3 storylines to watch for Seahawks fans versus the Broncos in Week 1

The Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks have been linked for almost three years now, as Seattle traded QB Russell Wilson to Denver in exchange for a haul of picks and players. It's been a tale of two different directions, as Denver's Russell Wilson experiment crashed and failed, while the Seahawks have utilized the draft capital they received from Denver to build a core of young, exciting players.

However, the Wilson experiment is over in Denver and a new era begins at Lumen Field on September 8 -- the Bo Nix era. Those in the Pacific Northwest should be familiar with Bo Nix, the former Oregon Duck who battled the Washington Huskies over the past two seasons. Nix, selected 12th overall in April's draft, was recently officially named the starter for the season-opener in Seattle.

These two teams last met in week one of the 2022 season, fresh off the Wilson trade. Seattle narrowly edged the Broncos 17-16 on Monday Night Football, as the Wilson era in Denver got off to a rocky start, and Geno Smith famously gave the "they wrote me off, but I ain't write back" interview after the game.

What Seahawks fans should watch for when Seattle plays the Denver Broncos in Week 1

However, it's two years later and both teams look pretty different. The Broncos are coached by legendary head coach Sean Payton, Russell Wilson was released in the offseason, and the Broncos drafted their new franchise quarterback a few short months ago. Seattle also has a new head coach in defensive mastermind Mike Macdonald, as well as a completely revamped defense to go along with a new offensive scheme, called by rookie offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.

The Broncos new-look offense

Denver will have a dramatically different offense after moving on from Wilson and drafting Nix this offseason. The Broncos also traded wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns and released Tim Patrick, but still have a deep receiving corps with the likes of Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, and rookie Troy Franklin, Bo Nix's teammate at Oregon. Denver also has a very good offensive line that has protected Bo Nix very efficiently in the preseason.

However, with a rookie quarterback in his first game against a talented Seattle secondary, Denver must also rely on the run game to take some of the pressure off of Nix. The Broncos also have a fairly deep and versatile running back room featuring budding star Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, the speedster Jaleel McLaughlin, and the rookie bruiser out of Notre Dame, Audric Estime. Denver figures to use almost every one of those running backs to maintain fresh legs, which could be a problem for a Seattle defense that struggled to defend the run last season.

Denver's defense

Once the strength of this team a mere two years ago, Denver's defense has taken a steep nosedive as of late. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph had all the right personnel last season, but could never put it into place. Denver lost one of their best defensive players, safety Justin Simmons, in free agency, but this unit still has some fantastic players.

Fresh off signing a massive contract, cornerback Pat Surtain II is arguably the best cornerback in football today. However, after him, the talent seems to taper off pretty quickly. Second-year Riley Moss is set to start opposite Surtain, who is young and unproven. Denver's secondary has a pretty big test in store as the Seahawks will likely air it out to DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a good chunk of the day.

Denver does have some good coverage linebackers in Alex Singleton and former Seahawk Cody Barton, but the pass defense will have its hands full come Sunday.

The front seven of Denver's defense is where Seattle needs to be cautious. The Broncos' defensive line, consisting of Zach Allen, DJ Jones, and John Franklin-Myers, will look to get after the young and inexperienced Seattle offensive line. Under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Seattle should expect some pressures to be sent early and often to rattle and disrupt Smith and the offensive line.

However, the Broncos struggled mightily against the run last year and even lost their best run defender in linebacker Josey Jewell, so look for Ryan Grubb to dial up Ken Walker and the run game early and often.

Matchups to watch for

The most important match-up to watch for on Sunday will be how Bo Nix does against a talented young Seattle secondary. Nix will have to be cautious against forcing throws against the sticky Seattle corners. However, for whatever reason, rookie quarterbacks tend to do well against the Seahawks' defense.

Another matchup to watch on Sunday will be how Seattle's offensive line fares against a talented Denver defensive line. The Seahawks, at the time of this writing, don't know the starting five for the season opener, which isn't a fantastic sign. But it will be a great test for the younger linemen who would benefit from a big leap this season, such as Charles Cross and Anthony Bradford. Keeping Geno's pocket clean will be paramount to winning Sunday's season opener.

The last important matchup to watch will be Courtland Sutton versus Tariq Woolen. Sutton is a tough matchup for Woolen, who figures to be matched up against the tall, fast, and rangy receiver. Sutton will likely be a safety blanket for the rookie Nix, and if Woolen can lock him down, Nix could be in for a long day.

The bottom line

While the Seahawks are the favorites on Sunday, this game will ultimately come down to which offense can control the clock, convert on third down, and ultimately finish drives with touchdowns. Seattle's biggest issue last season on the offensive side of the ball wasn't moving down the field, but finishing drives. Far too many times did Seattle march down the field only for Jason Myers to trot on for a field goal attempt.

The difference between 3 and 7 points will likely be the ultimate deciding factor on Sunday. Both teams have the firepower on offense to move the ball, but the ability to finish drives will be paramount. New offensive coordinator in Seattle Ryan Grubb looks to polish the red zone offense that was stifled on a consistent basis in 2023.

Although week one is almost never an indicator of how a football team will look for the rest of the season, if Seattle is able to capitalize on red zone trips and bend, but not break, on defense and force field goals, that is a tendency conducive to winning football games. It would be such an encouraging sight for Seahawks fans to break that bad habit and usher in a new, exciting, and successful era of Seattle Seahawks football.

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