Takeaways from Seattle Seahawks 30-25 win over Rams
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 05: Jake Bobo #19 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates scoring a touchdown with teammate Geno Smith #7 against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter at SoFi Stadium on January 05, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
For just the second time in franchise history, the Seattle Seahawks will be watching the playoffs from home despite winning at least 10 games in a season after a 30-25 victory over the Los Angeles Rams to close out the season.
The Seahawks were eliminated from playoff contention last weekend as a needed tiebreaker was put out of reach for Seattle following the games in Week 17. So all that was left for the Seahawks was to play for some pride, and to try to get a 10th victory for head coach Mike Macdonald in his rookie season.
"I thought our guys did a tremendous job of staying focused on what our new goal was, finishing the year the right way, and it was a great team win," Macdonald said.
Geno Smith tossed a career-high four touchdown passes, and authored his 12th game-winning drive in three seasons as the Seahawks quarterback. In doing so, Smith also set new career-highs and franchise records for attempts (578), completions (407), yards (4,320) and completion percentage (70.42).
It's the first time since 1986 that the Seahawks have missed the playoffs with a 10-win season. Fifteen teams have won 10 games this season in the NFL and the Seahawks are the only one not in the postseason, losing a strength of victory tiebreaker to the Rams.
"I'm telling you, man, this team is heading in the right direction. This team is on its way and that's with or without me. these guys in this locker room, these coaches, this organization, outstanding organization, and I believe in it," Smith said.
Whether you view the season as a success or a disappointment for the Seahawks will entirely be colored by your expectations for the team. A first-year coach with a mostly first-year coaching staff in every major post winning 10 games in their first season together could easily be viewed as a very successful season.
But given the success the team did have this season, it's understandable to look at a few areas and believe more was left on the table. If the offensive line had been better, if the free agent additions had been more effective, and if Smith had a few less interceptions this season, perhaps a deep playoff run could have been on the table. As it is, one bad loss to the New York Giants is the reason the Seahawks didn't have the chance to win the NFC West this weekend.
Here are the takeaways from the end of the regular season for the Seahawks:
– Geno Smith hits career-highs, earns $6 million in contract incentives.
Geno Smith rounded out another solid season as the quarterback for the Seahawks by setting multiple career-highs that saw him earn an extra $6 million in contract incentives heading into the offseason.
Smith was 20-of-27 for 223 yards with four touchdowns in the win over the Rams on Sunday, which included an eight-play, 70-yard game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. The winning touchdown to Noah Fant came with Smith fighting through a hip injury on the final drive as well.
"Talk about one of the guys that fought all the way to the very end for us," Macdonald said. "Putting a drive…par for the course for Geno coming after another fourth quarter comeback."
Smith needed 185 passing yards, a 10th win on the season, and to finish the year with better than a 69.755 completion percentage in order to earn the three separate contract incentives that were each worth an extra $2 million a piece.
Smith said that his only motivation for this game was to win, and not the extra money he could earn.
"Winning games, that's the most important thing," he said. "We got 10 wins this season. Should have been more. I believe we’ve got the right guys in this locker room. Personal stats aren't a big deal for me. I'm not out here chasing accolades. I want to win, and I want to win for the guys in that locker room. I want to win for our coaching staff. I want win for our front office and all the people that work, our kitchen staff, our strength staff, all the people that work so hard, man. They deserve to have the best of the best. For me personally, I expect to do well, but again, it's a team game and I just want to be there for my teammates."
Smith finished the year with 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, which is the most of his three-year tenure as a starter with Seattle and third-most in the NFL this season.
However, the struggles of the offensive line throughout the season, and the lack of a consistent rushing attack to balance out the offense, put too much onto Smith's shoulders to carry the offense. Smith was sacked 50 times this year, which is also third-most in the league behind Chicago's Caleb Williams (68) and Houston's C.J. Stroud (52). The Seahawks also finished 28th in the league in rushing with just 95.7 yards per game.
Smith has just one year remaining on his current contract, which would put possible extension talks on the table this offseason. Smith wouldn't get into his desires for a new contract, but he does believe the Seahawks are progressing.
"I'm telling you man, this team is heading in the right direction. This team is on its way. That’s with or without me," Smith said. "These guys in this locker room, these coaches, this organization, outstanding organization, and I believe in it. I believe the best of the best is going to happen for this team. I just want to continue to fight with these guys."
– Tyler Lockett hints at goodbye to Seahawks.
Tyler Lockett has spent 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and is the second-most productive receiver in franchise history.
And he's quite aware that this might have been his last game in a Seahawks' uniform.
