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Game Recap
The Defense Held Denver to 168 Yards. Seattle Lost Anyway.
Seattle’s defense held the Broncos to 168 total yards on Thursday night, and Seattle lost 17-14 in overtime anyway. Sam Darnold threw an interception with 1:25 left in regulation and another on the first possession of overtime, and the second one handed Wil Lutz a 53-yard field goal. Seattle outgained Denver 353 to 168 and lost the turnover battle 3-0.
168
Total yards Denver’s offense gained in four-plus quarters. The Broncos won.
The overtime pick came on third-and-7 from Seattle’s own 28. Darnold tried to split two defenders down the sideline toward Rashid Shaheed, and Ja’Quan McMillian ranged over and took it. Denver then ran three times for 8 yards and kicked. Eight yards. I’ve walked farther than that looking for my seat at Lumen. “I think he’s trying to throw a hole shot in Cover 2,” Macdonald said, before getting to the part that mattered: “But we have to take care of the ball. Sam knows that.”
That’s seven interceptions in four games since Darnold came back from the glute injury, and Seattle is 1-3 in those starts. He didn’t dodge it. “It’s BS for me to keep turning the ball over,” he said. “It’s not fair to our defense. It’s not fair to our special teams.” Correct on every count, which is the annoying part. You can’t even be mad at the guy properly.
Because the defense was outrageous. After Denver scored touchdowns on two first-half drives, the Broncos got 30 net yards and two first downs after halftime and punted on every possession until overtime. That unit deserved a parade and got a quiet flight home.
“
Eight yards. I’ve walked farther than that looking for my seat at Lumen.
Mike Florio wrote Thursday night that Seattle at least has to have the Drew Lock conversation. I’m not there. You don’t bench the quarterback who won you a Super Bowl over four bad weeks. But the Chiefs aren’t here for 10 days, and the leash got noticeably shorter at altitude.
SOURCES →
Offense
Ten Sacks in Five Days, and JSN Is the Only Exit
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10
Sacks Darnold has taken across the 49ers and Broncos games, played four days apart.
Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens are still splitting right guard with Anthony Bradford on IR, and Bradford can’t come back until the Chiefs game. Ten days off has never sounded so medicinal.
Denver’s plan, per SI, was simple: double Jaxon Smith-Njigba and dare anybody else to beat them. JSN caught 12 balls for 134 yards anyway, on a sore ankle. Cooper Kupp turned 10 targets into 50 yards. SI traced the whole mess back to March, when Seattle re-signed Shaheed and let Kenneth Walker walk to Kansas City. Walker gets to make that argument in person on Oct. 25.
Kupp took a share of the blame for his quarterback: “We all play a role in protecting the football.” Nice of a receiver to step in front of that one. Better if the line stepped in front of a few more.
SOURCES →
AROUND THE COOP
Around the Coop
Zach Charbonnet has “a legitimate chance” to make his season debut against Kansas City, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Same night Kenneth Walker comes back to Lumen. Last year’s backfield, reunited on opposite sidelines. Somebody print a program. Newsweek
Elijah Arroyo walked into the Denver tunnel with a team doctor holding his right arm, hurt on the same play Shaheed fumbled away. He has one target all season. The breakout keeps getting rescheduled. Yahoo Sports
Rashid Shaheed caught the two-point conversion, piled up 116 return yards, lost a fumble at Denver’s 34 and was the target on the overtime pick. He was in every big moment Thursday. Pick your favorite. CBS Sports
Denver’s offense gained 32 yards on its last 10 possessions, and Bo Nix finished with 96 total yards on 33 plays. Seattle lost to that. I need to lie down. ProFootballTalk
NFC WEST SCHADENFREUDE REPORT
NINERS
Mike Evans missed Thursday’s practice with Achilles soreness, and he’s also been playing through two broken ribs. That’s the same week Kyle Shanahan said he’s been surprised by how fast Evans and Brock Purdy have clicked. Great chemistry, rough skeleton. With Deebo Samuel already out with a hamstring, the unbeaten Niners are one sore tendon away from throwing to whoever runs the Levi’s parking lot. Rest up, Mike. No rush.
CARDINALS
Jeremiyah Love sat out a second straight practice Thursday, and the No. 3 overall pick is looking unlikely for Sunday at SoFi. Mike LaFleur’s update on the lingering ankle: “They’re ankles. It’s an ankle.” Thanks, coach. Arizona is 1-4, and the head coach is now teaching anatomy at the podium. Next week: what a football is.
SEACHICKENS TRIVIA
Seattle took this Florida receiver 80th overall in the 2000 draft, and in 2004 he caught 87 passes for 1,199 yards. Who is he?
Tap to Reveal the Answer
Darrell Jackson. He spent seven seasons in Seattle, and his last NFL stop was Denver in 2008, which is a sore subject this particular morning.
THIS DAY IN SEAHAWKS HISTORY
2022
October 16, 2022
Myers Kicks Four, Seattle Sacks Kyler Six Times
Seattle beat Arizona 19-9 at Lumen Field. Jason Myers kicked four field goals, Kenneth Walker III put it away with an 11-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and the defense sacked Kyler Murray six times. Walker comes back to Lumen on Oct. 25, in the wrong colors.
Got Something to Yell About?
Bench Darnold? Blame the line? Need to vent about an eight-yard game-winning drive? Send it in. The best questions get answered here, in full, with no sugarcoating.
Ten days. Hold onto the ball. — The Rooster