Seattle Seahawks fans, take note: Your team is legit — as if you needed me to say it.
For some reason, Seahawks fans think I hate their team. That’s not close to the truth, even if that perception lingers from the days when I used to say Russell Wilson was never as good as they thought.
That’s ancient history now.
Sam Darnold is good, the Seattle defense is nasty and the Seahawks have a real shot to win the NFC West — and do so much more.
Seattle’s blowout of the Washington Commanders on Sunday night was a clinic by Darnold and also featured a swarming, attacking defense that ranks fifth in the league in scoring (18.8 points allowed per game) and is tied for third in sacks (27).
At 6-2, the Seahawks are tied with the Los Angeles Rams for the NFC West lead and look like a team getting better by the week.
They clearly made the right decision to let Geno Smith walk and sign Darnold. He has 16 touchdown passes and five interceptions, and he leads the NFL at 9.6 yards per attempt, showing he’s driving the ball down the field.
Darnold and the defense have the Seahawks up to No. 3 in my Power Rankings this week. In a week when many of the top teams lost, Seattle sent a message: This team is for real.
Coach Mike Macdonald, who made his bones on the defensive side of the ball, is building an impressive unit that might start to bring back visions of the Legion of Boom.
Darnold and the passing game, which saw him complete his first 16 passes against the Commanders on Sunday night, are the perfect complement, allowing Macdonald to turn his pass rush loose.
The Seahawks are good and they are young, which means the best is still to come.
Seahawks fans, your team is for real. There, I said it again. Now leave me alone.
Biggest Movers
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
| They come off their bye with a tough home game against the Patriots. The break came at a good time for a team dealing with a ton of injuries. | 4 | 6-2-0 |
2 | 
| Beating the Chiefs behind a strong defensive showing is a good sign for the future. That defense will ultimately decide whether this is a Super Bowl team. | 8 | 6-2-0 |
3 | 
| It’s time to believe. Mike Macdonald has done a great job with this team, and Sam Darnold continues to light it up. | 4 | 6-2-0 |
4 | 
| Matt Stafford for MVP is a real thing. He just keeps throwing touchdown passes, leading the league with 21. | 4 | 6-2-0 |
5 | 
| They have beaten up on a bad schedule, but they have impressed in doing so. They have a prove-it game this week at Tampa against the Bucs. | 4 | 7-2-0 |
6 | 
| They come off their bye with a big game next Monday against the Packers. Making the move to get edge rusher Jaelen Phillips was a smart one. | 5 | 6-2-0 |
7 | 
| Was the showing by Daniel Jones in Pittsburgh a one-off, or is he showing signs of who he was in New York? The schedule toughens up over the next month. | 6 | 7-2-0 |
8 | 
| They need to start games by telling Bo Nix that it’s the fourth quarter. He just plays better and looser at the end of games. | 2 | 7-2-0 |
9 | 
| What in the heck was that showing against the Panthers? The inconsistency of this team has to be maddening for their fans. | 6 | 5-2-1 |
10 | 
| Losing to the Bills on the road isn’t awful, but think about this: If the playoffs started today, they wouldn’t be a part of them. Weird. | 8 | 5-4-0 |
11 | 
| Losing at home to the Vikings is not a good look for this team. The offense looked disjointed in that game, and now they have two on the road. | 7 | 5-3-0 |
12 | 
| Losing Joe Alt again is a big hit for this team’s offense. They are winning games, but how good are they? | — | 6-3-0 |
13 | 
| J.J. McCarthy flashed in the victory over the Lions, but it was the defense and Brian Flores that stole the show. They truly made the Lions offense look ordinary. | 2 | 4-4-0 |
14 | 
| Injuries are starting to be a big problem for this team, especially on offense. Somehow, if the playoffs started today, they would be in the party. | 1 | 5-3-0 |
15 | 
| Mac Jones has played well in place of Brock Purdy as the 49ers continue to find ways to stay in the NFC West race. How are they doing it? | 1 | 6-3-0 |
16 | 
| The offense showed well in beating the Bengals, but the defense was terrible. That unit has to be better going forward. | 1 | 5-3-0 |
17 | 
| The defense showed up big in the victory over the Colts. Where has that been? The pass rush impressed as they turned Daniel Jones into a turnover machine. | 1 | 5-3-0 |
18 | 
| Beating Miami, coupled with Lamar Jackson being back, makes them a team to watch the next month. They could get on a roll. | 4 | 3-5-0 |
19 | 
| Give coach Dave Canales a lot of credit. Beating the Packers on the road is big, and they have a winning record. Keep feeding Rico Dowdle. | 4 | 5-4-0 |
20 | 
| Their season might be on the line against the Jaguars this week, and C.J. Stroud is in the concussion protocol. That’s not good. | 6 | 3-5-0 |
21 | 
| So much for the idea they would push the Bucs in the division. They are going in the wrong direction. | 2 | 3-5-0 |
22 | 
| Should they keep Jacoby Brissett in the lineup at quarterback? He’s played better than Kyler Murray, so maybe they should. | 2 | 3-5-0 |
23 | 
| Jayden Daniels going down for any length of time is a big hit, but he can’t save that defense. That unit is bad right now. | 3 | 3-6-0 |
24 | 
| Going for two and the win against Jacksonville was the right move for where this franchise is now. It just didn’t work, but at least Geno Smith was better. | 1 | 2-6-0 |
25 | 
| The defense is so bad that it’s starting to impact the offense. There is no need to make any blockbuster trades to try and fix that defense. It’s beyond repair. | 4 | 3-5-1 |
26 | 
| What has happened to the supposedly dominant defensive front? They got pushed around by the 49ers, and now the heat is back on Brian Daboll. | — | 2-7-0 |
27 | 
| “Who ey” going to beat them Bengals? Get it? No D. That defense is terrible. | — | 3-6-0 |
28 | 
| How much longer can they go with Dillon Gabriel? If he doesn’t get it going against the Jets this week, it will be time for a change. | — | 2-6-0 |
29 | 
| They fired general manager Chris Grier, but Mike McDaniel is safe. For now. Does he make it through the season? | — | 2-7-0 |
30 | 
| Tyler Shough’s first start wasn’t great, but he did do some encouraging things. They need to find out who he is as a quarterback the rest of the way. | — | 1-8-0 |
31 | 
| They come off their bye after beating the Bengals before going on it. It’s time to build off of that, even if the owner doesn’t believe in his quarterback. | — | 1-7-0 |
32 | 
| This thing gets worse by the week. The offense is lifeless. Cam Ward needs help. | — | 1-8-0 |
