The Seattle Seahawks have crafted a new winning template. It might drive you a little bonkers in a different way that the old Seahawks did, but who’s say which way is better? I am. I will say. The new way is better. So you have to take a nap in the second half? Boo hoo. Pay attention until halftime, snooze, and wake up for the final defensive stand and victory formation. Like clockwork.
The Arizona Cardinals became the blueprint’s most recent victim in Week 10,
falling 44-22 in a game that was always a three- or four-possession affair down the stretch after Seattle boatraced out to a 35-0 edge. It’s true that in what has become a bit of a worrying pattern, the Hawks’ usually crisp offense went into charity mode halfway through with turnovers on three successive drives. Still didn’t matter. Critical errors aren’t critical unless your opponent capitalizes; Arizona failed to take full advantage, and the fourth quarter became an exercise in coasting. As per the template. Yes, it’s true a series of midgame wet farts won’t play every week, not against better foes. Almost certainly not next week in SoFi. For now though the missteps give Sam, Jaxon and the crew something to work on. Wouldn’t want them too full of themselves.
Bottom line: wins are really hard to let slip through your fingers when you put the game away in the first twenty minutes. The Seahawks led by 14 almost right away, by 28 early in the second, and went into the locker room up 31.
They say beak size doesn’t matter. They are wrong. How else to explain a nine-game winning streak for Seattle in this (one-sided) rivalry with Arizona. Explanations are hard, though. Narration is easy. Let’s do some narration.
The Seahawks tortoised their way to two first downs on the opening drive, and after another A.J. Barner push of the tush, reached Cardinals territory without reaching into their bag of explosives. Despite everyone in the stadium thinking “time for a deep shot to JSN off play action,” Jonathan Gannon’s troops did not see Deep Shot To JSN Off Play Action coming. 7-0.
we're going to be talking about this Jaxon Smith-Njigba season for generations
pic.twitter.com/KBlzY2Ci6r
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy)
November 9, 2025
Like giving candy to a baby. Giving. Who are the heartless people out there taking it away?
Because every Seahawks game requires some suspension of disbelief, we were treated to cloned plays. Not anything vaguely matching like JSN 20-yard sideline grabs, or twin Barnerburners on third and short. (The latter of which actually happened.) No, the Seahawks, artistes that they are, took a defensive touchdown and re-enacted it a quarter later WITH THE SAME PLAYERS.
Viel zu wild: Zweimal quasi das identische Play: 2x Forced Fumble von Tyrice Knight gegen Jacoby Brissett, 2x Scoop & Score durch DeMarcus Lawrence!
Die Seahawks liegen mittlerweile mit 35-0 gegen die Cardinals in Führung! Wow!
—
René Bugner (@renebugner.bsky.social) 2025-11-09T22:16:00.355Z
Trust me, you don’t need the text to be in English to appreciate the post, or the clip. Check this one out, however:
This is so cool. This Seahawks team is special.
Tyrice Knight with two strip sacks that lead to two Demarcus Lawrence touchdowns.
Exact same play. Exact same result.
pic.twitter.com/sirfNbhhyz
— Sami ON Tap (@SamiOnTap)
November 9, 2025
Are you kidding me? Even as they post one blowout after another, and let off the gas in the second half, like we’ve seen teams do countless times, the Seattle Seahawks remain incapable of playing a normal game. Either they score too many too soon, or they unlock the Matrix to control-c control-v reality itself. Or they do both in the same afternoon! Your Seattle Seahawks, ladies, gentlemen and the non-binary.
DeMarcus Lawrence scored two touchdowns before the Arizona Cardinals scored even one. That might tell you all you need to know.
In between the two DeMarci came the day’s most unlikely score, a George Holani sexyscamper to the pylon that had serious Seneca Wallace 2005 NFCCG reception vibes. If you know what I mean, you know. Mike Macdonald took a page out of Mike Holmgren’s playbook: we’re gonna beat you, but not with our best player, with our backup backup running back instead, while leaving our best player on the sideline. I don’t care for “alpha” language in general, but that was an alpha dog move by MM and he is welcome to do it again. Anytime. Next week even.
George Holani just vultured a TD from Zach Charbonnet who usually vultures from K9
pic.twitter.com/xFXeBu8XYr
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL)
November 9, 2025
Mix in a Zach Charbonnet pure-will teeder, sprinkle two Jason Myers field goals on top, leave Michael Dickson on the bench to work on his suntan in November, because
of course the weather was perfect, and you have a game.
