Monday Night Football is coming to Lumen Field this Week 8, and the Chicago Bears are rolling into town for what feels like a pivotal matchup, especially with the Seahawks riding a massive wave of momentum. Our Hawks just put on a clinic, dismantling the Chiefs after dropping two straight, and then, BAM, the front office pulled off a blockbuster: a huge trade for future Hall of Fame offensive guard Quenton Nelson. Yeah, you heard that right, a *future HOFer* is wearing the green and blue!
The Ben Johnson Effect vs. The Run Game Grind
Everyone assumes points will fly when offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is involved. And, honestly, who can blame them? Johnson is an absolute offensive mastermind, and we saw him put up a wild 42 points against our Hawks defense back in Week 4 of 2024. That alone would almost hit the over on this week’s 46.5 money line. But hold up, before you go betting the farm on a shootout, remember that 2024 matchup didn’t feature the defense Mike Macdonald is deploying now. Our D is built different these days.
Beyond that, let’s talk about how these two teams love to play ball: by running it down your throat. The Bears are the NFL’s number one team in rush attempts per game for 2026, clocking in with over 35 carries a contest. Our Seahawks aren’t far behind, sitting at fifth in the league, averaging over 29 carries a game. And now? We’ve got Quenton Nelson opening up lanes! Plus, there’s talk of Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet potentially returning to the field, which only adds more firepower to the ground game. All this adds up to two offenses chewing a ton of clock, which means fewer possessions for each team and, ultimately, fewer chances to light up the scoreboard. My gut, and the numbers, point to a lower-scoring affair. The pick here has to be *Under 46.5 total points*.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Offensive Player of the Year Frontrunner?
You can’t talk Seahawks football without shouting out Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Seriously, the dude is arguably the favorite for Offensive Player of the Year, and for good reason! He just continued his absolutely scorching 2026 campaign last week against the Chiefs. How’d he do? Oh, just nine receptions, 150 yards, and a touchdown. Casual. For the season, JSN has already hauled in 58 receptions for a ridiculous 867 yards and 8 touchdowns. That’s an average of 123.9 receiving yards per game, folks! He’s on an absolute heater.
The real question isn’t *if* Smith-Njigba will have another big game, it’s just *how big* can it be? With Nelson shoring up the line, Sam Darnold should have more time to find JSN, Rashid Shaheed, or Cooper Kupp downfield. But JSN is clearly the go-to, the guy making the magic happen. He’s been unstoppable, and the Emerald City has noticed. This kid is special.
We’ve got the Bears coming off a big win against the Patriots, feeling good, and they just got Jeffery Simmons leading their D-line. But our Hawks are at home, riding a huge win, and just added a future HOFer to the offensive line. This Monday night tilt is going to be a battle. Get ready, 12s, because this team has momentum, and with players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba shining, there’s a lot to be excited about as we head into the thick of the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
Leave a Reply