Our Seattle Seahawks did what every 12 dreams of last season: brought home a Lombardi Trophy, an absolute monument to grit and pure defensive dominance. And get this: even with our D ranking first in DVOA, there were folks out there, specifically in Houston, who thought *their* defense was even better. Seriously, they were out here claiming it, and you know what? Some people actually agreed with them.
The Lombardi Lesson in DVOA: Defense Wins, But Offense Matters
Look, the Texans’ defense under DeMeco Ryans was legit in 2025. It bumped up to second in DVOA from third the year before, playing “breakneck speed with evil intentions.” They ran what the pros called a “vanilla” scheme, which is actually a massive compliment, meaning they just executed at an insane level without needing a crazy playbook. Yeah, Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke threw in some cool stunts and safety switches, but it was all about pure intensity. But here’s the kicker, the part that separates contenders from champions: our Seahawks offense, while only 10th in DVOA, was good enough. “Good enough” isn’t flashy, but it’s what you need when your defense is playing at an all-time level. Houston’s offense? It was way down at 19th. That’s the difference, folks. That’s why we’re hoisting the Lombardi and they’re left with “What If?” stories.
Stroud’s Playoff Collapse and the Search for Gems
The real gut punch for Houston came in the playoffs, and it was all about their offense, specifically C.J. Stroud. His postseason DYAR was the absolute worst since 1977. Think about that for a second! In just two playoff games, he completed only 41 of 79 passes for 462 yards, tossed just two touchdowns, and threw *five* interceptions. Four of those picks came in their 28-16 Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots, leading to a miserable 51.8 passer rating. Oof. It’s a tough look, especially after his incredible rookie year in 2023. We’ve seen this movie before, right? Guys like Vince Young or Robert Griffin III started hot and then things went south. For the Texans to stop being a “What If?” and start being a “We Did It!” team, that offense has to click, and they need players beyond the stars to step up. They’re looking at guys like cornerback Kamari Lassiter, an “underrated veteran” who was targeted a lot last season. It’s clear their defense needs every bit of help it can get if their offense isn’t going to pull its weight.
This just hammers home what we already know in the Emerald City: you can have an absolutely elite defense, the kind that makes even other top defensive coordinators green with envy. But when the chips are down, you need a functional offense to seal the deal. For our Seahawks, that 10th-ranked offense was all Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp needed to do to complement Mike Macdonald’s suffocating D. It’s what allowed us to celebrate that Lombardi and it’s the standard for our boys this season. We’re not looking for “What Ifs” in Seattle, we’re looking for championships.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Battle Red Blog.
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