This hasn’t been the start the Seattle Seahawks envisioned. The defending champs suffered an overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 6 and are now 3-3 on the year.
There’s still plenty of time to turn things around and make a run at the playoffs, but it’s safe to say their first six weeks have been a disappointment.
Even so, they’re still a team that’s highly regarded around the league and among media outlets. That’s evident in our Week 7 NFL power rankings roundup, which still has Seattle as a fixture in the top 10.
Sports Illustrated
Ranking: 6 | Last week: 5
Connor Orr dropped the Seahawks just one spot. He believes they could see some change on offense with the return of Zach Charbonnet, which is anticipated to happen very soon.
"Zach Charbonnet is (likely) back. With a completely new offensive coordinator and similar run philosophy, we’ll see if it makes the kind of difference we expect it to," Orr wrote.
ESPN
Ranking: 6 | Last week: 6
ESPN kept Seattle at No. 6, although Brady Henderson also believes the run game needs help. He also says the pass protection and ball security need to improve as well. The good news is that all of this is fixable.
"The Seahawks' run game has been underwhelming and their pass protection has been problematic, but no issue is holding first-year coordinator Brian Fleury's unit back like turnovers. It has committed 12 of them, third most of any offense so far," Henderson wrote.
Bleacher Report
Ranking: 9 | Last week: 6
Bleacher Report had a similar drop from six to nine for Seattle, and Kristopher Knox is pointing at the ground game and Sam Darnold’s interceptions as the primary reasons for concern.
"Backfield injuries have prevented the Seahawks from running the ball effectively. As a team, Seattle has averaged just 3.9 yards per carry. This has allowed opposing defenses to focus on pressuring quarterback Sam Darnold, who has been the team's other issue," Knox wrote. "With seven interceptions in less than five full games, Darnold has actively cost Seattle wins."
The Athletic
Ranking: 10 | Last week: 6
The Athletic is also focused on the ground game, saying their offense will struggle as long as Emanuel Wilson is the lead back. They also gave the Seahawks the lowest spot out of all these rankings, putting them at No. 10 overall.
"Why are the defending champions struggling? Because a former undrafted free agent in his fourth year of a journeyman career is their top-scoring running back (9.4 ppg). While Kenneth Walker III is carrying the Chiefs, Seattle first-round pick Jadarian Price has struggled with injuries and fumbles and is 58th in the league in rushing (119 yards) while he rehabs a chest injury on injured reserve," Josh Kendall and Chad Graff wrote.
USA Today
Ranking: 6 | Last week: 3
Nate Davis dropped Seattle three spots and accurately says you can’t have Sam Darnold throw 51 times per game and expect to win.
"Can't have QB Sam Darnold throwing a career-high 51 times − and getting beaten to a pulp in the process − and expect to win. Sure would help to get injured RBs Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet back," Davis wrote.
The Seahawks are a team that wins with defense and a strong run game. Even though they haven’t been elite to start the 2026 season, their defense has been good enough and their ground game can become vastly improved once healthy. That’s why they’re still seen as one of the biggest threats in the NFL.
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