The Seattle Seahawks took a big chance when they hired Mike Macdonald to be their next head coach. He was a 37-year-old with two years of NFL experience as a defensive coordinator, and while his quick rise was well earned, some still had doubts about such a young coach.
Fast forward to today, and no one is doubting him anymore. He's won 24 regular-season games in two years, also winning both of his playoff contests to date. Surprisingly, he didn't make the playoffs as a 10-win team last season.
Macdonald is now getting ready for the biggest game of his career. And, while he cannot afford to overlook a dangerous club like the New England Patriots, his track record of success against the AFC should have the fans bracing for a parade.
Mike Macdonald's Seattle Seahawks own the AFC
Macdonald's Seahawks have been utterly dominant against the opposite conference. AFC teams have given him nine of his 24 career wins, and he's gone 9-1 overall in ten matchups against them. So far, only Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills have beaten him. He's now riding a six-game winning streak against the AFC since that loss in Week 8 of the 2024 season.
Of course, that includes a 5-0 run this season in which the Seahawks outscored their AFC opposition 159-104. That's good for an average of 31.8 points scored per game and just 20.8 points allowed per game.
Granted, some of that also has to do with the fact that he's faced the AFC East and AFC South, probably the two weakest divisions in the AFC. Even so, you can only beat whoever is in front of you, and he's still more than familiar with the AFC because of his days with the Ravens.
The Patriots will be a much different team than the one the Seahawks needed overtime to beat 23-20 at Foxboro last season, but that's a two-way street. Geno Smith is no longer throwing picks, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has blossomed into a superstar, and Aden Durde's defense is probably the best in all of football.
Previous matchups are nothing but historical reference and statistical backgrounds; they still need to play the game and prove why they're the last team standing in the NFC. Still, teams need to hang onto every bit of hope and edge they can to ride some positive momentum, and Coach Macdonald sure may love his chances on February 8.