CHICAGO—If watching stifling defense is your thing, then Thursday night's game was for you.
If, however, you're into things like, say, touchdowns, well then, the Seahawks' 6-3 win over the Bears might not have been your cup of tea.
But when you're an NFL team fighting for your playoff lives and traveling nearly 2,000 miles on Christmas to play on short rest, you're not too concerned with style points, so the Seahawks had no problem enjoying Thursday's win, aesthetics be damned.
With all due respect to the most accomplished athlete at Soldier Field on Thursday, gymnast Simone Biles, whose husband, Jonathan Owens, plays for the Bears, football is not gymnastics or any other judged sport. There are no deductions for winning ugly, and all that mattered for the Seahawks Thursday night was that they were flying home with a 9-7 record and still in contention for an NFC West title.
"It's not always going to be sunshine and rainbows," quarterback Geno Smith said. "Gutting out a 6-3 win feels just as good as winning the Game 44-41. It's all good getting wins."
Smith and the Seahawks offense, which leaned heavily on the running game early, had some success moving the ball, but for a myriad of reasons, they weren't able to finish drives, managing just a pair of Jason Myers field goals on four trips into Chicago territory.
But thanks to a dominant performance by the defense, which sacked Bears quarterback Caleb Williams seven times, and allowed just 179 total yards and 11 first downs, the Seahawks still led almost the entire way. And with the defense, which had been outstanding all night, needing one more stop, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald dialed up a fourth-down blitz that forced a rushed throw by Williams, who had safety Coby Bryant bearing down on him, and cornerback Riq Woolen was able to intercept the high, floated pass to secure victory.
"Just the how we drew it up, exactly what we expected, 6-3," Macdonald joked. "It's not easy, coming across the country on a short week, playing in an atmosphere like that. So our guys deserve a lot of credit for their poise. We stuck together throughout, we faced some adversity throughout the game. Our defense just deserves a lot of credit, man. They played really hard. Even when (the Bears) made some unbelievable plays in critical moments—you got to give their quarterback a lot of credit, he made some phenomenal plays under duress. So we just kept fighting, and then you defend a blade of grass at the end of the day. Had an opportunity to win it at the end and guys did a great job."
For the Seahawks, Thursday's win, while lacking in style points, was an important bounce-back performance for a team with its back against the wall following two straight losses to the Packers and Vikings. Following Sunday's loss to Minnesota, the Seahawks had to immediately turn their attention to this game, getting right physically while also getting enough prep work before leaving for Chicago on Wednesday afternoon after allowing players, coaches and staff to start their day later than usual in order to be home on Christmas morning. Despite those challenges, the Seahawks were able to execute at a high level, particularly on defense, to improve to 9-7 this season, including a 6-1 mark on the road.
"Going on a short week, on Thursday, and got get your bodies right to go play and go play the right way," Macdonald said. "You got to be able to play the right way to win in this league. I think this is an opportunity for a shoutout for our support team. (Vice President of Player Performance) Sam Ramsden, (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach) Ivan Lewis and his crew getting those guys -- their bodies right on Monday. That was big for us. Needed that. The guys were determined to go get a win here on the road."
According to Jarran Reed, one of Seattle's many defensive standouts on Sunday, which earned him a game ball from Macdonald in the postgame celebration, the key to getting prepared on this short week was meetings, lots and lots of meetings.
"Man, it was a lot," Reed said with a chuckle. "A lot of meetings, I was tired of the meetings. I had my kids here, it was Christmas, it was meetings, it was more meetings, then a walkthrough, then meetings again, then another walkthrough, then meetings, meetings, meetings. I told them yesterday, I said, 'I'm tired of seeing y'all.' Then we had another meeting this morning."
This 6-3 Seahawks win was hardly the first low-scoring Thursday night game, and perhaps the lack of preparation has to do with that, as Smith outlined.
"Defense only has a couple calls anyway they got to work on," Smith said with a smile. "You know, offense, man, we lose hours and hours of game planning. We're facing a Chicago team not in our division so we're not going to know these guys as well as the teams we play a lot. There will be some difficulties, but like I said, it's the pros and our coaches did a phenomenal job with the game plan. I thought the game plan was awesome. We had opportunities and just one or two plays here where we didn't execute that really held us back."
Added Macdonald, "I know the guys on offense are excited we won the game, but we talk about being 12 as one, and they're part of the team too and we won the game. So our expectation is obviously higher than six points, but let's go to work this week and do the best we can to go win. Thursday night's games are funky. It's a short week. It's just feels like there is some weird outcomes this happen."
Next for Smith and the rest of his teammates is a Week 18 game with the Rams, but first the Seahawks will watch the Rams play the Cardinals on Sunday hoping Arizona can do Seattle a big favor. If the Cardinals beat the Rams, who currently have a 9-6 record, then the Seahawks will be playing the Rams with the NFC West title on the line next weekend. If the Rams win on Saturday, however, the Seahawks will need help from several other teams, both this weekend and next, to come out ahead on the strength of victory tiebreaker that would determine the NFC West winner should the Rams win Saturday and the Seahawks win in Week 18, leaving both teams with 10-7 records.
"Honestly, we shouldn't be in this position," Smith said. "That's the main thing. Understanding that we got to control our destiny when we can, yeah, I'm going to be a big (Cardinals QB) Kyler Murray fan on Saturday. If they get it done they get it done. We're going to go into the last week of the season with the same mindset no matter what."
Added defensive end Leonard Williams, who had 2.0 sacks and three tackles for loss, "For us, we're still seeing it as a possibility. In a way, we're trying to say, let's control the controllables, and let the other things fall into place as they will. So for us, it's like, we have to win out to control the controllables, then we might get a chance. It obviously sucks depending on another team to see what they're going to do, but at the same time, it also feels good to finish strong and put it in our hands."
Must-see shots of the Seahawks at their Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (19) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) and Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48), Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99), and Seahawks free safety Julian Love (20) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks tackle Abraham Lucas (72) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks guard Sataoa Laumea (63) and Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (10) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) at the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
