They weren't a Super Bowl-winning worthy team, but neither is Seattle this season, unfortunately. At least, the team taught us a few things (or reminded us of them).
Seattle Seahawks lose to the Denver Broncos (but the defense was good)
The Seahawks need to trade for a wide receiver
The team was able to survive by having Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the sole focus of the passing attack at times, but that isn't a sustainable way of winning at a high level. The issue is that the tight ends haven't been productive, and Cooper Kupp is only a possession receiver at this point. Rashid Shaheed isn't an elite route-runner, and Tory Horton doesn't seem to be trusted.
Even with the Broncos missing Patrick Surtain and Talanoa Hufanga, JSN was double-covered most plays because Denver didn't think any other receiver could consistently hurt them. They were right. Trading for a good WR2 would be a great move.
Seattle obviously lost faith in George Holani, until...
In the first half, instead of a rotation of Emanuel Wilson and Holani, the Seahawks went with Wilson and Velus Jones Jr. While no running back was truly doing much, Jones looked solid and more explosive than Wilson.
In the second half, Holani got more reps and he made it worth it for Seattle. He had a 13-yard gain to get close to the goal line, and then scored a play later when he made a nice cut and powered into the end zone. After fumbling too many times this season, Holani showed why the team kept him on the roster.
Tory Horton didn't help as much as he could have
After Seattle cut the score to 14-11, and after Darnold had made a fantastic pass to JSN for 30 yards, the quarterback attempted a pass to Horton that was easily intercepted. Should Darnold have thrown the ball when Horton wasn't clearly open so late in regulation? Probably not, but Horton must have gone to the DK Metcalf school of route-running.
He rounded his route, allowed the defensive back to easily undercut the pass, and made Darnold look silly for the throw. The fault was as much as Horton's, if not more. Plus, while Horton is capable of being explosive and should get the ball more, it is plays like that that show why he shouldn't.
Sam Darnold needs a replacement before an extension
Obviously, Darnold won a Super Bowl last season, and the team wouldn't have gotten there without Darnold being brilliant in the NFC Championship Game. But he hasn't been good this season, and now he has seven touchdown passes and seven interceptions. He threw two interceptions late in the game. The first was still partly his fault. The second was completely on him.
He is signed through 2027, and he will continue to be QB1 through then, but should the team pay him $50 million a season or more? Not at this point. If he continues to turn the ball over, he might not need to return next season either.
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