Why fans should be ‘all in’ on this Seahawks team

For the fourth time in franchise history, the Seattle Seahawks enter the playoffs as the NFC’s top seed.

Each of the previous three times the NFC playoffs ran through the Emerald City – 2005, 2013 and 2014 – the Seahawks capitalized by winning back-to-back playoff games in front of their roaring crowd to advance to the Super Bowl.

The future is bright, but Seahawks need to capitalize now

The Seahawks will look to follow that same path a fourth time, beginning with Saturday night’s NFC Divisional Round playoff game against the sixth-seeded San Francisco 49ers.

The Athletic’s Derrik Klassen, co-host of The Athletic Football Show, joined Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on Friday to preview the Seahawks’ playoff run.

One of his biggest takeaways? How much fun this particular team is.

Led by second-year head coach Mike Macdonald and his top-ranked scoring defense, the Seahawks ran laps around tepid national expectations with a franchise-best 14-3 campaign.

“This is a Seahawks team that I would be so all in on,” Klassen said. “The way that they play, I think, is incredibly fun.”

Welcome to the ‘Dark Side’

It all begins with Seattle’s “Dark Side” defense. With Macdonald’s cutting-edge scheme, a dominant defensive front, steady play at all three levels and a pair of uniquely versatile playmakers in Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori, the Seahawks allowed an NFL-low 17.2 points per game to become the fifth defense in franchise history to lead the league in scoring defense.

The previous four all came from Seattle’s legendary Legion of Boom defense, which achieved the feat in consecutive seasons from 2012-15.

From a scoring perspective, the 2025 Seahawks’ defense is a tad behind the best L.O.B. units. Seattle’s 2013 Super Bowl championship team allowed just 14.4 points per game, the 2012 team yielded 15.3 per game and the 2014 NFC title team gave up just 15.9 per game.

Related: How 2025 Seahawks compare to the best Legion of Boom defenses

But as Klassen pointed out, the 2025 Seahawks defense finished with a better DVOA than any of the Legion of Boom units, according to FTN Fantasy. DVOA, one of the most popular advanced metrics for football, measures a team’s overall efficiency by comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent.

“I think because it’s only been one year and they haven’t accomplished anything yet (in the playoffs), I think people maybe don’t quite realize that this (defense) really is as good as some of those Legion of Boom defenses,” Klassen said. “By DVOA, this year’s defense is actually better than any of the Legion of Boom defenses.

“Obviously those (former Seahawks legends) were iconic – Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner and all them. But I really do think the way those guys are playing right now is incredibly fun and impressive to watch. Like, they just fly around and they want to hit people. … And then I think Mike Macdonald, schematically, what he’s doing, is kind of the embodiment of modern defense.”

Explosive potential on offense

On the other side of the ball, Seattle’s offense finished 11th in points per drive.

Star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the way with a league-high 1,793 receiving yards, which was the eighth-most in a single season in NFL history. Quarterback Sam Darnold finished second in yards per pass attempt (8.5) and tied for the fifth-most completions of 20-plus yards (57), despite the Seahawks running the ball at the league’s third-highest rate.

Macdonald ‘really optimistic’ QB Sam Darnold will play vs 49ers

The offense has been less explosive down the stretch, as opposing defenses have placed a greater emphasis on trying to slow down Smith-Njigba and Seattle’s deep passing game. But along the way, the Seahawks have gained more traction on the ground, ranking seventh in rushing yards per game (140.6) and 11th in yards per carry (4.5) between Weeks 10-18.

That could force defenses back down into the box more often, which in turn could open up more deep explosives in the passing game.

“The offense over the last six or so weeks has dipped a little bit, but I think them just being a team that hunts for explosives is so fun,” Klassen said. “… If it were me, this is a Seahawks team that I would want to be all in on.”

Saturday’s NFC Divisional Round playoff game is set for a 5 p.m. kickoff, with radio coverage on Seattle Sports beginning at 2 p.m. with the pregame show.

More Seattle Seahawks coverage

• Seahawks-49ers: Does Macdonald have Shanahan’s number?
• Daniel Jeremiah’s keys for Seahawks’ Sam Darnold vs 49ers
• Stacy Rost: Four numbers that matter for Seahawks-49ers
• Lefko: Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald for a moment like this
• How Schneider built Seattle Seahawks back into a title contender

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