The Seattle Seahawks just saw their league-leading 12-game winning streak vanish, taking a tough loss to the Washington Commanders. Man, that stings! We were riding high, the whole Emerald City buzzing, and then boom, reality check. We weren’t the only ones though, as the Cincinnati Bengals also fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a wild Week 3 across the league, with some serious head-scratchers, but our boys losing that streak? That’s what really hits different.
Chargers’ Defense Came to Play, But What About the Offense?
While our Hawks were dropping one, the Buffalo Bills almost joined the losing list themselves, but pulled off a comeback win against the Los Angeles Chargers. And listen, the Chargers actually had their best defensive output of the season under new coordinator Chris O’Leary. Rookie defensive back Genesis Smith snatched two interceptions from Josh Allen, ending his 190 regular-season pass attempt streak without a pick! Add in three Buffalo fumbles, including one by Allen, and the Bolts’ D forced a whopping five takeaways. Five! That should be a game-winner, right?
But here’s the kicker: the Chargers scored only 10 points off those five huge miscues. Buffalo, on the other hand, had lost 16 straight games when giving up five or more turnovers, with their last win in such a scenario dating all the way back to 1997. Who was the Colts quarterback that day, you ask? None other than current Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Talk about history repeating in a cruel way. The Chargers went a dismal 1-for-4 in the red zone and managed just 13 points on offense. Since Harbaugh took over in 2024, his teams are 20-2 when they hit 20 points, but they haven’t reached that mark in three games under offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. This squad has now scored fewer than 20 points in six straight games, going back to last season, their longest drought since 1998. That’s rough, man.
Herbert’s Rough Patch Is The Real Deal
This isn’t just a tough game, it’s a trend. Justin Herbert is playing his worst football since joining the Chargers in 2020. His completion percentage is at a career-low 59.3%, his passer rating is a brutal 71.6, and he’s averaging just 200.5 passing yards per game. You simply cannot lose a game when your defense forces five turnovers. In one of the most critical moments, with his team up 13-10 and driving, Herbert tried to force a ball into double coverage to Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the back of the end zone. Veteran defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson picked it off and returned it near midfield, completely swinging the momentum. He had one official interception but could’ve easily thrown three. Allen, despite his own turnover woes, then drove the Bills to score the go-ahead touchdown, allowing Buffalo to escape with a win, even Allen admitted they didn’t deserve it. This isn’t an overreaction; Herbert’s struggles are real and cost his team dearly.
So yeah, while teams like the 2-1 Cleveland Browns and New York Giants are surprising everyone, and “contenders” like the 0-3 Houston Texans are still searching for answers, the big news for us Seattle fans is that streak snapping. It’s early in the season, but losing that kind of momentum is a gut punch. We gotta dust ourselves off and remember what makes this team special. The rest of the league might be in chaos, but for the 12s, it’s about getting back to winning. Let’s see what our guys do next!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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