The Seahawks feature a quarterback, Sam Darnold, whose effectiveness is heavily tied to protection.
When unpressured, Darnold averaged 9.2 yards per attempt with 19 touchdowns to six interceptions and a 109.4 passer rating. Conversely, when pressured, he struggles significantly. Seattle’s defensive front is adept at both standard coverage and blitzes, ranking first against the blitz but rarely employing it. Their challenge is generating enough consistent pressure without overcommitting, as the offense they face can punish clean pockets.
Seattle’s offense relies on Darnold’s ability to escape and make plays in rhythm. Mobile quarterbacks like Darnold or those facing minimal pressure can exploit defensive weaknesses, particularly in open-field passing. Complementary receivers and running backs must sustain drives and force defenses into multiple matchups to create space for big plays.
Special teams and situational execution may be the difference for Seattle. Their success hinges on limiting explosive plays while capitalizing on turnovers and sustaining clock management. The Seahawks have shown resiliency in close games, but their path to the NFC Championship requires precise play-calling and smart execution in every quarter.
