‘Dominated Most of the Game’: Sam Darnold Raves About Seahawks’ New O-Line After Win vs. Chiefs
For the better part of a decade, the offensive line has been a major problem for the Seattle Seahawks, including contributing to one of the NFL’s worst rushing attacks and leaving former starting quarterback Geno Smith under constant pressure last season.
With most of the offensive line group from 2024 retained and only one new expected starter - first round pick Grey Zabel at left guard - there has been no shortage of consternation amongst fans who believed Seattle did not do enough to improve the group this offseason.
But for those looking for reasons of optimism heading into the 2025 season, while Friday’s 33-16 win over the Chiefs came in a preseason setting against mostly backups, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold couldn’t be happier with early returns regarding the blockers protecting him after leading a 12-play, 81-yard touchdown drive in his lone series.
During that possession, the veteran quarterback wasn’t hit or sacked on four pass attempts, completing all four of those throws for 34 yards, while Zach Charbonnet rushed for 45 yards and a touchdown thanks to the line’s stellar play. Even after Darnold checked out, the group kept dominating up front, helping Seattle rack up nearly 200 rushing yards in the first half alone and protecting Drew Lock as he threw two touchdown passes to receiver Jake Bobo.
During his postgame press conference, Darnold praised Seattle’s chronically maligned offensive line, which was missing starting left tackle Charles Cross and potential starting center Olu Oluwatimi due to injuries, emphasizing how comfortable he felt operating behind a group that “dominated most of the game.”
“I thought the guys up front did a really good job,” Darnold said. “They were physical, they gave me time, and as a quarterback, that’s all you can ask for. You can tell they’ve put in the work this offseason.”
Seattle entered 2025 with some changes along the offensive line, blending youth with experience. The group features returning tackles in Cross and Abraham Lucas, while the interior has been revamped with the addition of Zabel and added depth in veteran swing tackle/guard Josh Jones. The mix coupled with the arrival of seasoned line coach John Benton has created healthy competition throughout camp, something coach Mike Macdonald has pointed to as a strength of the roster frequent times in training camp.
The line’s performance is especially important given Seattle’s focus on establishing a more balanced offense with new coordinator Klint Kubiak. Last season, inconsistency in both pass protection and run blocking kept the Seahawks from sustaining drives, causing them to rank near the bottom of the league in time of possession as well as third and fourth down conversion rate. But that wasn’t the case on Friday night, as they held the football for more than 38 minutes and finished with 268 rushing yards as a team.
“The way we were able to run the football like we talked about, mixing in keepers and play-action and even some dropback there on second down early in the drive, it was our style of football. It's the style we wanted to create in OTAs and even training camp. We started to find our identity that way. Can kind of see to come to life,” Darnold said.
With Darnold under center and a talented group of running backs led by Kenneth Walker III and Charbonnet, the onus will fall on the offensive line to determine how much better Seattle’s offense is and ultimately how far this team can go in pursuit of a playoff spot and more.
Based on comments from other players, Darnold’s confidence in the line reflects a broader optimism within the Seahawks’ locker room. If the offensive line continues to gel, build chemistry and stay healthy, the Seahawks could have the stability up front they’ve been searching for over the past several seasons. For a team looking to push back into playoff contention, that foundation may be the difference between being simply competitive and being dangerous in the NFC West.
