Matt Calkins: Why Seahawks are good enough to do more than just make playoffs

Matt Calkins, The Seattle Times on Dec 10, 2024

Published in Football

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GLENDALE, Ariz. — As the hometown fans cleared out of State Farm Stadium, the visiting team had cleared a path toward the playoffs.

The phrase "C" Red was painted on the northeast wall, but it was chants of "Sea-hawks" that reverberated throughout the building.

In its most critical game of the season thus far, the Seahawks showed that not only are they capable of reaching the postseason, but winning games in the tournament. Just good compared to the rest of NFC West? I don't know. The Seahawks may be flat-out good.

At some point, you have to believe what the results are trying to tell you. The Seahawks (8-5) have won four consecutive games — all coming after the bye week — steadily validating the hiring of Mike Macdonald. The defensive-minded first-year coach has overseen a team that has held opponents to 15.5 points per game during this winning streak.

But it was Sunday's 30-18 victory over the Cardinals that flaunted every aspect of the Seahawks' arsenal. They amassed 233 passing yards and 176 rushing yards while allowing zero sacks and just two quarterback hits. They intercepted Arizona QB Kyler Murray twice, sacked him twice as well and forced a host of Cardinal-killing holding penalties. Punter Michael Dickson, meanwhile, had a trio of boots that would rival some of his peers' career highlight tapes.

Was this the most complete game you guys have played this season? Macdonald was asked.

"Probably. That's something we've been really focusing on, trying to really play complementary football, all three phases together," Macdonald said. "Man, just the mentality that we're in right now coming down the homestretch, December football — I thought the guys were ready to play."

They better have been ready to play. Playoff projection models suggested that a Seahawks loss vs. the now 6-7 Cardinals would have dropped their odds of reaching the playoffs to about 10%. Those same models stated that a win would put those odds at over 60%. Given that the Rams (7-6) and 49ers (6-7) are also lurking in the division, and that the Seahawks must tango with the 9-4 Packers and 11-2 Vikings over the next two weeks, a postseason slot is hardly a given.

Still, four straight wins is four straight wins.

But Calkins, the Seahawks won three straight to start the season, then dropped five out of six games that included a 13-point loss to Detroit and a 21-point loss to the Bills. Why is this different???

It's a fair question. And I'll add that the Seahawks' 20-17 win over the 49ers last month came when George Kittle didn't play and Nick Bosa got hurt. What's different, though? Simple. The defense has delivered A-list performances in each of the past four weeks.

It is slowing down the run, stifling the pass and creating turnovers — two of which led to touchdowns Sunday, when the Seahawks turned a 7-0 deficit into a 17-7 lead. The turnover battle was not going the Seahawks' way in the first half of the season but has been favoring them throughout the second.

Quarterback Geno Smith, who finished with 233 yards on 24-of-30 passing, had one touchdown toss while going interception-free for the second straight game. His long-lambasted offensive line kept him upright most the afternoon and helped No. 2 running back Zach Charbonnet — starting in place of the injured Kenneth Walker III — rush for 134 yards on 22 carries.

"They played phenomenal. The way they played, we can win every game we play," Smith said of his O-line, which has gotten a boost from right tackle Abe Lucas returning from injury after the bye.

Is there a growing sense of confidence as you stack these wins?

"We're always going to be confident in one another. I tell the guys, this is one of the closest teams I've ever played on," Smith said. "Everyone pulling in the right direction, everyone pulling together. That's the reason why we can sustain these wins."

No doubt the Seahawks benefited from some poor throws on Murray's part Sunday. And a missed 40-yard field goal by the Cardinals when they trailed 27-18 in the fourth all but sealed the game. But when you see a receiver such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had 82 yards and a TD on five catches, looking like a true No. 1 receiver? When you see a defensive end such as Leonard Williams record his third straight game with at least two tackles for a loss? When you see one of the more remarkable regular-season turnarounds in team history? You have to wonder what's next.

"We feel good right now. We want to first prove ourselves right and prove everybody else wrong," Smith-Njigba said. "We feel like we have the team to do it and we're hungry."

The Seahawks are on track to win their division and host a playoff game. Sure, it's possible that won't happen. It's also possible that's just the beginning.