NFC West Ripe For Taking as Seattle Seahawks Sprint to 3-0 Start

Aside from winning all of their games, the Seahawks have benefited from slow starts by their NFC West rivals. Should they be viewed as favorites?

Corbin K. Smith | Sep 25, 2024

Sep 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) runs with the ball during the second quarter against Miami Dolphins at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images / Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

RENTON, Wash. - With the calendar yet to flip to October, the Seattle Seahawks couldn't have asked for a much better start in the Mike Macdonald era, winning each of their first three games to move into sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

Making the situation even more ideal for the Seahawks, all three of their division rivals have lost two of their first three games, allowing them to build an early two-game lead. In addition, the 49ers and Rams - the two teams projected by most to win the division by prognosticators - have suffered several significant injuries early in the season, including San Francisco placing running back Christian McCaffrey and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave on injured reserve.

But while he's pleased with how things have transpired so far in his first season at the helm for Seattle, Macdonald understands that 14 games remain left to play on the schedule and winning the division isn't close to his top priority right now as the team ramps up preparation for a tough Monday night road game against the Lions in Week 4.

"I'm glad we won today," Macdonald said after Sunday's victory over Miami. "Yeah, we got a long way to go. This is a long season. We got a big game coming up. Our first goal is to win each game and the next goal is to get in the dance and then the next goal is win the division. We're a long way from there. We can help our chances again next week if we go to Detroit and get a win."

One of just two teams in the NFL right now with a two-game lead in their division along with the Steelers in the AFC North, Zach Charbonnet and the Seahawks have been quite the surprise thus far. But with the 49ers and Rams ailing and the Cardinals also dropping two of their first three games, should they be viewed as favorites to win the NFC West this early in the season?

On a new episode of Locked On Seahawks, hosts Corbin Smith and Connor Benintendi revisit the state of the NFC West with all three of Seattle's rivals losing two of their first three games and battling injuries on both sides of the ball, share what they've learned about Macdonald's team through the first three games, and take a first look at the Detroit Lions heading towards a Monday Night Football clash.

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Published Sep 25, 2024

CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.