Indeed, the white smoke after every Seahawks touchdown only reinforced what we already knew: the Cardinals had selected a leader. Same as the old leader. (Pope Bob don’t read any of this section. Mind your own business. DAH Bears.) ‘Cause it didn’t get easier for the Cards when they got the ball back, with Nick Emmanwori Rome-ing the secondary. And Ty Okada laying the lumber in the middle of the field. And Leonard Williams creating schisms in the pocket on every down. (Okay Leo, it’s safe again.)
As the Seahawks kneeled out the first half, the entire defense had feasted, which we’ll get to in the Predator section. As has become the half-custom, Seattle won this game in the first half, in direct violation of everything Mike Macdonald’s predecessor held dear.
The Seattle Seahawks' drives in the first half of their last two games:TDTDTDTDFGTDTD
—
Kole Musgrove (@kolemusgrove.bsky.social) 2025-11-09T21:45:44.632Z
Seahawks had one pass reception after halftime and won by 22 points. Sam Darnold completed a total of five passes combined in the second halves of the Commanders and Cardinals blowouts. I don’t fancy myself a football guru who knows the ins and outs of game prep, but there must be certain advantages to be gained by not showing your whole hand every week.
This also applies to defensive looks. Without any insider knowledge, it feels like Macdonald gets to keep certain defensive calls in his back pocket for high-leverage moments in the second half of the season. Like for both Rams game, or a December drive that could clinch the division. Teams can’t prepare for what isn’t on film!
Now the Seahawks wait for word on key returning players’ timelines. It’s scary to think they are about to add predators to a team already at the top of the food chain. Hey, speaking of.
PREDATOR
Getting sick of saying this, but
Nick Emmanwori is asserting his will on the field more and more every week. Five solo tackles, half a sack and four (!) passes defensed is a strong afternoon for any safety in the league. Emmanwori is five full games into his pro career. The rookie mistakes are there but the positive plays more than compensate.
2027 Emmanwori and beyond is a force multiplier. It’s happening right before our eyes.
PREDATOR
Despite Darnold throwing only 12 total passes,
Jaxon Smith-Njigba still got his. The TD? First drive. The 1,000 yard milestone? Second half.
A Seahawks receiver reached 1,000 yards receiving before any other player this season. My father, a pastor, would repeat an important line of his sermon twice for effect. A Seahawks receiver reached 1,000 yards receiving before any other player this season.
CO-PREDATORS
Tyrice Knight and Demarcus Lawrence. The guy who escorted the ball into the end zone twice will get all the national pub, but Knight is a gifted blitzer who wouldn’t even be on the field if Jones was healthy. He makes good shit happen, and you can cover many deficiencies with playmaking.
PREDATOR
Nehemiah Pritchett. Matched up on Marvin Harrison Jr. on this fourth-down play, where a TD might at least change the calculus of the final twenty minutes, he made a Legion of Boom level theft.
Chat, is it good when your depth can fill in seamlessly, your draft picks contribute right away, and no matter who you put on the field, the second half ends up being garbage time in your favor? Is that good?
APEX PREDATOR
Mike Macdonald has now staked his team to 28-0 and 35-0 leads before halftime in successive games. The defense is putting quarterbacks in hell, the line of scrimmage belongs exclusively to the Seahawks until the game is out of reach, and the offense is smooth as Paul Shaffer’s noggin. Until the game is out of hand, and it stops matter how smooth.
Let’s see what Coach has up his sleeve against the Rams. To repeat a point from earlier, he still hasn’t shown his whole hand.
PREY
For what seems like the fifth week in the last five weeks, the
opposing offensive line. At half — or as it’s now called, game’s end — the Seahawks D-line had stats more tricked out than your neighbor’s 1999 Honda Civic. Two forced fumbles, four passes defensed, five sacks, seven QB hits and seven tackles for loss.
PREY
On this play, it was Cardinals tight end Elijah Higgins.
Okada does really well to turn the shoulder, avoid the helmet, hit the midsection and stand his ground with leverage to knock the ball loose. Clean, textbook, brutal. That’s your backup safety. Something special is happening on this roster, y’all.
The ‘Hawks are going places. If we are to go, let us enjoy the ride with them!
