Just eight months ago, the Seattle Seahawks were lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champions.
But things move quickly in the NFL. And their 17-14 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football showcased a team that looks a million miles away from being a contender to go back-to-back.
The Seahawks looked lost on offense against a Broncos defense missing key starters Patrick Surtain II and Talanoa Hufanga, dropping to 3-3 on the season after a second consecutive loss.
It was a tough night for quarterback Sam Darnold, who is facing uncomfortable questions over whether he has what it takes to replicate last year’s impressive performances.
His season suffered a blow when it had barely started when he left the opening game with a hip injury after just five plays. Since returning in Week 3 against Washington, he’s struggled to find his groove.
The Broncos defense left him running for his life and failing to find any rhythm as they mustered just three points in the opening three quarters.
Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks had a miserable night on Thursday Night Football
The reigning Super Bowl champions look lost just eight months on from their championship win
Darnold was sacked five times and threw two interceptions, including one in overtime after the Broncos had somehow gifted them a second chance after the first pick with just 1:19 remaining in the game looked set to end their chances.
Darnold twice took sacks that took his team out of field goal range on a night that saw him and his offensive unit look lost.
Mike Fleury, a first-time play caller who replaced Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator this offseason, has struggled to get going, with head coach Mike Macdonald conceding this week that the pass game hasn’t ‘really clicked yet.’
They found some answers by feeding Jaxson Smith-Njigba in the second half as their defense kept them in the game against an equally unimpressive Broncos offense.
But Darnold completed just 27 of 52 pass attempts as he was unable to do enough as his performances since returning continue to cause alarm.
Against the Broncos, he took another step back, and at this stage it is hard to see the Seahawks as a team that can reach the playoffs yet alone make another deep run.
‘We’re not questioning people,’ head coach Macdonald insisted. ‘We’re evaluating. We’re finding solutions.
‘I’m responsible for the performance of the team, so we have to do a great job of that. But I believe in our guys. I believe in all of our guys.
‘It’s on our offense. It’s how efficient we can run the ball. How efficient we can move the ball in other ways. But the quarterback’s getting hit way too much.’
Darnold was sacked five times as his offensive line struggled to keep him off his back
The Seahawks offense is desperately searching for answers before facing the Chiefs next
To make matters worse, they have seen last year’s Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker III, transform the Kansas City Chiefs offense since leaving in free agency.
Walker will be back at Lumen Field next week as the unbeaten Chiefs take on the Seahawks.
Things are not getting any easier, and the spotlight will shine even brighter as the Chiefs visit for Sunday Night Football.
Now more than ever the Seahawks need to rediscover the magic that saw them go all the way under the brightest lights of all just a few months ago.
