CHARLOTTE – Have defense. Will travel.
That sums up a lot of what went down at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday. The Seattle Seahawks were not the ones to slip up with a clear path afoot for winning the NFC West crown and seizing a No. 1 seed for the playoffs.
Not with that defense.
Seattle smashed the Carolina Panthers, 27-10, to inch closer to its best-case scenario for the playoffs by providing Bryce Young and Co. a warning of the type of tests that loom in the postseason – if they get there.
Sure, Young scored a touchdown on a nifty 10-yard run to make it a one-possession game early in the fourth quarter. But that was the aberration.
The Seahawks (13-3) took control of the game by converting two Carolina turnovers into touchdowns in the third quarter. First, it was a Chuba Hubbard fumble – as Ernest Jones IV violently ripped at the football, DeMarcus Lawrence punched it out – that set up Zach Charbonnet’s 2-yard TD run. Then Julian Love intercepted Young to set up Sam Darnold’s 17-yard TD flip to tight end AJ Barner to make it a 17-3 margin.
Despite Young’s penchant for engineering late-game rallies, that was a bit much to expect against a unit that seemed hellbent on inflicting its will.
“If you give us an opportunity and we can turn the ball over and turn it into points, you’ve got trouble,” Jones told USA TODAY Sports while the beats thumped on the boom box in the visitor’s locker room. “We’re not giving up much. We’re just out there playing for each other. So, we know that once we get our hands on the ball, it’s time to go.”
When last seen in action, the Seahawks survived an overtime shootout thriller against the Los Angeles Rams in what many hailed as the NFL’s Game of the Year. It had a huge comeback. Offensive fireworks. A controversial two-point conversion. And a championship-level defense torched by Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua.
Well, it was quite a different formula – smash mouth – on Sunday.
The Seahawks allowed just 139 net yards, with a 1-for-11 third-down conversion rate. Young passed for just 54 yards and finished with a 45.8 passer rating.
The numbers certainly didn’t lie. But neither did the optics.
When they review the film, the Seahawks will notice a scant few – if any – missed tackles. For a unit that has been one of the league’s best all season, the group had what was likely its best tackling game of the season, a clinic with many contributors. In one case after another, yards after the catch were squashed with open-field stops.
And yes, the numbers support it. Carolina’s longest reception went for 8 yards.
“Those are critical yards,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said.
“They say when you get towards the end of the season, teams will have a hard time tackling. Guys aren’t as fresh,” rookie safety Nick Emmanwori said. “We just make that an emphasis to work on it. It’s never easy. But that’s what wins games. Those yards, takeaways. That’s what wins games.”
It definitely sets a tone.
Darnold can surely vouch for that. The veteran quarterback is quite fortunate to have the Seahawks defense on his side. Although he won again, Darnold wasn’t particularly sharp. And he committed two more giveaways to fuel more questions about his turnover tendencies.
If there’s a reason to wonder about the Seahawks championship aspirations, it undoubtedly revolves around the turnovers. Seattle entered Week 17 with 26 giveaways on the season – second-most in the NFL (Minnesota, 29) – and had two more on Sunday.
Darnold fumbled in the second quarter, boxed in the pocket as he attempted to pass. But after giving the Panthers possession at the Seattle 26, the Seahawks defense limited the damage to a field goal after Hubbard hit a brick wall (for no gain) on a third-and-one plunge.
Early in the third quarter, Darnold was picked off in the end zone by Mike Jackson on a throw that was apparently deflected as itcame nowhere close to intended receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But the defense saved Darnold again, and on just one snap with Jones forcing the Hubbard fumble.
Still, the Seahawks will be hard-pressed to flirt with such disaster when the competition rises in the playoffs. Macdonald tried to downplay concern, but that’s a tough sell.
“It’s really just the ball being in jeopardy,” Macdonald said during his postgame news conference. “Deflections. Those things happen. Really, if we take care of the front end better, it won’t be as big of an issue.”
There’s so much to like about the Seahawks’ viability for the upcoming playoff run, particularly given the foundation of Macdonald’s defense. Charbonnet had his most productive game of the season, rushing for 110 yards and 6.1 per carry in teaming with Kenneth Walker III for a formidable one-two punch. Rashid Shaheed was knocked out of the game in the first half with a concussion yet has proven vital as the wideout opposite Smith-Njigba and as an explosive kick returner.
And if Darnold gets hot…
“I don’t think as a team we’ve really played a complete game for four straight quarters,” Jones said. “So…we need to have those games. But ultimately, we’ve been making the plays when needed. We’ll have that game when we put it all together for four quarters. And watch out.”
The Panthers (8-8) can envision some growth, too. Yet in another sense, they were unable to take advantage of a great opportunity. With the Miami Dolphins hanging an upset on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina could have clinched the NFC South title with a victory.
Instead, the Panthers will meet the Bucs in a showdown at Tampa next weekend shaping up to decide the division crown.
The Seahawks, meanwhile, might have a similar arrangement when they visit the San Francisco 49ers in the regular-season finale. Whether the NFC West crown will be at stake depends on how the 49ers fare on Sunday night against the Chicago Bears.
Regardless, the Seahawks will have a chance to claim the top seed in the NFC playoffs.
Jones, for one, knows what to expect.
“A dogfight, man,” he said. “I’m mentally ready for it. I’m sure they are. So, let’s do it.”
Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell