Seahawks Believe Their Best Football Is Still Ahead Despite Strong 5-2 Start
The Seattle Seahawks head into their Week 8 bye with a 5-2 record, but players and coaches alike believe their best football is still ahead. Despite securing victories, including a 27–19 win over the Houston Texans, the team acknowledges they haven’t yet played a complete game.
Head coach Mike Macdonald expressed, "It’s kind of cool that we haven’t played a complete game. We’re finding ways to win games, which is, like I said, really difficult to win. You got to celebrate those things."
Defensive lineman Leonard Williams echoed this sentiment, stating, "We haven’t played a full game with all three phases clicking. There’s a lot we can build on, and we know if we clean up a few mistakes, we can dominate. We could very easily be 7-0."
The Seahawks’ defense has been a bright spot, allowing the sixth fewest points per game (19.4) despite injuries in the secondary.
Offensively, the team has shown flashes of brilliance but also areas needing refinement. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as a standout, and the offensive line has maintained continuity. "The more we work together, the better we’ll get,"
As the Seahawks prepare for their next game against the Washington Commanders, the focus will be on eliminating penalties, improving third-down efficiency, and ensuring all three phases of the game are in sync. With the bye week providing an opportunity for rest and recovery, the team aims to return stronger and more cohesive.
In summary, while the Seahawks’ 5-2 record is commendable, the team recognizes the need for continued improvement to reach their full potential. With a commitment to addressing areas of concern, Seattle is poised to make a strong push in the second half of the season.
Bears Get More Bad News on Kyler Gordon Before Ravens Game
The situation with cornerback Kyler Gordon has gone from bad to worse for the Chicago Bears ahead of Week 8’s road matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Gordon popped up on the injury report Thursday after injuring both his groin and calf in practice and spending the day’s session as a limited participant. The Bears then held him out entirely from Friday’s walkthrough before ruling him out for Week 8’s game.
Things grew worse Saturday when the Bears officially placed Gordon on the injured reserve list, meaning he will miss at least the next four games for Chicago’s defense.
The Bears will now play at least their next four games — including Sunday’s road game against the Ravens — without two of their top cornerbacks. Pro Bowl starter Jaylon Johnson underwent core-muscle surgery in September and is out indefinitely on IR.
The Bears also won’t have their other perimeter starter, Tyrique Stevenson, available against the Ravens. Stevenson injured his shoulder early in Week 7’s win over the New Orleans Saints and sat out every practice this week before the team ruled him out.
The Bears (4-2) will kick off against the Ravens (1-5) at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Losing Kyler Gordon Could Cripple Bears’ CB Room
With Gordon now out for a minimum of four games, the Bears are severely depleted at the cornerback position because of injuries and could remain that way for some time, depending on how much time Stevenson winds up missing with his shoulder injury.
The Bears will count Nahshon Wright, Nick McCloud and Josh Blackwell as their top three cornerbacks when they face the Ravens on Sunday. They will also have Jaylon Jones and practice-squad elevation Dallis Flowers available as backups, though the lack of high-level playing experience across the board raises some alarm bells for them.
On the plus side, the Bears won’t have to deal with two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson after the Ravens announced Saturday that he will miss his third straight game with his hamstring injury. The Ravens will start backup Tyler Huntley (11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 26 career games) in his place — a better matchup for Chicago.
Even still, the sudden depletion of depth could force the Bears to consider their options for improving their cornerback room — such as signing a vet — in the coming weeks.
Bears Also Shut Down Braxton Jones With Knee Injury
Gordon is not the only Bear who landed on injured reserve before Week 8’s game.
The Bears also placed offensive tackle Braxton Jones on injured reserve Saturday with a knee injury. He was a limited participant in Wednesday’s first practice before the team downgraded him to a non-participant for the final two sessions to close out the week.
Jones lost his job as the Bears’ starting left tackle when the team benched him for Theo Benedet midway through Week 4’s win over the Dallas Cowboys, but he still provided the Bears with valuable depth and experience at the position before his new injury.
The injury is also likely to diminish — if not completely wipe out — any trade interest Jones may have garnered before the NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET on November 4.
In a corresponding roster move, the Bears signed defensive tackle Jonathan Ford from the practice squad to the 53-man roster after elevating him in each of their past three games. Ford has played 36 defensive snaps this season, but he is less likely to see any playing time now that veteran Grady Jarrett (knee) has been cleared to play again.