Lockett began his press conference after the game with a message seeking raises for the equipment and training staff of the team, and speaking as though he knows he's played his last game for Seattle.
"It just speaks volumes the people that we have in this building and been blessed to be able to know them, some of them for 10 years, some of them for six some of them for one. But definitely got to get them a shout-out."
Lockett has a cap number of just shy of $31 million for next season. The Seahawks can save $17 million against the cap by releasing or trading Lockett this offseason. With Lockett's production dipping this season amid the emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba – who matched Lockett's single-season receptions record on Sunday – the contract becomes something the team may be unable to afford.
"Obviously, you never know when it's going to be the end," Lockett said. "Because I kind of plan on playing again. I know it's not the very, very end. It would be different if I was retiring, but yeah, I mean, I think it's always going to be somewhat sensitive, just because that could have been the last time you put on a jersey, so I'm glad I ended with a catch, you know, just in case. Glad we ended up with a win."
Smith-Njigba reached 100 catches on the season with his four receptions against the Rams on Sunday. That matches Lockett's 100-catch season from 2020 for the franchise record, though Lockett did it in one fewer game.
"I mean, shout out to Jax for wanting me to still be right there beside him. ... But I mean, I think that's dope, man. Like, at least I'm able to share it with somebody," Lockett said.
Lockett said this week that he believed his biggest contribution to the team this year was sacrificing his standing to allow others to shine. He did it willingly and to help the team be the best it can be, but his numbers took a hit as a result. And ten years into his tenure in Seattle, the relationship may have run its course.
"I think the city is amazing. I always view Seattle as a college town. And yeah, maybe this isn't the end. Maybe it is the end, but you know, I always will be a Seahawk through and through, Lockett said.
– Leonard Williams completes a standout season for Seahawks.
The fact that Leonard Williams isn't a Pro Bowler this season is completely wrong.
Williams added two more sacks to his total on Sunday to reach 11 sacks on the season. It's the second-most in Williams' career and just the fourth time in Seahawks team history that an interior defensive lineman has had a double-digit sack season. He joins Cortez Kennedy (14.0 sacks, 1992), John Randle (11.0 sacks, 2001) and Jarran Reed (10.5 sacks, 2018).
"He didn't need a punctuation (or) exclamation point, but he sure added one today with all the work that he’s done," Macdonald said.
Williams also didn't make the Pro Bowl in 2020 when he set his career-high with 11.5 sacks with the New York Giants. In addition to the sacks, Williams had a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown against the New York Jets that was a critical piece of a comeback victory for the team.
Williams' presence has helped others along the line of scrimmage shine as well. Reed has been a force again for Seattle, and Derick Hall and Boye Mafe have become more consistent edge rushers this season alongside Williams.
"I think our front, in order for ‘Leo’ to come alive, you have to rush as one," Macdonald said. "We've talked about this the whole season, but he's doing it within the lens of playing with each other, playing off one another. The defensive front has just done a great job of playing together, playing off one another, growing together. That's the type of football team we want to create, guys that are a connected group that play for one another."
Certainly, the additions of Ernest Jones IV and Roy Robertson-Harris midseason were key acquisitions as well, but Williams set the tone for Macdonald's defense up front.
Williams will likely get to the Pro Bowl as an alternate in the coming weeks, but he should have been there from the start.
Additional Notes:
– Linebacker Ernest Jones IV told reporters in Los Angeles that he expects to get a contract extension done to stay with Seattle.
"We’re going to get it done. I’m gonna be a Seahawk. I firmly believe that," Jones said, via Michael Shawn-Dugar of The Athletic.
Jones and his agent paused negotiations with the Seahawks this week, according to reports from NFL Network. Jones was traded twice this season and has said multiple times that he wants to stay in Seattle after a chaotic season.
"Yeah, I think he needs to be back here," safety Julian Love said on Thursday. "I don't control anything that's going on upstairs, but it's clear and evident when he got here our defense got what it was missing. ... We want him back. We want E.J. back."
– Tight end A.J. Barner caught his fourth touchdown pass of the season in the victory for the Seahawks. Barner had 29 receptions for 246 yards and the four touchdowns as a rookie for Seattle after being a fourth-round draft pick in April.
– Mike Macdonald is the first coach in Seahawks' team history to win 10 games in his first season as a head coach.
– With the regular season complete, the teams Seattle will face next season are now set. The dates and times of those games won't be set until May, but the teams are already known.
The Seahawks will face all four teams from the AFC South and NFC South next season. They'll also face the second-place team from the NFC East (Washington), NFC North (Minnesota) and AFC North (Pittsburgh).
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