Matthew Stafford Is Still Unstoppable, and Our Hawks Need to Be Ready

Okay 12s, buckle up! Our Seattle Seahawks are coming back as defending champions for the 2026 season, and that's a statement nobody can take away. We're bringing back 20 of 22 starters, and GM John Schneider and HC Mike Macdonald have built something special here, especially on defense. That side of the ball led the entire NFL in fewest points allowed last season, and they could absolutely do it again. But let's be real, while our D is elite, we're facing some serious heat. Get ready, because guys like the 49ers' Brock Purdy, the Broncos' Bo Nix, and the Chargers' Justin Herbert are all on the schedule, and they could be especially tough to shut down.

The Top Dogs Who Will Test Our Championship Defense

Look, we proved last year that our defense is the real threat in any game, not the opposing quarterback. We won a title, remember? But even the best D in the league gets stressed, and Matthew Stafford is the guy who does it most. Ranked number one for a reason, the Rams quarterback has given our defense fits almost every single time we've played him. He's going to score points, no matter what. He isn't just the best quarterback on this list, he's arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. We face him in Weeks 16 and 18, and those games could be season-defining. Both Stafford and Patrick Mahomes are future Hall of Famers, and you gotta wonder what kind of success Stafford would have had if he'd started his career with a stacked team.

Then there's Chicago's Caleb Williams in Week 8. What separates Williams is his ability to play out of his mind when the game is on the line. He can literally drag the Bears back from what looks like a sure defeat. So, even if our Hawks get a big lead, we 12s cannot rest easy, assuming the W. He was way better in his second season, thanks to a better offensive line and better coaching, and he should be even scarier in year three. He might not have pinpoint accuracy all the time, but he makes those huge plays when his team absolutely needs them.

Don't Sleep on These Playmakers

You know Dallas can score points, and Dak Prescott, who we see in Week 13 at Lumen Field, is a big reason why. In the regular season, when he's healthy, Prescott is really good. He's not much of a turnover machine either, with an interception rate of only 1.9. If our defense can grab a couple of takeaways against him, that would be a massive achievement. This game might be one of the few where Mike Macdonald's defense gets truly stressed.

Speaking of tough matchups, how weird does it feel to put Patrick Mahomes fourth on any QB list? We get him in Week 7. He hasn't been at his absolute peak in the last three years, with his highest QB rating at 93.5, but come on, this is Mahomes! He's a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. He could absolutely rebound this season, especially with KC bringing in former Seahawks RB1 Kenneth Walker. That's gonna make Mahomes' job easier, no doubt. And finally, Drake Maye of the New England Patriots in Week 1. Maye wasn't great in the Super Bowl or the playoffs last season, but a huge part of that was his offensive line being absolutely horrible. He had people in his face constantly. But Maye is accurate, super athletic, and he's in a good system. He was even in the running for 2025 MVP for a reason. He's a good player, and he's only just getting started.

So, yeah, we're defending champions, and our defense is nasty. But the 2026 schedule is throwing some serious talent our way. These quarterbacks are no joke. It's going to be a battle to defend that title, and it all starts in Week 1. Let's get ready!

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