Our Seahawks are hitting the road for a chilly Thursday night showdown against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High, and honestly, the stakes feel pretty high for a mid-October game. We’re fresh off a frustrating 32-29 home loss to those undefeated 49ers, which stings, especially after how hard Sam Darnold and the guys fought. Darnold had a rough night against San Francisco, going 18-of-29 for 195 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two picks. Meanwhile, the Broncos are coming into this one after a 23-17 road win against the winless Chargers in Week 5, bouncing back from their own Week 4 setback against the 49ers. Both teams are sitting at 3-2, looking to find some real consistency as we head deeper into the season.
The Green and Blue Wall Is Coming to Mile High
If there’s one thing that absolutely screams “Seattle Seahawks football” right now, it’s our defense. This unit is an absolute juggernaut, top to bottom. They’re ranked No. 1 in the entire league in total defense, giving up a ridiculously low 1,256 yards. Think about that: Number one! We’re also sitting atop the league in passing yards allowed with just 754, and we’re holding strong at 11th overall in rushing yards conceded with 502 this season. This is the kind of suffocating defense that defines an Emerald City team.
Now, let’s talk about Denver’s defense. It’s… not the same story. They’re ranked 23rd in total defense, giving up 1,737 yards. While they’re 11th in passing yards, they’re a dismal 30th in rushing yards allowed overall. And here’s the kicker, the one piece of news that should have every 12th man cheering: Broncos standout cornerback Patrick Surtain is out for Thursday’s game with an ankle injury. Seriously? With our defense already playing at an insane level, and their best corner sidelined, it could be open season on the Denver secondary for Sam Darnold and our guys, especially with Jaxon Smith-Njigba ready to eat.
Darnold’s Bounce-Back Spot? Offense Has Been On Fire
Yeah, Darnold had a tough outing against the 49ers, but let’s not forget what this offense has been doing otherwise. After that grind-it-out 13-10 win to start the season against the Patriots, our Seahawks have absolutely been lighting up the scoreboard, putting up at least 29 points in their last four games straight. That’s not just a fluke, that’s a trend.
On the other side, Denver’s quarterback Bo Nix has been, well, mediocre at best this season. He hasn’t even hit 135 passing yards in two of his five games, and his 80.8 passer rating is actually lower than his 2025 number. That’s not exactly inspiring confidence against our defensive monster. The one thing Denver does have going for them is their home record: they’re 10-2 at Empower Field over their last two regular seasons, including some big wins this year against teams like the Jaguars and the Rams. So, they can show up when they need to at home. But with Surtain out, and our D playing lights-out, this feels like a moment for our guys to take control.
This Thursday night game is huge for both teams to really solidify who they are heading into the back half of the season. Our Seahawks are looking for that consistency, that next big win to really show the league what we’re about. It’s going to be a tough road game, but with our defense leading the charge and Darnold potentially having a wide-open field, I’m fired up. Some folks are even seeing value in a wild same game parlay, betting Denver to cover +3.5 and the total to clear 36.5 points, thinking it’ll be a close, nip-and-tuck game. But you know what? I’m just ready to watch our boys show up and prove why they’re the real deal. Let’s go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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