Three straight weeks where I’ve allowed my hopes to get up with this Seattle Seahawks team, and three straight weeks of vindication. What we saw today was what I was hoping Seattle could become by Year 2 of the Mike Macdonald era. A team that is consistently winning on both sides of the ball and occasionally putting opposing offenses in hell.
It didn’t look that way early on, as the Arizona Cardinals wasted no team scoring an opening touchdown with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to Michael Wilson. But after that, it was all Seahawks. Seattle answered with a long field goal drive that sputtered late but their ears were pinned all the way back and they dictated terms like a government that just won an international conflict.
We watched Geno Smith complete 80% of his passes, Zach Charbonnet have a career game, the O-line gave their best (by far) performance of the season, and the defense put an otherwise effective Cardinals offense in the blender. Even the special teams, coming off one of the worst performances in NFL history, excelled.
It was clean, it was powerful, and it was refreshingly coherent. At no point did it feel like Seattle’s asshole was puckering, and that’s really saying something given their relative youth and the objective inexperience of this coaching staff. Lots of teams in their position would succumb to the pressur of a divisional road game that carries a larger delta in playoff odds than any other on the entire NFL schedule to date. Toss in an early opposing touchdown and it would be forgivable to fold. But that, apparently, is not who this team is and that is as encouraging as anything else we’ve seen.
This team was 4-5 a month ago, staring a brutal stretch of opponents square in the face having lost five of six games. To be honest, they were bordering on fraudulent and all they’ve done is win four straight games to wrap their forearms around the NFC West. After the initial possession, the Seahawks outscored the Cardinals 27-11 and were never really in danger of losing.
NFL wins are hard, and the Seahawks are stacking them.
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SMOKE RINGS
~Geno Smith is that dude. He played a spotless game, eschewing the temptation to force downfield throws in favor of safe-but-effective checkdowns that kept his team on schedule and in front of the sticks. He completed 24 of 30 passes for 233 yards and a TD.
Smith didn’t try to flip the game with type of hero throws that work for him more often than not, but which also invite the type of criticism that shield some of the lower-brow fans from realizing his quality. Instead, he took what was available all game long and it kept the Seahawks in a comfortable position for the majority of this game. He was a surgeon today, using his scalpel of a right arm to dissect an Arizona defense that has been playing above their talent-level all season. It was exactly what we needed to see from Geno and if he can continue to run the offense the way he did today, this team can be very dangerous.
~Zach Charbonnet went ballistic today. There’s a part of me that’s dying to see what the more explosive Ken Walker would’ve done behind what was by far the best run-blocking performance of the season for Seattle but it’s also hard to imagine him doing more than what Zach did.
Charbonnet carried the ball 22 times for 134 yards (6.1 YPC) and a touchdown and added a preposterous seven catches for 59 more. 193 scrimmage yards for the player whose selection in the second round a couple years ago enraged a large contingent of Seahawks fans. I’m not gonna sit here and tell you it was the best possible process but I will victory-lap my support of the pick because the vast majority of modern NFL teams need two good RBs to make their offense go and the fact that Seattle can turn to a guy like Charbonnet when their ace is hurt had a monumental impact on the fact that they’re 8-5.
~Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to make his case as the 1A in this passing game. His last month+ has been electric and the momentum continued today as he caught all five of his targets for 82 yards and a pretty touchdown that saw him stem his route deep into the endzone before breaking to his right for an easy score. He is earning his targets and delivering on the promise that accompanies his 1st round pedigree.
~DK Metcalf is clearly not at full strength but that hasn’t stopped him from being an important part of this offense. Playing through shoulder and knee injuries, he’s no longer being targeted as a downfield threat but he moved the chains a number of times this afternoon, turning his four catches into 49 yards, including a massive (effectively) game-sealing third down reception with five minutes left that saw him eviscerate the poor dude guarding him on an out route. If this team is going to make any real noise in the postseason, he’ll need to recapture his game-breaking ability but the fact that he’s developed the football version of a midrange jumper is doing wonders for Seattle’s offense in the meantime.
~This was Seattle’s O-line’s best game of the year. Two weeks after what I called their worst effort of the season against this same team, the Seahawks front called the shots today. They paved the way for 176 rushing yards while keeping their quarterback clean for what feels like the first time in 20 years. If there’s one over-arching (if not completely underrated) theme to Seattle’s turnaround, it’s been the way guys who weren’t opening day starters have owned their opportunities. Olu Oluwatimi and Sataoa Laumea personified the “next man up” mentality, consistently clearing the way for chunk runs on the ground and clean pockets that allowed Smith to dissect the AZ defense. Charles Cross and Abe Lucas looked closer to their 2022 selves than they have all season and frankly— and I don’t say this lightly— if this OL plays every game like they did today then this team can beat anyone.
~Folks, the Mike Macdonald defense we’ve been fantasizing about might finally be here to stay. This was their fifth straight excellent performance, even with allowing the early touchdown. they were better than the opposing offense at every level, combining consistent pressure with a stout run defense and sticky coverage that forced Kyler Murray to take aim at absolute teacups all day. And don’t get me wrong— Murray is definitely capable of hitting tight-window throws and to his credit, he made a few today. But when almost every attempt carries that small a margin for error, it’s really difficult to put a winning effort together.
~It started, as usual, with Leonard Williams who continues to construct a DPOY-quality season. Williams followed up last week’s NFC Defensive Player of the Week’s performance (which, if we’re being honest, should’ve been his second in a row) by notching a ridiculous-for-an-interior-lineman seven tackles including two for a loss and batted down pass. He is having the type of campaign that few DTs ever experience and it feels like he’s getting better with each passing week.
