Non-Existent Run Game Haunts Seahawks’ One-Dimensional Offense in 33-31 Loss to Commanders

Picking up where they left off on a 16-play scoring drive to put away the Arizona Cardinals one week earlier, the Seattle Seahawks nearly generated an explosive run on the first play from scrimmage against the Washington Commanders on Sunday with Jadarian Price cutting back against the grain behind several nice blocks and powering his way past the marker for an 11-yard run and a first down.

But from that point on, the Seahawks could not get anything going on the ground, as the Commanders bucked up at the line of scrimmage and swarmed the trio of Price, Emanuel Wilson, and George Holani for the rest of the soggy afternoon. 16 combined carries over the final 58 minutes netted a total of - gulp - 28 yards, less than two yards per carry as the visitors had to pivot to airing it out in the second half with run play after run play setting them behind the sticks.

Ultimately, Seattle still managed to put 31 points on the scoreboard with Sam Darnold throwing for 379 yards and tossing four touchdown passes, including two to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But the inability to run the ball all day long made the offense too one-dimensional, and Washington made the veteran quarterback pay twice with costly interceptions, including a pick-six from linebacker Kain Medrano with less than five minutes to play in the game as the home team sealed a 33-31 upset over the defending champions.

After the game, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald didn’t have much of an answer to the team’s run game woes in Sunday’s defeat, crediting the Commanders for dictating things up front and Darnold’s effectiveness de-prioritizing establishing the run game down the stretch.

“Honestly, I’m not sure. That was a good front. I think we were trying to find solutions,” Macdonald said. “I think, also, the way the second half went with the weather clearing up and the way the pass game was going, I think that’s where we decided to emphasize.”