Why Week 4 vs. Chargers Is a Get-Right Game for the Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks need to make their Week 4 versus the Los Angeles Chargers their bounceback game after a loss considering the brutal games they have afterwards.

Sep 27, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) makes a touchdown catch against Washington Commanders cornerback Amik Robertson (2) at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No team is ever perfect, especially last year’s Seattle Seahawks, who dominated their way to a Super Bowl title. The Seahawks are striving to be better than last year’s squad. The Seahawks have some challenges this season that could limit their potential, especially after their 33-31 Week 3 road loss to the Washington Commanders. There are many variables that caused the Seahawks to lose by two points, but they still lost to one of the worst teams in the league.

Seattle moves on to Week 4, where they will have to host the Los Angeles Chargers (0-3), a team that is already desperate for a win. The Chargers are literally trying to save their season after being considered heavy playoff contenders. The Seahawks can’t afford to go into a game unprepared, with their weaknesses exposed for Week 4 and beyond like they did against the Commanders.

Why the Seahawks Need Week 4 to be a Bounceback Game

Dec 14, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks fullback Brady Russell (38) exits the tunnel during player introductions before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Going into the 2026 NFL Season, it was known that Seattle had a brutal stretch from around Week 4 to right before Week 8. Three weeks into the season, that brutal stretch is even tougher. While the Chargers haven’t won their first game of the season yet, the Seahawks have incredibly tough games afterwards. Five of the six games after the Chargers are against teams with winning records.

The Seahawks will play their first battle against the San Francisco 49ers (3-0) at home in Week 5 before going on a short week to face the Denver Broncos (2-1) on Thursday Night Football. Seattle will then have two primetime matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) for Sunday Night Football in Week 7 and the Chicago Bears (2-1) for Monday Night Football in Week 8.

After the second matchup against the Arizona Cardinals (1-2) in Week 9, the Seahawks will have a surprising Las Vegas Raiders (3-0), led by former Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, on the road in Week 10.  

What are the Seahawks’ Main Goals for Improving

Sep 27, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald in the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seahawks can’t afford to look into the future and start preparing for that brutal stretch. They have to do the exact opposite with the Chargers. Seattle needs to take its biggest weakness through the first three weeks of the season, work on it during the practice sessions and develop good habits against the Chargers.

For the Seahawks’ defense, they have to be better at defending against the short passing game. The New England Patriots in Week 1 and the Cardinals in Week 2 tried to utilize it to avoid Seattle’s quick pass rush. Washington found ways to get the ball to their receivers consistently for five-to-eight yards and then found other ways to extend the field.

The Seahawks’ offense has to get their running game going before Zach Charbonnet returns. He can’t be the savior of the running game; that must be figured out in Week 4. The Seahawks ran the ball 18 times for 44 yards, averaging 2.4 yards per carry against the Commanders. They’ve been having issues with their goal-line offense since the start of the season. They need rookie Jadarian Price to play like the franchise running back he was drafted to be.

Finally, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald needs to have his team better prepared for games. This includes the first-half performances, where the Seahawks have only scored 17 points through three games in the first half. Preparing backups to play is also needed where safety Julian Love’s sudden injury forced practice squad player AJ Finley to start. There have been times when Seattle looked sloppy. They can’t do that against a Chargers team that still has talent.

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