~Next to him, Derrick Hall racked up a ton of pressures and while his impact isn’t necessarily reflected in the box score, his impact will certainly win him accolades in the film room this week. Same goes for Boye Mafe, Jarran Reed, and Jonathan Hankins. Uchenna Nwosu made his return and while he was on a clear snap count, survived the game which is the big win here.
~I’ve said it before using different words but the closer to reaching the highest realistic goals for the season this Seahawks get, the better the trade for Ernest Jones looks. He continues to captain this new-look defense like he’s been here for six years instead of six games and his interception in the first quarter was peak-veteran-intuition. It set Seattle up for a go-ahead score and a lead they would never relinquish. He racked up eight tackles which would’ve been yet another team-leading number if it wasn’t for…
*Tyrice Knight, who plays linebacker like a hungry but untrained Doberman. He notched 12 takedowns as he continues to fly around the field with an utter lack of regard for anything except sinking his teeth into the ball-carrier. There’s a lot of nuance missing in Knight’s game but nuance can be taught. Rabid hunger cannot, and the Seahawks drafted a player who hunts like a cheetah that hasn’t eaten in days.
~Devon Witherspoon won’t finish the season with the best stats on this defense but there’s no questioning the fact that he’s the heartbeat of this defense. He carded seven tackles in addition to sticky coverage and remains the guy whose unabashed voracity most closely resembles the Hall of Famers that made up the Legion of Boom defense. At no point today was that more evident than his sonic boom of a tackle in the box on James Conner that knocked the Pro Bowl RB back three yards despite a head of steam.
~Coby Bryant has been a revelation and I don’t think he’s ever giving his starting spot up again. It took him a while to adjust to his new role as safety but boy oh boy, has he ever taken to it. Week 12’s NFC Defensive Player of the Year picked off another pass today and had five tackles including two outstanding open-field takedowns.
~For some reason, Arizona chose to target Riq Woolen in coverage over and over today. It didn’t work out for them. Not only did he have eight tackles, he broke up multiple passes including two in the endzone. It was one of the best games we’ve seen from him and the duality of his insane raw talent / occasional lack of discipline makes him this defense’s biggest wild card. But with Woolen, a 6’4” WR-turned-CB that runs a 4.3, the juice is worth the squeeze and I can’t wait to see what he blossoms into under Macdonald’s tutelage. He was excellent today.
~Julian Love continues to provide a reliable lid on this defense and made two great tackles in run support in big situations today. I’ve said it before but there’s a reason he was the first player to get a contract extension since the Macdonald hire.
~A week after one of the worst special teams performances the NFL has ever seen, Seattle was exceptionally clean today. Michael Dickson fought off a bad back to obliterate the football on every punt including multiple kicks that were downed inside the 5. He averaged 53 yards per kick and Jason Myers made all six of his kicks. Punt and kick coverage was sound, and Seattle didn’t fumble a single return. It’s hard to overstate just how valuable simple discipline is on special teams.
~After a month that saw the Seahawks penalized at the second-lowest rate in the NFL, water found it’s level a bit today. Seattle was flagged nine times today but none of them were of the ilk that dramatically affect win probability. Still, they’ll need to be cleaner when they face better teams.
~Today was the most demonstrative I’ve ever seen Mike Macdonald. For as much as I loved the hormonal effervescence of Pete Carroll’s sideline demeanor, there’s something refreshing about having a head coach that appears relatively unflappable. But I still want humanity on my sideline because that’s what players (and fans) respond to and we got not one but two giant fist pumps from Seattle’s rookie head coach today.
All season I’ve gotten the sense that Macdonald is a very confident person who is consistently being stretched beyond what has ever been demanded of him before. And like, that’s to be expected from a first-time coach. And I respect the fact that he’s remained mostly demure throughout the season but it was rad as shit to see him succumb to the human emotions that undoubtedly beset every coach in the NFL. To me, it’s a sign of confidence— he was secure enough in the baseline execution of his team to let it rip a little bit.
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This year has not followed the script that any of us would’ve written for the Seahawks but I think every single one of us would’ve taken 8-5 through 13 games. Couple that with a first place spot with a month to go and it’s fair to call this season a borderline-unequivocable success so far. Sure, they could’ve beaten the Giants and the Rams but wins against the Broncos, 49ers, and Cardinals (twice) are looking pretty good right about now. I say it all the time but every NFL team is made up of dozens of players who are really fucking good at football and 8-5 is admirable no matter how you slice it.
Before the season, Vegas pegged the Seahawks as a 7.5-win team. They’ve now surpassed that with four games to play. I feel sorry for the doubters.
Seattle now controls their own destiny the rest of the way and they are paving a path towards a long-term journey for real contention. I don’t know what awaits them in 2024 but everything I’m seeing tells me the foundation has been poured for a very exciting team over the next few years.
Next up are the 9-4 Packers on Sunday night in Seattle. I can’t wait to see what words I have for you after that one but until then, enjoy yet another week in first place. Onwards and upwards, my friends.
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***Keeping this here for the rest of the season — just want y’all to know how much I appreciate y’all over all these years***
Guys, I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed writing this column over the last 13(!) years. It is with equal parts gratitude and sorrow that I announce this will be my final season writing Cigar Thoughts.
Few things have given me greater joy than recapping Seahawks games for y’all over the years and I am eternally grateful for the incredible support y’all have shown this column over the years. I am proud, appreciative, and satisfied.
The podcast will continue.
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As most of you know, Cigar Thoughts is also a podcast. Check out our recent chat with BEN SOLAK:
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