Next Gen Stats highlight unnoticed excellence of Seahawks offensive line vs. Saints

The offensive line hasn't been bad this season, and it was great in Week 3.

Sep 21, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) waits for the snap during the third quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Although the Seattle Seahawks only added one actual player to the offensive line, it already looks so much better than it has in the past. Grey Zabel was a first-round pick, but the other four players are largely the same as they have been in the past when Seattle had one of the worst lines in football.

But through three games, this unit looks very different and has played much better in general. If it's not a strength, it's at least not a weakness anymore. And on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, it was a huge strength.

Seahawks offensive line was surprisingly dominant against Saints

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) pass rushes at the line of scrimmage against Seattle Seahawks guard Grey Zabel (76) during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The formula for Seattle is there: protect Sam Darnold, and he'll deliver and play mostly clean football. That was on display on Sunday, with a special performance from the boys up front to cement that.

Per Next Gen Stats, the Seahawks blockers allowed just three pressures. "Seahawks defenders Demarcus Lawrence and Byron Murphy had five QB pressures apiece, each of them tallying more than the Saints had as a team (three QB pressures)," the Around the NFL staff said. Zabel, Charles Cross, Abe Lucas, and company have been excellent and were on Sunday. They gave Darnold the time he needed.

DeMarcus Lawrence and Byron Murphy have anchored a truly fantastic defensive front, but we all knew they were going to be part of a strong unit. It's much more shocking that the Seahawks offensive front has been so strong.

Sure, the Saints are a dead-end team with no real star pass-rushers (Cam Jordan is not in his prime and Bryan Bresee is not a major impact player), but the Seahawks couldn't block anyone in 2024. In 2025, they've been good, and that led the way to a 31-point win in Week 3.

The defense is as good as it was expected to be. Aside from a struggle in Week 1 against a very talented 49ers defense, the offense, which was a question mark coming into the season, has also been pretty good, and if they can keep that formula up, this will be a good season in the PNW. And that starts up front.

More Seahawks on SI stories

Seattle Seahawks take another jump in weekly NFL power rankings

Takeaways from Seahawks' overwhelming Week 3 win vs. Saints

Seahawks studs & duds from commanding Week 3 win over Saints

Seattle Seahawks’ special teams unit has done a 180 since last year