CBS analyst points to how Seattle Seahawks can win the NFC West

The Seattle Seahawks are in the midst of a trio of small droughts. There’s been no playoff appearance since 2022, this despite winning records in both 2023 (9-8) and ‘24 (10-7). The team also hasn’t won a postseason game since knocking off the Eagles in the 2019 wild card round.

There’s also the matter of finishing first in the NFC West. That last happened in 2020, and Pete Carroll’s club was one-and-done that year with a wild card loss at home to the rival Los Angeles Rams. This past season, the ‘Hawks lost the “strength of victory” tiebreaker to Sean McVay’s 10-7 club, meaning the Rams wound up NFC West champions and the Seahawks went home.

Jared Dubin of CBS Sports explained how each of the four teams in the NFC West could finish atop the division standings. So, what about Mike Macdonald’s team? “The defensive improvement from the second half of last season holds, Klint Kubiak remakes the offense in his image and Sam Darnold plays like he did for the first 16 games of last season.”

Jun 11, 2025; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes the ball during mini-camp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

All good points, and Dubin also mentioned a pair of newcomers to Macdonald’s defensive unit. “Adding Demarcus Lawrence up front and second-round pick Nick Emmanwori on the back end should help account for losses like those of Dre’Mont Jones and Rayshawn Jenkins, the latter of whom played a smaller role down the stretch anyway.

As for the other side of the ball? “Kubiak’s Saints offense lit the world on fire in the first two weeks of last season,” added Dubin, “racking up 91 points against the Panthers and Cowboys. Things fell apart from there as the team crumbled under the weight of injuries both up front and to the skill-position corps. But the Shanahan tree has been very successful at developing play-callers, and it’s clear that Kubiak had some idea of how to structure the offense in a way that could make things easier.”

One final point. “The key will be getting the offensive line to hold up in front of Darnold, because he’s very susceptible to pressure, as we saw in the Vikings’ final two games of last season. If the Seahawks are able to give him time, he will be able to stand in the pocket and deliver the ball to the likes of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp (on whom the Seahawks are counting to stave off age-related decline), second-round pick Elijah Arroyo and more. Seattle also needs to get some kind of efficient run game going, because things were kind of a mess the last two years under Ryan Grubb.”

Macdonald’s team will find out quickly how they stack up in the division. They kick off the season at home against the rival San Francisco 49ers.

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