A wild 9-9 final against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday has the entire Emerald City buzzing, and not in the way you might expect for the very start of the NFL regular season. What a start to 2026, right? Mike Macdonald’s squad, facing off against one of the league’s titans, walked away with a tie that feels more like a riddle than a result. The 12s are left scratching their heads, wondering exactly what this bizarre score means for the Hawks as they kick off what we all hope is a dominant year.
Was That Offense or Defense, Brian Fleury?
Seriously, a 9-9 tie? You see that final score and your first thought is, “What even happened?” On one hand, Macdonald’s defense must have been absolutely suffocating to hold the Chiefs to just nine points. That’s something to cheer about, no doubt. But then you look at our side of the scoreboard: nine points. We’ve got Sam Darnold under center, throwing to guys like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, and Rashid Shaheed. That’s a serious arsenal, and we expect fireworks! Nine points in a full game against *any* team, let alone one we’re trying to measure ourselves against, just doesn’t sit right. Is Brian Fleury’s offense still finding its rhythm? Are the new pieces gelling? This early result gives us a ton to think about regarding our team’s form coming out of the gate. We need to see that explosive potential we know these guys have, and a tie doesn’t exactly scream “unleashed.”
Cutdown Day Hits Hard Across the League
While we’re all trying to dissect that baffling score, Sunday was also one of the most brutally honest days in the entire NFL calendar: cutdown day. It’s truly a bittersweet 24 hours for so many players across the league, including the hopefuls who try to make their mark on our own Seahawks roster. Teams had until 5 p.m. CT to trim their squads down to the rigid 53-man roster limit, and that means dreams are made and shattered in the blink of an eye. It’s the harsh reality of professional football, where even a great camp might not be enough to secure a spot. We saw some significant moves, like Geno Stone getting released by the Bills. That’s just one example of the tough decisions every team, including our Hawks, had to make to finalize their rosters for the season ahead.
The NFL waits for no one, and after that wild 9-9 tie with Kansas City, the Seahawks have to quickly turn the page. What does this strange opening act mean for Mike Macdonald’s first full season as head coach? Every game from here on out is crucial to setting the tone. We need to see more from Darnold, Smith-Njigba, Kupp, and Shaheed. We need to see the Emerald City erupt with touchdowns, not just head-scratching ties. Let’s look forward to the next game and see this team prove what they are truly capable of. 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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