Mike MacDonald and his staff certainly deserve to enjoy the moment after securing his first win as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
Seattle managed to pull off the victory, overcoming a sloppy first half to defeat the Denver Broncos 26-20.
However, MacDonald is well aware that there’s still a lot of work to be done, particularly with the offensive line, which struggled significantly throughout much of the game.
The Seahawks’ O-line has been a longstanding weakness, and the Broncos frequently penetrated the backfield in the first half, recording two sacks and five hits on quarterback Geno Smith. The situation worsened when veteran George Fant exited the game with a knee injury.
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Fant was filling in for injured right tackle Abe Lucas, and his injury forced Seattle to rely on third-stringer Stone Forsythe. Forsythe’s missed block while the Seahawks attempted to run the ball from their own one-yard line resulted in the Broncos’ second safety of the game with 4:24 left in the second quarter. The first safety occurred earlier in the quarter at 11:22, when Seattle was penalized for holding in their own end zone.
If Forsythe has to step in as right tackle for an extended period, it could present a significant challenge for Seattle, especially with guard Anthony Bradford’s inconsistent performance on that side of the line.
Denver’s rookie quarterback Bo Nix struggled, throwing two interceptions in his NFL debut in a hostile road environment, which ultimately spared Seattle from paying the price for their first-half mistakes.
However, if Geno Smith, who was intercepted on his first throw after facing pressure, experiences similar disruptions against stronger teams and more seasoned quarterbacks, the Seahawks may struggle to meet the high expectations of those who see them as potential NFC West contenders.
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Seattle had plenty of positives in their winning performance. Kenneth Walker excelled on the ground, rushing for 103 yards and a touchdown, while an aggressive defense took advantage of a rookie quarterback hesitant to throw deep. This defensive effort backed up offseason assertions from cornerback Devon Witherspoon that the Seahawks would quickly adapt to the new scheme.
Safeties Rayshawn Jenkins and Julian Love were standout performers, with Love intercepting a pass from Nix in the end zone and tallying 12 tackles. Seattle’s new linebacker duo, Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker, also impressed. Dodson, in particular, made a strong debut as the defense’s green dot player, registering 10 tackles and flying around the field.
Though tougher tests lie ahead, the athleticism of the linebacker and safety groups allowed head coach Mike MacDonald to call the kind of aggressive, versatile defense he was known for during his Baltimore days. MacDonald’s defense appears poised for greater challenges, but the pressing question remains whether Seattle’s offensive line can withstand those tougher opponents.
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