Are Seattle Seahawks 'Pretenders' Among Undefeated Teams?

The Seattle Seahawks still have some doubters despite earning their first 2-0 start since 2020.

Sep. 15, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) walks off of the field after a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks are one of just nine remaining undefeated teams, and fans are quite happy with the strong start to the Mike Macdonald era.

However, it seems like Seattle is still fighting for respect on a national level. ESPN's Ben Solak recently labeled each 2-0 team as either a contender or pretender, and perhaps unsurprisingly, placed Seattle in the latter category. While he likes much of what the Seahawks have shown him, Solak believes one big flaw is holding them back.

"I wish. I'm so close," Solak wrote. "Geno Smith looks great. The defense looks great. (Hello, Boye Mafe, the edge rusher the Seahawks have been waiting for!) They have the requisite stars for a run: DK Metcalf, Kenneth Walker III, Tyler Lockett, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I think this coaching staff is sharp as tacks too. Mike Macdonald is the defensive mind du jour, but offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has leaped from the college ranks to the NFL with aplomb.

"But I don't trust the offensive line, and I'll never let a team with a bad offensive line trick me into believing in it. I won't do it. I won't do it. I won't do it. ... OK, I'm thinking about doing it."

To play devil's advocate, the Seahawks' offensive line has been a weakness so far, and failing to open up holes in the ground game against the New England Patriots last week isn't exactly a good look. Seattle has also played two relatively easy opponents, and beat them by a combined nine points.

On the flip side, the passing game and the defense has looked so good that it's possible to overlook those concerns. The competition for Seattle is significantly tougher soon, so we'll find out what this team is truly capable of in short time.