After opening the season with two big wins, the Seahawks stumbled hard last week, dropping an unexpected 33-31 loss to the Washington Commanders. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Chargers roll into Lumen Field this Sunday at 1:25 p.m. local time, still looking for their first win of 2026, sitting at a brutal 0-3 after losses to the Cardinals, Raiders, and Bills. This isn’t just another game, it is a chance for our Hawks to stomp out any talk of a “negative stretch” before it even starts.
That Washington Loss? We Gifted It to Them
Let’s be real, the Washington game was a gut punch. We gained a whopping 437 yards to their measly 229, but you know what cost us? Protecting the damn football. The Hawks committed three turnovers against the Commanders, and every single one of those mistakes turned into a Washington touchdown. That’s 20 of their 33 points, handed to them on a silver platter. We can’t win like that, not against anyone, especially when the goal is to keep things rolling after a strong 2-0 start. We gotta be sharper, plain and simple.
Can Our Run Game Get Its Identity Back?
The biggest question mark hanging over the offense right now is the run game. After looking solid in the first two weeks, we managed a dismal 44 rushing yards against Washington. That’s just not good enough, and establishing some offensive balance is crucial to taking pressure off Sam Darnold. Now, here’s where it gets interesting with the Chargers. Their run defense has been all over the place: they gave up 116 yards to Arizona in Week 1, then locked down Las Vegas to just 57 yards in Week 2, only to get absolutely gashed for 176 yards by Buffalo in Week 3, with James Cook doing most of the damage with 154 yards. On average, they’re allowing about 116 rushing yards per game. That’s an opportunity, Seattle! It won’t be easy, though. Dalvin Tomlinson is a key piece inside, along with Teair Tart and Jamaree Caldwell, and Tomlinson might even miss the game due to injury. Regardless, our guys need to find a way to consistently chew up yards without putting us in constant second-and-long or third-and-long situations. We need that ground game back in full force.
The Pass Rush Challenge Coming to Lumen
The other big test for our offense will be holding up in pass protection. The Chargers have a really interesting pass-rush crew that can absolutely get after quarterbacks. You’ve got Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and first-round rookie Akheem Mesidor, all bringing heat from the edge. Protecting Sam Darnold from that kind of pressure is paramount. If our offensive line can win their battles up front, it opens up everything for the offense and gives Darnold the time he needs to make plays.
This Sunday at Lumen Field, against a winless Chargers team, is our chance to turn the page and get back to being the dominant Hawks we know we can be. It’s the first regular-season meeting since we beat them 37-23 back in 2022, and we need to make sure this one ends with another W. Get loud, 12s, because this is where we prove what kind of team we really are.
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.
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