Seattle Seahawks Enemy Overview: Explosive Passing Attack Fueling Commanders

Vastly exceeding expectations with a first-year starter in Sam Howell at the helm running Eric Bieniemy's offense, the Washington Commanders have an array of weapons on the outside that the Seattle Seahawks will have to deal with in a tough Week 10 home tilt.

As the Seattle Seahawks look to rebound from one of the worst losses since coach Pete Carroll arrived in 2010, they will have to brace for a surprisingly potent Washington Commanders passing attack led by emerging quarterback Sam Howell.

Prior to the start of the season, few knew what to expect from Howell, who started a single game in his rookie season after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. But under the tutelage of former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who took the same job with the Commanders last spring, the ex-North Carolina star has blossomed airing it out to Terry McLaurin and a talented receiving corps, currently ranking second in the NFL in passing yards along with 14 touchdown passes.

In addition, according to data from The Scout, Washington ranks seventh in the NFL in explosive play rate and have demonstrated the ability to create chunk plays in the passing and running game. Holding great respect for Bieniemy, Howell, and his bevy of weapons, Carroll knows Seattle will have to be on top of its game against an opponent that put up 31 points in two close losses to defending NFC champion Philadelphia.

"He’s tough, they’re leaning on him," Carroll said of Howell and the Commanders' offense. "They’re giving him an opportunity to control the game and it’s impressive the job that he’s been doing, and you can tell that Eric [Bieniemy] really believes in him by the way that he’s calling it. We feel that confidence that he’s exuding and realize that we have to do a great job against this offense."

On the flip side, the Commanders haven't met expectations on defense under coach Ron Rivera, allowing 30 or more points five times already this season. With the unit struggling, the team jettisoned edge rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat before the deadline, trading them away from second and third-round picks before they were scheduled to become free agents next spring.

But while Washington statistically has had issues slowing down opponents all year, the team still has a pair of outstanding defensive tackles in Jonathan Allen and Da'Ron Payne who could pose major issues for Seattle in the interior.

"They’ve been tough, they’re really good up inside and we’ve got our hands full there," Carroll said. "It’s going to be a terrific matchup for us, and we have to get our act together. We're on it."

As both teams seek to improve their respective standing in the NFC playoff picture, here's a close look at the Seahawks upcoming Week 10 opponent, including series history, additions/departures, a deep dive into scheme, and Carroll's evaluation of Howell and the Commanders.

Series History

20th regular season meeting. Since Rivera became coach of the Commanders, the two franchises have split a pair of games, with the Seahawks falling short on Monday Night Football in a 17-15 loss in 2021. Under Carroll, Seattle has posted a .500 record in six games against Washington, including a playoff win in the wild card round in 2013. Neither team has eclipsed 20 points in the past three matchups between them.

What's New?

Departures: Changing quarterbacks once again, Washington didn't re-sign veteran Carson Wentz, who only recently found new employment backing up Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. Long-time backup Taylor Heinicke also departed, joining Atlanta in free agency to backup Desmond Ridder, as well as starting linebacker Cole Holcomb, who went to the Steelers on a three-year deal. But the Commanders' biggest losses came before the trade deadline last month, as the team dealt Young and Sweat to the 49ers and Bears in separate trades, acquiring a second and third-round pick for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Underrated star Terry McLaurin leads Washington's aerial arsenal with 47 receptions for 568 yards and could pose a significant problem for Seattle's talented secondary in Week 10 / © Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Additions: Focusing on shoring up their offensive line, the Commanders signed former Chiefs tackle Andrew Wylie and Giants guard Nick Gates in free agency to three-year contracts. They also signed ex-Seahawks starting linebacker Cody Barton to a one-year deal with hopes he would mitigate the departure of Holcomb. In the draft, Rivera landed a ball-hawking cornerback in Emmanuel Forbes in the first round and a versatile safety in Jartavius Martin in the second round, infusing some young talent into Washington's secondary.

Injury Report

Suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 7, Barton landed on injured reserve and won't be available to play against his former team on Sunday. Pro Bowl special teams ace Jeremy Reaves also is on injured reserve and won't suit up. On Wednesday, receiver Curtis Samuel was limited by a toe injury and didn't play against the Patriots in Week 9.

Inside The Scheme

With Bieniemy at the controls, the Commanders have demonstrated their confidence in Howell by letting the second-year quarterback loose on first down. Through nine weeks, they have dialed up pass plays on a league-high 71 percent of their first down snaps and the majority of those plays have come from shotgun, where Washington also ranks first at an 81 percent clip on first downs. Personnel-wise, they have leaned a bit more heavily on 11 personnel at 65 percent while employing 12 personnel with two tight ends 24 percent of the time.

In the run game, per Pro Football Focus charting, Washington has swayed heavily towards zone concepts, calling zone plays on nearly 70 percent of their rush attempts so far this season. Lead back Brian Robinson has ran the ball 76 times on zone concepts compared to only 33 gap runs. Howell hasn't been overly effective as a play action passer, posting a 57.6 percent completion rate, the lowest among 27 qualified passers per PFF, along with just 6.2 yards per attempt and two interceptions. But he has thrown five touchdowns on play passes, tied for the third-most.

While he rarely has his name called on designed quarterback runs, Howell also has contributed to Washington's ground game as a viable scrambler, turning 22 scrambles into 152 yards so far this year. Carroll expects to see him on the move on bootlegs and scrambles frequently as a big component of Washington's offense similar to how Kansas City uses Patrick Mahomes.

"They’re using the quarterback in the same way," Carroll said. "Everyone is familiar with seeing that and they’re counting on Sam to do his stuff. He’s a drop back guy, good rhythm, he’s strong and physical, and he can throw the ball all over the field. The main thing you can see with the young guy, the confidence that they have in him and how they’re calling their stuff. It’s impressive.”

Defensively, Washington ranks 13th in blitz rate at 25.8 percent, but defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio may be more inclined to bring linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties as extra pressure after the departure of Young and Sweat. With the contributions of those former standout pass rushers skewing production a bit, according to Pro Football Reference, they rank 10th in sacks, 20th in pressure rate, and 20th in quarterback knockdowns.

Coverage-wise, the Commanders have played a wide variety of middle of field open and middle of field closed schemes. Compared to the rest of the league, per PFF charting, Del Rio has employed Cover 2 and Cover 4 more often than most teams, calling Cover 2 on 12.9 percent of defensive plays and quarters on 23.1 percent of plays, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. Regardless of coverage scheme, however, the team has struggled mightily defending the pass, ranking 30th in air yards and 30th in explosive pass plays (20 or more yards) allowed in the league.