SEATTLE — For the first time in nearly two years, the Seattle Seahawks lost a game by double digits.
Now sitting at 4-4, there’s a level of concern for the defending Super Bowl champions after a 34-17 drubbing by the Chicago Bears on Monday night.
“The sense of urgency for us to improve right now is high,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said.
Particularly on offense, after the Seahawks finished with 252 yards. Seattle went 1 for 11 on third down.
“I always think it starts with first and second down efficiency,” Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold said.
Last week, Seattle had a promising 20-3 win over the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs. The Seahawks then bolstered their offense with the addition of three-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts and the long-awaited return of running backs Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet from injuries.
With an improvised offensive line adding Nelson, the entire offense looked out of sync, which was also without tackle Charles Cross because of injury. Those issues were only amplified by facing newly acquired defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons that Chicago traded for last week. He had a sack, added another tackle for loss and finished with six tackles and a pass defensed.
“We came off of last week feeling good, and then we have some change up in our offensive line,” Macdonald said.
Darnold was 17 of 34 for 188 yards and two touchdowns, along with an interception that set up Bears running back D’Andre Swift’s third touchdown of the game late in the fourth quarter.
It was Seattle’s largest margin of defeat under Darnold, who has 10 touchdown passes and nine interceptions this season.
“I feel like there were opportunities to get the ball out, and I just didn’t,” said Darnold, who was sacked three times.
Since the start of last season, Darnold leads the league with 29 turnovers. Monday, however, was just the third time the Seahawks lost a game when Darnold had one or fewer turnovers.
“We didn’t do the things on offense that we need to be able to do to play Seahawk football,” Macdonald said.
Jaxon-Smith Njigba continues to be Seattle’s most reliable offensive playmaker. The reigning AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year added to his league-leading receiving yardage totals by catching six passes for 118 yards, including a wide-open 43-yard score late in the first half. Through Week 8, he leads the NFL with 985 yards and nine touchdowns.
Smith-Njigba topped 100 yards for the seventh time this season.
Despite making a significant addition to its offensive line with the trade for Nelson and return of both Price and Charbonnet, Seattle’s run game wasn’t a big factor. They combined for 52 yards on 16 carries.
“We’ve got to improve very quickly in the run game,” Grey Zabel said, who was moved from left guard to right guard after Nelson was acquired. “Got to get back to running the ball, take the pressure off our quarterback and wide receivers and our play-caller. Got to be able to move the line of scrimmage.”
For the first time since Week 4, a receiver other than Smith-Njigba caught a TD pass. Cooper Kupp grabbed a 7-yard touchdown — his only catch — that cut the deficit to 20-17 in the fourth quarter.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers missed a pair of kicks against the Bears. He pulled an extra-point attempt left and his 33-yard field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter was blocked.
Seattle defensive tackle Leonard Williams suffered a stinger in the fourth quarter and did not return.
30 — Seattle had gone 30 straight games in the regular season and playoffs without losing by more than four points before its loss to Chicago on Monday. The Seahawks fell to the Green Bay Packers 30-13 on Dec. 15, 2024.
The Seahawks host the Arizona Cardinals (3-5) on Sunday.
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