The Seattle Seahawks played in the first game of Week 1, but their win still ended the week as probably the most impressive.
That’s because the Seahawks were able to take down the New England Patriots even without their star quarterback Sam Darnold. Drew Lock came in and did exactly what he needed to do, and the defense was just as elite as it was last season.
As a result, expectations are shooting even higher, if that’s possible. Darnold isn’t expected to miss too much time, so as long as Lock provides average quarterback play, the team should be just fine.
There’s only game to go in the Week 1 slate, so updated power rankings are already dropping. There was some debate as to who the top team could be after a few impressive showings, but the Seahawks are still the ultimate team to beat.
Seahawks Move to Top Spot After Impressive Win
Bucky Brooks of FOX Sports releases his top 10 teams in the NFL after every week. Brooks has the Seahawks in the top spot after being No. 2 heading into the week.
The Broncos were the previous No. 1 team, but they don’t play until Monday night, so they lose their spot.
“The defending champs look primed for another title run with or without quarterback Sam Darnold in the lineup,” Brooks said. “The Seahawks’ defense is a destructive force with a collection of interchangeable defenders taking turns making big plays, in a hyper-aggressive scheme that utilizes creative blitzes and simulated pressures to keep opponents guessing.”
As Brooks mentioned, the Seahawks are legitimately good enough to compete for another ring with or without Darnold. The defense is so good that, even without two key starters, they held the Patriots to 10 points.
“While the offense becomes a pedestrian unit without QB1 on the field, the Drew Lock-Jaxon Smith-Njigba connection is capable of producing enough splash plays to support a defense-led approach that will keep the wins coming while Darnold is away,” Brooks added.
How many other teams in the league are still a contender if their star quarterback goes down? It could even up being a good thing that Lock is getting a chance because he won’t be cold if he’s needed later this season.
There’s nothing we’ve seen yet that would imply the Seahawks aren’t the best team in the league. It’s way early, but a Super Bowl repeat is not out of the question.
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