Emerald City Sports Spotlight with Peter D~Seahawks Trample KC in Near Complete Fashion

Seahawks Trample KC in Near Complete Fashion

By Peter Duncan-Bey, Sportswriter for The Facts Newspaper

The Seattle Seahawks beat the Kansas City Chiefs in dominant, near-complete fashion. No, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce weren’t on the field, and several top Chiefs defenders sat as well. But the larger story wasn’t who didn’t play — it was how Seattle executed. As Murf Baldwin of the Top Billin’ podcast said: “The best thing you can do when it’s not top flight defenders you’re playing against is make them look like not top flight defenders.” Seattle’s offensive line did exactly that, creating lanes and seams for every running back. The backs took full advantage, proving that it may not matter who lines up across from them.

Fast Start: Run Game Sets the Tone

If the first quarter is a sign of what’s to come from Klint Kubiak’s run-first offense, then buckle up. Seattle piled up 119 rushing yards in the opening quarter alone. That’s the definition of a fast start, and it showcased both scheme and execution.

Quarterback efficiency matched the run game’s dominance. In his lone series, Sam Darnold completed all four of his passes for 34 yards. Drew Lock, sharp in Week 1, looked even better in Week 2. He finished 10-for-22 with 129 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions across the first half and opening drive of the third. Jalen Milroe, in limited action, went 3-for-5 for 46 yards. Collectively, Seattle’s quarterbacks completed 17 of 21 passes — an 80% rate — demonstrating the kind of efficiency this offense needs.

As many have pointed out, Seattle doesn’t need Darnold to be great in this scheme. They just need him to be efficient. And with a punishing run game to lean on, efficiency will do just fine.

Numbers That Jump Off the Page

Seattle racked up 477 yards of total offense compared to just 156 for Kansas City. Of those 477, a staggering 268 came on the ground. Seattle ran the ball 48 times, averaging over 5.5 yards per carry, with four of five running backs gaining at least 45 yards. Even the one who didn’t — Tyus, with 24 yards — broke off an 11-yard run. Simply put: Seattle’s backfield is loaded, and the league has been put on notice, preseason or not.

The Seahawks didn’t punt until the second half, and they had no negative plays until then either. This was clean, efficient, and physical football.

Defense Solid, Special Teams Struggles

Defensively, Seattle allowed just one passing touchdown and one field goal, both set up by short fields after long Chiefs punt returns of 40-plus yards. The lone true breakdown came when Skyy Moore returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown, a glaring reminder that punt and kickoff coverage remains a serious concern. Expect that to be a major emphasis in practice this week.

Outside of special teams lapses, Seattle’s defense suffocated Kansas City’s offense, forcing them into just 156 yards of total production.

A Warning to the League

Outside of a special teams hiccup, this was as close to a complete performance as you’ll see in August football. The Seahawks dominated both lines of scrimmage, leaned into a powerful run game, and paired it with efficient quarterback play.

The message is clear: it’s a new day in Seattle. The run game is real. The offensive line is upgraded. And the talent behind them is deep enough to wear down any opponent. Preseason or not, teams across the league have been warned — stopping Seattle’s ground attack will be no easy task in 2025.