Hogs Haven
It’s week 9 of the NFL season, and the 3-5 Washington Commanders will be facing a 5-2 Seattle Seahawks team at home in Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD this Sunday at 8:20 pm ET. Other than losses against a full strength 49ers team in week 1 and a chaotic Bucs team in week 5, the Seahawks have controlled most of their games, including blowouts against the Steelers and Saints.
On offense, the Seahawks are coached by OC Klint Kubiak, a Shanahan disciple, son of Gary Kubiak, and former OC of the Saints last year. His offense is a very traditional Shanahan outside zone, under center, run heavy, play-action passing offense. The Seahawks have the 2nd-highest run rate in the league, despite having the 2nd-worst yards per carry in the league. Although they are inefficient running the ball, the Seahawks have been very efficient passing the ball, with the NFL’s highest yards per attempt passing. This passing attack has been greatly helped by WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who leads the NFL with 819 receiving yards so far this season and has a strong case for NFL offensive player of the year.
On defense, the Seahawks are coached by HC Mike Macdonald, former DC of the Ravens, and DC Aden Durde, former defensive line coach of the Cowboys. Perhaps unsurprising given that their DC is a former DL coach, the Seahawks defense is anchored around the excellent play of their defensive line. The Seahawks have been able to achieve the 6th-best QB pressure rate despite the 3rd-lowest blitz rate, meaning they are able to get pressure rushing four most of the time, and leave more players back in coverage to stop passing plays and explosive plays. The result is a defense that allows the NFL’s fewest rushing yards and 18th-fewest passing yards, so this is a good game for Jayden Daniels to be back, because he may be needed to carry the offense.
I asked John Gilbert of Field Gulls five questions to better understand the state of the Seahawks and what to look for in this game.
1) What have you seen out of Sam Darnold and what makes him such a good fit for Klint Kubiak’s play-action heavy, under-center offense?
The Seahawks use a good amount of 21 and 12 personnel packages, which has resulted in the offense seeing eight defenders in the box at one of the highest rates in the league. While that has limited the effectiveness of the run game, Darnold has absolutely feasted in expected run situations, getting the ball out quick and taking advantage of defenses that are more focused on stopping the run.
The struggles he has faced this season have come when the offense is in situations where they effectively have to pass, and to that end the Seattle offense is last in the NFL in converting third and long (3rd & 7+ yards to go) in 2025.
**2) Despite having a pair of good RBs and a Shanahan offense that should...
