3 keys to Seahawks grabbing win over ailing Colts in Week 15

The Indianapolis Colts team that arrives in Seattle to face off with the Seahawks on Sunday is a far cry from the one we saw just four short weeks ago.

Heading into their week 11 bye the Colts were a runaway freight train; sporting an 8-2 record, leading the NFL in point differential, and rolling teams with a dominant rushing attack behind running back Jonathan Taylor.

Since then the Colts have lost three straight, Taylor has been bottled up, and the Colts quarterback situation is so dire they just brought 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement, signing him to their practice squad on Tuesday.

With a massive week 16 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams looming just four days later, the 10-3 Seattle Seahawks could be excused for looking past this reeling, injury-riddled Colts team. But they won't. Through his first two seasons as a head coach, Seattle's Mike Macdonald has shown an ability to get his team ready to play each week no matter the opponent.

With that in mind, here are three keys to the Seahawks taking care of business this week against the now 8-5 Colts.

1. Keep Jonathan Taylor down

Colts running back Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in rushing yards, but has been held in check in the 3 games since their bye. — Houston Texans safety Calen Bullock (2) brings down Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, during a game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The raw numbers through 13 games are staggering: now in his 7th season, Taylor leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,356), touchdowns scored (16) and is second in total scrimmage yards (1,683). But it's been tougher sledding for him since the bye week, and the difference is staggering. Through the Colts first 10 games Taylor averaged 113.9 yards rushing per game on an average of 6.02 yards per carry. But in the three games since then those totals drop to 72.3 YPG and 3.74 YPC. The Seahawks are currently fourth in the NFL against the run, limiting teams to just 91.2 yards per game. They'll be focused on keeping Taylor in check.

2. Keep it clean

Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold is the NFL leader in total turnovers, giving the ball away 16 times to date. — Dec 7, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) turns to hand off the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Seahawks shiny 10-3 record comes despite being the second-worst team in the league in taking care of the ball. Their 23 total turnovers trail only the Minnesota Vikings, who have 26. Quarterback Sam Darnold has been the biggest culprit as he leads all NFL players with 16 total giveaways. Meanwhile, the Colts have been one of the league's most opportunistic, ranking 8th in the NFL with 18 takeaways. The teams that succeed in December (and the playoffs) usually don't put the ball in harm's way. Taking better care of the football would go a long way towards the Seahawks chances of winning the NFC West division.

3. Keep on running

Zach Charbonnet lead the Seattle Seahawks in rushing touchdowns with 8 on the season. — Nov 30, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

After an inconsistent start to the season the Seahawks running game is starting to catch up to their explosive passing offense. Seattle has now rushed for over 100 yards in five straight games, and over that span they're averaging 140.2 YPG. Extrapolate that over the whole season and that would place Seattle third in the league behind only the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears. Gaining yards on the ground won't be an easy task Sunday against Lou Anarumo's defense, as the Colts are only allowing 98.6 YPG rushing, 6th-best in the NFL.

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