Why you should believe in the 2025 Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks annually receive some of the least coverage among NFL teams by the national sports media. That also means that most pundits and analysts frequently know very little about the team and where it's headed.

That rings true once again in 2025. Seattle is a rising team, coming off its first 10-win season since 2020.

However, that alone isn't enough to convince even the most casual of fans to believe the Seahawks will be successful this season. But you don't have to look that deep, either.

Reasons for optimism

Defensively, the Seahawks lost nobody of importance. Dre'Mont Jones, Rayshawn Jenkins and Roy Roberton-Harris all would've been backups on this current roster. Especially when you consider the rookie additions — namely versatile safety Nick Emmanwori — the Seahawks' defense only got better this offseason.

The Seahawks' defense was markedly better in the second half of the 2024 season than in the first half. After its Week 9 bye week, Seattle allowed just 18.4 points per game and 99.8 rushing yards per game (24.6 points allowed and 139.4 rush yards allowed per game pre-bye). That should only continue to build into this season.

Seattle's offense is the question mark. While the other side of the ball experienced little to no formative change, the offense is almost completely new. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is bringing a fresh, run-heavy scheme quarterbacked by Sam Darnold.

.@Seahawks offense looked flawless with Sam Darnold under center in their opening drive 👏

Watch on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/v33lfq3z1o
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025

Cooper Kupp joins Jaxon Smith-Njigba as Seattle's leading receivers, expectedly complemented by rookie Tory Horton and veterans Jake Bobo and Dareke Young. Rookie first-round left guard Grey Zabel is already looking like a high-quality starter on the offensive line, providing a potential immediate boost to Seattle's group.

The trenches appear improved as a whole, powering the team to 268 rushing yards on 48 carries (5.6 yards per attempt) in their preseason Week 2 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Kubiak might be cooking something up in Seattle.

Why others are skeptical

It's understandable to be skeptical about the offense, especially. A sweeping change in personnel and scheme always begs for caution. But most are focusing on that area instead of putting weight in how much the defense could fuel this roster.

"Darnold is going from a setup where he had strong skill players and an offensive-minded head coach to a roster which will likely lean more on the ground game with a defensive-minded head coach," CBS Sports analyst R.J. White wrote in a predictive piece on the Seahawks' season. "He has also secured a long-term deal, so there's potential for complacency to set in ... Kupp has a great pedigree but there's a reason the Rams were willing to let him walk."

White likes the Seahawks under 8.5 wins in 2025, which hasn't happened since 2021. They've been trending up every year since then, not the other way around. Moreover, there's no mention of the defense at all in his assessment of betting the under — only why the offense could fail.

Aug 15, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) reacts following a rushing touchdown by a teammate against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

"I just can't muster up enough belief in the offense to be competitive in the NFC West, and they'll be on the road for most of their games against projected easier opponents on the schedule," White wrote.

Additionally, NFL.com writers Adam Rank and Ali Bhanpuri published predictions for every team in 2025 after Week 2 of the preseason. Rank had the Seahawks finishing 10-7, while Bhanpuri was far less optimistic at 8-9.

"The Seahawks' offensive unknowns seemed to influence the final win-loss decision whenever more stable operations appeared on the calendar," Bhanpuri wrote. "The significant offseason changes, plus the projected rebound by San Francisco, cloud Seattle's 2025 outlook."

Grey Zabel (#76) looked excellent against the Chiefs. Look at the climbs to the second level! the backside cutoffs! https://t.co/ZHSkbN8ygu pic.twitter.com/bRgeWi8J45
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) August 16, 2025

Admittedly, the optimism surrounding Seattle's offense is largely based on its preseason success, which is typically a poor predictor of regular-season effectiveness. It wasn't just about the team performance, however, but rather the individual performances of the starting offense against the Chiefs' (mostly) starting defense.

The offense could pull down the team, or it could be the reason they win games. More likely, the slow-burn approach of Kubiak's heavy run game will help the Seahawks play possession football and enhance their already top-end defense.

Reasons for optimism

Why others are skeptical

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