Observations from Seahawks’ 24-3 victory over Dolphins

Sep 22, 2024, 4:36 PM | Updated: Sep 23, 2024, 8:55 am

Pharaoh Brown of the Seattle Seahawks is tackled during a 2024 game. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

(Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

BY ZAC HERETH

Seattle Sports

SEATTLE – The Mike Macdonald era is officially off to a 3-0 start for the Seattle Seahawks.

Seahawks win | Instant Reaction | What we learned | Injuries | Stats

The Seahawks went up two scores early and beat the Miami Dolphins 24-3 on Sunday at Lumen Field.

Here are five observations from the game:

• Young edge rushers continue upward trend: Outside linebackers Boye Mafe and Derick Hall each had standout performances against Miami and continued to show they’re starting to make true on the high upside that led to the Seahawks drafting each in the second round of back-to-back to drafts (2022 and 2023). Mafe, a third-year pro, registered a sack for the third straight game. Hall, a second-year pro, had two sacks and a forced fumble. Both were menaces in the backfield throughout the game and never let Dolphins backup quarterback Skylar Thompson settle in to what was a difficult situation for his first NFL start in two years. Thompson, who left the game with a chest injury in the third quarter, took a number of big hits from the pass rush, including a massive shot at the end of the half by Hall. If Mafe and Hall truly are starting to reach their full potential, that is very good news for the Seahawks, and very bad news for the rest of the NFL.

D-Hall trucked him. 🛻 pic.twitter.com/lE38hHb4Sz

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 22, 2024

• Bradford getting every chance at RG: After a rocky first two weeks of the season, it appeared as if Anthony Bradford’s starting spot at right guard was trending towards a real competition between he and rookie Christian Haynes. The two shared time at the spot last week with Haynes coming in on two drives, and head coach Mike Macdonald mentioned keeping that competition open earlier in the week during the Mike Macdonald Show on Seattle Sports. However, Sunday’s game suggests that the Seahawks are going to give Bradford every chance they can to let him maintain starting role. Bradford was beat inside across his face and allowed a sack on the Seahawks’ first drive, and he committed two penalties (one hold, one false start), but remained in the game and appeared to get every snap at right guard. Bradford has committed a team-high six penalties through three games this season.

• Tight ends get involved: The Seahawks rarely featured their tight ends in the passing game over the first two weeks of the season. Starter Noah Fant had all three receptions and seven targets that went the position’s way against the Broncos and Patriots, but each of Seattle’s three tight ends that saw regular playing time against the Dolphins had a chance to get their hands on the ball. Fant led the way with a team-high six receptions for 60 yards, finishing just three yards shy of his season-high from 2023. Rookie AJ Barner hauled in his first career reception and had three grabs for 13 yards, and Pharaoh Brown had a catch for nine yards in his Seahawks debut.

Unbeaten Seahawks already up two games in NFC West

• Hawks defense still waiting for real challenge: The Seattle defense deserves some credit for its performance. It’s tough to hold any NFL team to just 205 yards and three points, and the defense came up big with two fourth-and-goal stops, including one early after a Geno Smith interception gave Miami the ball at Seattle’s 6-yard line. But the Dolphins clearly weren’t the same team without starting quarterback Tua Tagavailoa. Backup Skylar Thompson was inaccurate and held on to the ball for too long often, which made it a rather easy day on the Seahawks. Even with speedy weapons like receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and running back De’Von Achane, the Dolphins never felt like much of threat to the move the ball down the field with any sort of consistency. After Thompson left, third-strong quarterback Tim Boyle provided a little more of a challenge, but it still wasn’t the same as facing Tagovailoa – the NFL’s 2023 passing yards leader. Much has been made of the cutting-edge defensive scheme of new Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, and the early returns are encouraging, but the team has also had the benefit of feasting on poor offenses led by rookie, journeymen and backup quarterbacks. Next week’s game against Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions should tell us quite a bit more about this defense.

• This game should have been over much sooner: Most teams will gladly take a 21-point victory in the NFL, but this felt like a game the Seahawks should have won by more. At the very least, this game should have been out of hand earlier. The Seahawks jumped out to a 17-3 lead on the final play of the first quarter after Smith hit a wide-open DK Metcalf for a 71-yard touchdown grab, but they let the Dolphins hang around and were in danger of it becoming a one-score game again early in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks finally got their put-away drive with an impressive 11-play touchdown march that started at their own 2-yard line. It just should have come a lot earlier.