Is the Seattle Seahawks' Hot Start 'Fool's Gold'?

The disparity between who the Seahawks have played so far and who they have remaining on the schedule leaves some doubters about their hot start.

Sep 8, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

They say "a win is a win" in the NFL. That's true. There are no media polls or committees behind closed doors deciding who is ranked high enough to make the playoffs. The only thing that matters at the end of the day is, "Did you win the game?"

Thus far, the Seahawks have done nothing but win under new head coach Mike Macdonald. Seattle currently sits at 3-0, a full two games clear of the next closest team in the NFC West (all three division rivals sit at 1-2). Seattle is one of just five undefeated teams left across the NFL. With tons of weirdness and upsets sprinkled throughout the league, you can't take any win for granted. As the saying goes, it's any given Sunday.

There is no such thing as an easy win in the NFL. Even the worst team still has a handful of the best football players on the planet. Still, there are some who wonder how much they should read into Seattle's undefeated start.

USA TODAY's Nate Davis doesn't seem to be a believer quite yet. In his most recent power rankings, he has Seattle 15th despite being 3-0. He claims they've "feasted on a trio of teams each sporting a single win," suggesting their schedule has been fluffy thus far.

Pro Football Focus displays even more skepticism, ranking the Seahawks 17th. They even went as far as ranking the 1-2 Miami Dolphins ahead of Seattle, despite the drubbing Seattle handed the Dolphins last Sunday.

They broke down Seattle's strength of schedule, ranking the three games thus far as being the 29th-rated strength of schedule in the NFL. According to PFF, only the Browns, Lions and Bills have faced an easier opening three games.

It's fair to wonder how much of Seattle's success, especially on defense, is due to the lackluster offenses they've faced. They opened the season hosting Bo Nix in his first ever NFL start and rightfully feasted on the very green rookie. The Patriots have a decent running attack and Jacoby Brissett isn't a rookie, but he's certainly a few tiers below the cream of the crop. And of course, the Dolphins were out-gunned without Tua Tagovailoa and were down to their third string signal caller by the time the clock expired.

It's hard to say what this Seahawks defense has done so far is all fool's gold. This is an uber-talented group that appears to be well coached. They rank second in team DVOA on defense. They look more disciplined and aggressive.

Even though the schedule may have been lighter than other teams, you can't fault the Seahawks for that. They simply play the schedule in front of them. They can't help what happens to their opponents before they take the field for battle.

Sep 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed (90) sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Tim Boyle (14) during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

That being said, that narrative is going away very quickly. PFF ranks Seattle's remaining schedule as the third-toughest in the league.

We are about to find out quickly whether or not the Seahawks are truly for real. That starts, of course, this Monday night in Detroit. The Lions at home are no picnic. In fact, they've been whatever the opposite of a picnic is. It's something close to an actual lion's den. If Seattle can hold their own on the national stage against a powerful Lions team, the skeptics will have no choice but to pay them their due respect.

Also on the schedule are some of the league's best quarterbacks. They still face Brock Purdy's 49ers, Matthew Stafford's Rams, and Kyler Murray's Cardinals twice each. They must play on the road against a feisty Falcons team with Kirk Cousins. They host Josh Allen and the Bills in late October. They travel across the country to play Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. Green Bay, Minnesota and Chicago all have potentially problematic offenses as well.

The good news is, if people calling the Seahawks "fool's gold" online has you hot and bothered, the true Seahawks will be revealed in the coming weeks. They play both the Lions and 49ers over the next 14 days. One way or another, the real Seahawks will stand up very soon. Unless, they are already standing.