Sam Darnold Won 14 Games Again, and the Seahawks Defense Might Be the Best in Football

It's early April, and honestly, we should be talking about the Seahawks right now. Two months back, this team won a Super Bowl. The Mariners are still finding their rhythm. The Kraken are about to miss the playoffs again. But Seattle's football team? They just hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, and the core that got them there is coming back. So yeah, let's talk about whether a dynasty could actually happen.

Look, I know the "D" word gets thrown around way too much. Since 2000, only the Patriots and Chiefs can actually claim dynasty status in this league. But these Seahawks dominated the regular season. Dominated the playoffs too. And except for a Super Bowl MVP running back, the same group is returning. Why not dream bigger?

Sam Darnold Is Not Some One-Hit Wonder

Darnold just won his second straight season with 14 victories. You know how many quarterbacks in NFL history have done that? One other guy: Tom Brady. Yeah, he plays 17 games a year now instead of 16, but his excellence is real and it's undeniable.

The big question last season was whether he could show up when it mattered most. Seattle lost to the Rams earlier in the year, which made people wonder. But after that? The man shined in every bright moment that followed. He looks ready to keep it up too.

The Defense Might Actually Be Better Than the Legion of Boom

The "Dark Side" doesn't have the same swagger or personality as those old LOB teams. But their ability to keep points off the board? Just as dynamic. Seattle led the entire league in points allowed. And they got better as the season went on.

No first-team All-Pros on defense, but through three quarters of the Super Bowl, the Seahawks almost shut out New England. The Patriots only managed 13 points in the fourth quarter when it barely mattered. The best part for Seattle fans is that Leonard Williams, Devon Witherspoon, Ernest Jones IV, Jarran Reed, Nick Emmanwori, Byron Murphy II and the rest of that defensive core are all coming back.

Mike Macdonald Might Be the Most Wanted Coach in the League

Macdonald didn't win Coach of the Year, but there's nobody wearing a headset in the NFL who's more coveted. His teams win and they improve. Consistently. Midway through 2024, Seattle's defense didn't look like much. Then the second half happened and the "D" became borderline elite. Last season they were borderline elite early, then turned into one of the fiercest defenses we've seen since the LOB days. That's not a coincidence.

Meanwhile, GM John Schneider won Executive of the Year last season and has been proving it with every move. He moved on from the past and built something special. This team is ready to go.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.