Seahawks at Rams – Week 11
- Date: November 16
- Time: 1:05 p.m. PT
- Channel: Fox
- Venue: SoFi Stadium
This kicks off the most grueling part of the Hawks’ season. If not in terms of opponent, in terms of travel. Over the course of four weeks, Macdonald will be on the road three times and two of those games involve very long plane trips.
This one is just a quick hop down to SoCal, the kind of trip Seattle makes every year. But this is against the best team in the NFC West. Of course, Seattle could go on the road and win this game. They did that very thing in the final game of 2024. But that game was largely meaningless. This one will have major divisional and conference implications.
I don’t really see a win here. Even though everyone involved in professional sports will tell you that there are no moral victories, I suspect that just playing well and proving they belong will be a good outcome.
Then again, maybe Cooper Kupp has a secret that can help expose the Rams.
Prediction: Loss (6-4)
I think no matter what insider knowledge Kupp may have, it won’t be enough.
Seahawks at Titans – Week 12
- Date: November 23
- Time: 10 a.m. PT
- Channel: Fox
- Venue: Nissan Stadium
This is another trap game. After an emotional contest against the Rams, and with a tough game looming, it would be very easy to look past the league’s worst team last season. Fortunately, I don’t think Tennessee, even with an improving roster, has enough firepower to beat a properly-prepared Seahawks’ squad.
I like Can Ward, but he is more likely to be a rookie who has plenty of growing pains. The success of Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix last year can cloud the fact that most rookies need time to develop. Ward threw a ton of passes in college, but he didn’t play the same number of games as Daniels and Nix, who essentially entered the league as young veterans.
And Tennessee has not yet built up a dynamic offense that can threaten a quality defense. The Titans are an improving team, but they still have a long way to go.
Prediction: Win (7-4)
The schedule is kind to Seattle. Playing non-divisional games against a lot of lower-level teams means that they have plenty of chances to bunce back after a loss. Of course, that applies to the rest of the NFC West as well so it is crucial that Seattle takes care of business against those weaker teams.
Seahawks vs. Vikings – Week 13
- Date: November 30
- Time: 1:05 p.m. PT
- Channel: Fox
- Venue: Lumen Field
This is a revenge game both for team and player. Last year, when they were still struggling for their playoff lives, Seattle fought a good battle at home against the Vikings but came up just short. Sam Darnold threw three touchdowns including one late in the fourth quarter to Justin Jefferson that won it for Minnesota.
So Seattle will have payback on their minds in another late-season tilt that could have playoff consequences. And Darnold, who was shown the door after an outstanding season for the Vikings, will have something personal riding on it. It will hard not to see this as a direct showdown between the veteran and the youngster, J.J. McCarthy.
Unfortunately, I just don’t see this as a matchup Seattle is likely to win. The Seahawks should have a quality secondary this year, but the Vikings will have even better receivers.
Minnesota’s blitz-happy defense is the exact thing that will cause Darnold, who takes a lot of sacks in the best of circumstances, to struggle. If McCarthy is as good as advertised, I think this will be a very tough game for Seattle.
Prediction: Loss (7-5)
Being a conference loss, this game could hurt Seattle’s wild card chances.
Seahawks at Falcons – Week 14
- Date: December 7
- Time: 10:00 a.m. PT
- Channel: Fox
- Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
The Hawks conclude their very grueling stretch on the road with a winnable game against another team who may be battling for a wild card spot. Last year, Seattle went on the road against Atlanta and produced arguably their best game of the year. That should give them plenty of confidence this year.
The Falcons have shown signs of turning a corner for a while now. They certainly appear to have talent and if Michael Penix Jr. is the real deal at QB, they should be a quality team in 2025. But I’m not sold. I’ve heard this about the Falcons before. Penix will have to prove it on the field or they will remain an underachieving team.
The Seattle team that takes on Atlanta late in 2025 will be very different from the one that blew them out in the middle of 2024. But that aura remains. I don’t think the Falcons, as they are currently constituted, can beat Seattle.
Prediction: Win (8-5)
Seattle enters the final four games of the season like it has in each of the last two years – still in contention for the playoffs. Will they be able to close the deal this year?