Seattle Seahawks rise in NFL power rankings after crushing the Commanders

If you want to change opinions about your team, you can certainly do worse than blowing out a team that went to the NFC Championship last year on national television. That's what the Seattle Seahawks did last night, destroying the Washington Commanders on the road 38-14.

Seattle's latest road win improves their record away from Lumen Field this season to 4-0, and a remarkable 11-1 under head coach Mike Macdonald.

The victory also earned the Seahawks a small bump in the latest power rankings from Matt Johnson at Sportsnaut. They're up from No. 6 last week to No. 5 now.

Seahawks place 5th in power rankings

"This is who the Seattle Seahawks are now. They certainly won’t win blowouts every week, but this is a team with an elite defense and an offense capable of putting up 28-plus points on any given week. Sam Darnold is thriving behind a much-improved offensive line, Seattle’s run game is getting better and Torry Horton could be emerging as a No. 2 receiver. This is the team to beat in the NFC West."

Aug 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; General view of a Seattle Seahawks helmet prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

This definitely is who they are now - most of all Sam Darnold, whose absurd performance should catapult him into the league MVP conversation.

The Seahawks also answered some other questions about their offense - namely who would step up at wide receiver and become the legit No. 2 option behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Rookie Tory Horton Jr. volunteered and proved that he can do so, posting his fourth and fifth touchdown catches of the season.

Seattle also got a takeaway on special teams, courtesy of a forced fumble by nose tackle Brandon Pili - whos made multiple high-impact plays in this phase.

On defense Seattle got Devon Witherspoon back and it was clear right away that his presence takes an already great unit to another level.

However, there is one big fly in the ointment. The knee injury to middle linebacker Ernest Jones probably won't derail their entire season even if he's out for a long time - but it will be a significant loss in the middle of their defense. Cornerback Josh Jobe also suffered a concussion, and he's been their most-consistent defender at that spot this season.

Even still, the Seahawks are clearly a legitimate Super Bowl contender for the first time in 10 years -and that's worth celebrating despite the injuries. They should be as aggressive as possible over the next two days trying to improve their roster for a playoff run.

Seahawks place 5th in power rankings

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