Seahawks Week 1 Snap Counts: Offensive Line Stands Out, Backups Step Up

In this story:
The Seattle Seahawks pulled off a miraculous 13-10 Week 1 victory over the New England Patriots on Wednesday, Sept. 9, despite losing Sam Darnold after the first offensive series.
Fueled by Mike Macdonald’s stonewall defense and backup quarterback Drew Lock showing up in a big way, the Seahawks erased a 10-point deficit and intercepted Drake Maye three times in the fourth quarter to seal a second straight win over the Patriots — the last coming in Super Bowl LX.
Week 1 wins are rarely pretty, especially when the Seahawks didn’t play their starters in the preseason at all. Considering Lock had to play almost the entire game, on top of that, it was the definition of an ugly victory.
The Seahawks had no other major lineup shake-ups, outside of known injuries to safety Ty Okada and defensive back Nick Emmanwori. But those inactives did thrust other backups into the game, who normally wouldn’t be as active.
Here’s a look at the Seahawks’ offensive and defensive snap counts from their season-opening win on Wednesday, highlighting who played the most and who spent more time on the sideline.
* All snap count statistics are courtesy of Pro Football Reference
Offense

LG Grey Zabel (50; 100%), RG Anthony Bradford (50; 100%), LT Charles Cross (50; 100%), C Jalen Sundell (50; 100%), RT Abraham Lucas (50; 100%), WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (45; 90%), QB Drew Lock (45; 90%), TE AJ Barner (44; 88%), WR Cooper Kupp (39; 78%), WR Rashid Shaheed (33; 66%), RB Jadarian Price (24; 48%), RB George Holani (23; 46%), FB Brady Russell (17; 34%), TE Elijah Arroyo (11; 22%), TE Eric Saubert (10; 20%), QB Sam Darnold (5; 10%), RB Emanuel Wilson (3; 6%), T Josh Jones (1; 2%)
All five of the Seahawks’ starting offensive linemen played every snap on offense, which is a great sign, especially given their durability in 2025. Every week, the Seahawks move further away from the inferior front that plagued them in 2024 and before. They left something to be desired in pass protection, but the run game was efficient and powerful.
Unsurprisingly, new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury used heavy tight end sets regularly. At receiver, only Smith-Njigba, Kupp and Shaheed took snaps — never going to a four-wide-receiver look once. Former undrafted rookie Montorie Foster Jr. didn’t get on the field on offense, but he did play seven special teams snaps.
The split between Price and Holani at running back was nearly even, but the former took more carries (10 carries, 52 yards) and was much more efficient. Holani (8 carries, 29 yards) struggled on the ground, while Emanuel Wilson (2 carries, 3 yards) didn’t get many opportunities at all. Price likely solidified himself as the lead back moving forward.
Defense

LB Drake Thomas (71; 100%), S Julian Love (71; 100%), LB Ernest Jones (71; 100%), CB Devon Witherspoon (70; 99%), CB Josh Jobe (70; 99%), S Rodney Thomas II (70; 99%), CB Nehemiah Pritchett (53; 75%), DT Byron Murphy (50; 70%), DT Leonard Williams (49; 69%), OLB Derick Hall (44; 62%), OLB DeMarcus Lawrence (42; 59%), DT Jarran Reed (34; 48%), OLB Uchenna Nwosu (33; 46%), DT Rylie Mills (16; 23%), OLB Dante Fowler Jr. (16; 23%), LB Tyrice Knight (14; 20%), NT Brandon Pili (6; 8%), LB Patrick O’Connell (1; 1%)
Of the six players who played 70 or more snaps, Thomas was the only surprise. A free-agent signing this offseason, Thomas (four tackles, one pass break-up) was thrust into service with Okada sidelined and played nearly every snap for the Seahawks. He didn’t even make the initial 53-man roster and was signed off the practice squad before the game.
Pritchett played a significant role, slotting in as the Seahawks’ clear-cut No. 3 cornerback. He played only 91 total defensive snaps in 2025 when Riq Woolen was still on the team, but Pritchett will have an opportunity to see the field much more this season.
The defensive line and outside linebacker rotation was about as expected, as Seattle is deep enough at those position groups to keep fresh legs on the field at all times. Still, the team’s stars dominated the total snap count.
Knight’s 14 snaps were likely a result of Emmanwori being inactive, as the versatile defensive back plays a hybrid linebacker role in certain formations. So, without Emmanwori, Macdonald put Knight in as a third linebacker. Expect a shift in Week 2 if Okada and Emmanwori are back on the field.
— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —
Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks Newsletter

Connor J. Benintendi is a graduate of Western Washington University and began his sports journalism career working in local news, covering almost every sport imaginable at the high school and NCAA levels. He’s been covering the Seattle Seahawks since 2024 and began reporting on the WNBA’s Seattle Storm in 2025.
Follow CJohnBenintendi