After starting the season 3-1 and being in prime position to contend again in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks lost two straight games. Former USC Trojan Sam Darnold was playing extremely poorly, directly affecting the Seahawks' results. The Seahawks, instead of extending their losing streak against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, used that game to show they still are a force to be reckoned with.
Leonard Williams and the Seahawks' defense bottled up the NFL's leading rusher, Kenneth Walker, to only 36 yards on 14 carries. Nobody knows Walker better than the team that drafted him, yet it is still very impressive Seattle was able to take him out of the game. Without a dominant run game, the Chiefs looked like the same offense that struggled all
season long last year. The Chiefs were only able to put up 3 points against Seattle.
The Seahawks' defense has played well all season long, minus their game against the Washington Commanders. This time, however, Sam Darnold rose to the occasion and found his footing. Sam Darnold was confident, and he looked a lot more like the Darnold who led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory last season.
The blitz did not bother Darnold; he handled the Chiefs' defense perfectly. Jaxon Smith-Njigba usually steals the show for Seattle. Against the Chiefs, he was his usual dominant self; however, this offense was led by Sam Darnold's play. Darnold spread the ball out to each of his playmakers. This was exactly what the Seattle Seahawks' offense has been looking for from him. Emmanuel Wilson, as a result, had a spectacular performance on the ground.
There were a lot of questions surrounding Darnold and new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury with their recent struggles. They showed up against Steve Spagnuolo and the Chiefs' defense. This was a performance that restored confidence that Seattle can get back to where they want to be in the NFC. The NFC is wide open for the taking, and I would not be surprised if Seattle finds their way back where they left off last season.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Sam Darnold's Seattle Seahawks look like NFL title contender again
