{"id":652450,"date":"2026-01-04T05:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T05:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/652450\/"},"modified":"2026-01-04T05:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T05:08:15","slug":"seattle-seahawks-show-why-their-fatal-flaw-may-not-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/652450\/","title":{"rendered":"Seattle Seahawks show why their fatal flaw may not matter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Heading into Week 17\u2019s matchup against the Panthers, I was watching a debate about whether the Rams or the 49ers were the best team in the NFC. The top team in the division was left out of the debate entirely. The reasoning was a well-earned amount of trust in Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan\u2019s offenses. What was understood but left mostly unsaid was a lack of trust in Sam Darnold.<\/p>\n

Seattle Seahawks beat 49ers<\/a> | Instant Reaction<\/a> |\u00a0Box score<\/a><\/p>\n

You can\u2019t blame someone for hesitating to bet the Seattle Seahawks will win it all. This year has been unpredictable and every team \u2014 including Seattle \u2014 has a fatal flaw. But you\u2019re running out of reasons to count against them doing it.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t trust Darnold? Yes, he\u2019s got more turnovers than Purdy. But he didn\u2019t throw a red-zone interception in this one. He doesn\u2019t have Stafford\u2019s top-level ability and experience, but he hasn\u2019t lost two in a row to take his team out of the race for a bye, either. He\u2019s not your 2025 MVP, but he\u2019s been better than a game manager.<\/p>\n

More importantly, that may not end up mattering at all. Darnold doesn\u2019t need to be the best when the Seahawks defense is this relentless, nor when the run game is able to roll.<\/p>\n

One of the best defensive units from wire to wire held a 49ers offense that was averaging 42 points per game over its last three to a single field goal. San Francisco managed 173 net yards Saturday (compared to its season average of 351, good for seventh in the league) and didn\u2019t get inside the Seahawks\u2019 30-yard line until the fourth quarter. And a pass attempt deep in Seattle territory on that drive was picked off by linebacker Drake Thomas.<\/p>\n

Red zone takeaway by Drake Thomas and the Seahawks!<\/p>\n

SEAvsSF on ESPN\/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus<\/a> and ESPN App pic.twitter.com\/eEOrqbxdpn<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

On the other side, Kenneth Walker III surpassed the 1,000-yard mark on the season and finished just three yards shy of 100 yards on the ground, which would\u2019ve marked the third consecutive week of a 100-yard rusher for Seattle. Zach Charbonnet notched his 12th touchdown of the season. And now, four of Seattle\u2019s top five days on the ground have come in or after Week 10.<\/p>\n

There have been four RB rushes this season for first downs on 3rd-and-15 or longer<\/p>\n

All by #seahawks<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mike Sando (@SandoNFL) January 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

And for their efforts there, the Seahawks earned the top spot in the NFC for the first time since 2014 and the NFC West crown for the first time since 2020.<\/p>\n

More on Seattle Seahawks\u2019 win<\/p>\n

\u2022 Seahawks beat 49ers, clinch NFC No. 1 seed for fourth time in team history<\/a>
\u2022 Seahawks\u2019 season-long commitment to run game pays off in massive win<\/a>
\u2022 49ers\u2019 offense goes silent against suffocating Seahawks defense<\/a>
\u2022 The five biggest plays that delivered Seattle Seahawks\u2019 win over 49ers<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow @stacyrost<\/a><\/p>\n

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