The Seahawks got on the board first in Denver thanks to a monster 55-yard field goal right down the middle midway through the opening quarter, putting Seattle up 3-0. It was a moment that had every 12 on the edge of their seat, but man, the rest of the quarter was a gut punch that left us all yelling at our screens.
Darnold’s Hot Start Fizzles After Sacks
Our boys won the coin toss, and Sam Darnold came out firing! He was slinging short, quick passes that were absolutely money early on, moving the chains several times and marching us right into Broncos territory. It felt like we were about to put up seven, but then the momentum just evaporated. A second-down sack by Ja’Quan McMillian brought up third and long, and just when we needed a play, Que Robinson absolutely blew up the pocket for *another* sack. Two sacks in a row? Brutal. That forced us to punt, stalling what looked like a super promising drive. You gotta protect Darnold better than that, especially when he’s carving them up early.
Denver Finds a Rhythm Just as We Think We’re Out
The Broncos, starting from their own 10, didn’t exactly light the world on fire at first. J.K. Dobbins got stuffed for a couple of short runs, and Bo Nix nearly threw a pick-six on third down that would’ve been glorious. They ended up punting, giving us some sweet field position, which we cashed in for that beautiful 55-yard field goal. But just when you thought Denver’s offense was going to stay in neutral, they started clicking. A gorgeous screen pass to RJ Harvey went for 16 yards and a first down, finally getting them across midfield. Then came the big plays that really hurt. Nix, dropping deep on a third and three, went for Marvin Mims Jr. at the goal line, and while it was broken up, it showed their intent. They even pulled off a quick-snap on fourth down, with Tyler Badie bursting up the middle for the first down! They just kept moving. Nix found Evan Engram on another third down, putting them firmly into field goal range as the first quarter ticked under two minutes.
Red Zone Defense Needs a Wake-Up Call
The run game for Denver went quiet again with Dobbins getting stuffed, setting up a third and six. But Nix wasn’t done for the quarter. He found Courtland Sutton wide open over the middle for another first down, taking the Broncos right into the red zone as the clock ran out on the first quarter. This is exactly what we *don’t* want to see. After that 55-yard bomb, the defense let them just march down the field. Finishing the quarter with the Broncos in our red zone means the second quarter is starting with immediate pressure. We need to hold them right here, right now, or this game is gonna get away from us fast. We can’t let them convert this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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