Seattle Seahawks earn strong grade for 2025 NFL season so far despite big weakness

Their run game still has yet to get going, but the Seahawks are doing just about everything else on the field really well.

Oct 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald takes the field prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Six games into the 2025 NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks look as tough as they've been since at least the 2020 campaign when they started 5-0 going into their early bye week. They might even be as good as they have been since they last went to the NFC Championship.

Offensively, Sam Darnold is throwing the ball as well as any quarterback in the league so far. Defensively, Seattle is superb against the run and brutal on opposing quarterbacks. Their special teams unit has also taken a massive jump from last season.

Throw it all together and you have what looks to be a serious contender. Andrew Buller-Russ at Sportsnaut has given Seattle an A grade so far this season.

Seahawks earn A grade

"It’s rare to see a team trade a franchise QB, simply sign a replacement (who’s seven years younger), and end up with a better offense. That’s exactly what the Seahawks pulled off this offseason. Plus, Mike Macdonald’s defense has improved too, ranking sixth in points allowed. Jaxon Smith-Njigba looks like one of the NFL’s best receivers with Sam Darnold throwing him the ball, but the Seahawks need to find more consistency with their rushing attack."

As they alluded to, the only thing that's really missing from this equation is a strong running game.

Even though the Seahawks are running the ball more often than any other team in the NFL, they have yet to find any consistent success, here. Seattle ranks just 24th in rushing yards per game (104.2) heading into Week 7.

Things probably aren't going to turn around in this department anytime soon - at least not this week. On Monday night the Seahawks will be hosting the Houston Texans, who have allowed the fewest points per game in the NFL this year.

Part of that is due to Houston's success against the run. They have given up the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game (90.6) this season.

One thing that might help is not trying to force the inexplicable running back share. Despite Kenneth Walker III being far more efficient and explosive, the Seahawks have continued to give a large share of the carries to Zach Charbonnet.

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) leaps over Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Yaha Black (bottom) on a second quarter carry at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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