The Seahawks have one more hurdle to clear before their huge showdown with the Rams. Can they avoid an upset vs. the Colts?
The Seahawks had to fight harder than expected to beat the Falcons. The first half from the offense was clearly below expectations, but the second half offered legitimate reasons to believe this unit can return to being productive. Adding even more value to the result is the fact that Atlanta had just beaten the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football, making Seattle’s victory look better in context.
Now, the focus shifts to the Indianapolis Colts. Not long ago, Indianapolis looked like a strong candidate for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but a sharp decline in performance — combined with serious injuries at quarterback — has dramatically altered their outlook. Daniel Jones is now out after the team had already lost Anthony Richardson.
Let’s go preview!
Roster considerations
The Colts have been anything but clear about their plan at quarterback. Shortly after Jones’ injury, the team indicated Brett Rypien would be the starter, with rookie tight end Tyler Warren listed as the emergency quarterback, and that no external additions would be made following Riley Leonard’s injury.
That changed quickly. Indianapolis ended up bringing in Philip Rivers, and Colts insiders believe he is on track to start based on what he has shown in practice. It’s also worth noting that Riley Leonard, who was initially ruled with a knee injury immediately after the Jaguars game, did not receive any game designation on the injury report.
On the other side of the ball, the Colts will be without several key contributors: starting cornerback Sauce Gardner, DeForest Buckner — once a nightmare matchup for Russell Wilson — and starting right tackle Braden Smith. These absences matter, whether it’s generating pressure, matching up against Jaxon Smith-Njigba, or holding up in the run game.
Sam Darnold vs. a defense built on disguises and blitzes
The Colts’ defense is led by Lou Anarumo, who continues to do an outstanding job. The front seven features high-level talent such as Buckner, Laiatu Latu, linebackers Germaine Pratt and Zaire Franklin, while the secondary was bolstered by the addition of Sauce Gardner and free-agent safety Cam Bynum, who has fit seamlessly into the scheme.
This is a very physical defense that uses creative blitz packages to confuse quarterbacks. That’s been a major problem for the Seahawks’ offensive line recently, especially against blitz-heavy teams like the Falcons and Vikings, games in which Seattle allowed six sacks combined.
One example shows how this defense can impact even experienced quarterbacks like Matthew Stafford. The Colts align with five players on the line, with linebacker No. 44 appearing to blitz. Just before the snap, safety No. 0 rotates down into the box and becomes the actual blitzer, while the linebacker drops into coverage, replacing the safety’s zone. Stafford adjusts to the new rusher and fires quickly over the middle, but fails to see the linebacker underneath — nearly resulting in an interception.
In addition to late rotations and disguises, Anarumo frequently uses overload blitz concepts, something also commonly seen in Mike Macdonald’s defenses. The idea is to overwhelm one side of the offensive line and force protection breakdowns.
In the snap, the Colts show six defenders on the line. Even after the quarterback attempts to adjust the protection, there’s continued movement — a safety and linebacker shifting toward the edges. The protection slides right due to the overload, leaving only the running back to block the blitzing linebacker. The linebacker wins immediately, hits the quarterback, and forces an incompletion.
Beating this kind of pressure requires quick identification and, just as importantly, movement when the pocket collapses — which, given what we’ve seen from Seattle’s offensive line, is likely to happen. Too often, Darnold has been late to move, and that hesitation has resulted in sacks.
There’s also an example where the Colts place eight defenders on the line, creating a free rusher (No. 0). Trevor Lawrence responds with a rollout, buys time, and completes the pass. That extra second is critical because the more defenders sent on the blitz, the fewer remain in coverage.
Encouragingly, Darnold did a much better job of navigating the pocket in the second half against the Falcons, and that improvement was a key factor in the offense’s resurgence.
Stopping the run is the priority for the Seahawks
Regardless of who ultimately starts at quarterback — still not officially confirmed at the time of writing — Seattle’s ability to generate pressure should be disruptive. Whether it’s a sixth-round rookie making decisions under fire or a 44-year-old veteran with limited mobility, the pass rush should be a factor.
That reality suggests the Colts will lean heavily on the run game, particularly Jonathan Taylor. Establishing the run slows down the pass rush and remains the strongest element of Indianapolis’ offense. Taylor has 1,356 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns, and is averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
Seattle’s performance against Bijan Robinson provides some optimism. Robinson finished with 86 yards, but the Seahawks held him to 4.3 yards per carry — his fifth-worst mark of the season. Considering his talent and Atlanta’s commitment to the run even while trailing, that qualifies as a win for the defense.
Expect a similar approach from Indianapolis. The Colts’ offensive line excels at double teams and features a powerful interior with Quenton Nelson, Tanor Bortolini, and Matt Goncalves. Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, and especially Byron Murphy will need to defeat those double teams to make plays at the line of scrimmage.
One snap perfectly illustrates both the strength of the Colts’ blocking and how complete Jonathan Taylor is as a runner. He manipulates the linebacker, shows patience, accelerates through the gap, and finishes with power and balance through contact.
This will be a tough test for Seattle’s defense.
Final thoughts
The Seahawks control their own destiny.
A playoff berth? They only depend on themselves. Winning the NFC West for the first time since 2020? Still in their hands. Earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC? Also within reach.
The formula is simple — though not easy: win out.
Given the Colts’ quarterback situation, this matchup is, on paper, the least complicated remaining game compared to the Rams, Panthers, and 49ers. A loss here would unnecessarily complicate Seattle’s path.
It’s also worth remembering that the Seahawks made the Titans game far more difficult than it needed to be, and the offense struggled against both the Vikings and the Falcons (especially in the first half). There’s no room to relax.
Focus is critical, especially with a short week looming and a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Rams ahead. Any stumble — or even a sloppy win like the one against Tennessee — could add unnecessary pressure to what is essentially a de facto NFC West final.
Focus. Focus. Focus.
Category: General Sports
