Seahawks Prove They’re Living Rent-Free in an NFL Rival’s Head
Reid called the Saints’ 2025 season mostly “self-inflicted,” then made one big exception: the trip to Seattle. He said he doesn’t think there’s been any other game, outside of the Seahawks matchup, where it felt like the opponent was “just straight up better” than New Orleans. He used his postgame press conference to drop the illuminating comments.
That’s high praise for a team that already hung a 44-13 beating on the Saints back in Week 3 at Lumen Field
Justin Reid Puts Seahawks in Their Own Category
Reid spent most of his Falcons postgame talking about how New Orleans keeps beating itself.
He called the biggest plays “all self-inflicted,” pointed to botched snaps and exchanges on offense, and repeated that the NFL usually comes down to execution and who makes fewer mistakes. Then he drew a clear line.
Outside of the Seahawks, Reid said he doesn’t feel like any team has simply been better than the Saints. Seattle was the lone exception, the one game where it didn’t
That’s coming from a veteran safety who’s faced both the NFC West leaders and plenty of fellow also-rans on a 2-9 New Orleans team. The comments carry special weight when you analyze the Saints’ schedule. New Orleans have faced playoff-likely teams in San Francisco, Buffalo, New England, Chicago, Tampa, and even the Los Angeles Rams.
According to Reid, Seattle is the cream of that crop.
For Seattle, it’s another data point that opponents aren’t just losing to them, they’re measuring themselves against them.
Seahawks Already Crushed Saints 44-13 in September
Reid’s comment hits harder when you remember what actually happened in that Week 3 game.
Seattle destroyed New Orleans 44-13, jumping out to a three-touchdown lead in the first five minutes. Special teams and defense did a lot of the early damage: an unnecessary roughness flag extended a drive for a touchdown, then came a 95-yard punt return TD by rookie Tory Horton and a blocked punt that set up another quick score.
Sam Darnold barely had to break a sweat. He went 14-of-18 for 218 yards and two touchdowns, posting a 154.2 passer rating and earning a FedEx Air Player of the Week nomination after one of the most efficient games of his career.
Field Gulls summed it up as the kind of blowout that didn’t feel real: by early in the second quarter, Darnold was hitting Horton for another score to make it 28-3 and Lumen Field was in full party mode.
So when Reid circles that game as the one time the Saints were just flat-out outclassed, he’s basically confirming what the scoreboard already screamed: Seattle wasn’t a victim of New Orleans’ sloppiness that day. They were the problem.
What It Says About the Seahawks’ 2025 Rise
Reid’s honesty fits with the way the Seahawks’ season is trending.
Through Week 12, Seattle is 8-3, sitting second in the NFC West and fifth in the NFC playoff picture. They’re averaging 29.5 points per game, third in the league, with Darnold steering a top-tier offense and Jaxon Smith-Njigba already past 1,000 yards.
They’ve also added more firepower since that Saints game, swinging a trade for New Orleans speedster Rashid Shaheed before the deadline, a move that only tightens the link between these franchises.
Meanwhile, Reid and the Saints keep talking about “self-inflicted wounds” and “little details” after close losses. Seattle? They’re the team New Orleans can’t chalk up to bad luck or a missed assignment.
When a proud, veteran safety looks back at a rough season and puts one opponent in its own category, that’s not nothing. It’s a reminder that Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks are no longer just an annoying matchup; they’re the bar some teams are using to judge themselves.
For now, they’re also living rent-free in at least one rival’s head.
Broncos Get Major Alex Singleton News Before Washington Game
Source: ILB Alex Singleton is expected back on #Broncos
Even after missing the victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Singleton remains Denver’s leading tackler with 89 on the season, one of the top totals in the NFL.
Alex Singleton’s Rapid Return From Surgery Puts Practice in Play
Klis reported on X that Singleton is expected to rejoin the Broncos at practice this week, marking a remarkably quick return from testicular cancer surgery earlier this month.
The 31-year-old revealed in early November that a random NFL drug test flagged abnormal levels of the hormone hCG, which led doctors to the cancer diagnosis. Singleton played in Denver’s Thursday night win that week and then underwent surgery the following day, with the team announcing that the procedure was successful and that the cancer appeared to have been caught early.
Singleton has said he expects to return this season as long as follow-up testing continues to bring good news, and the Broncos echoed that optimism in their initial statement. Getting him back on the field less than three weeks after surgery, even in a limited capacity, would be another positive sign in that recovery timeline.
Klis added that while Singleton’s status for Washington is “the hope,” whether he plays will depend on how he responds to practice and the guidance from doctors and the team’s medical staff.
Heavy previously detailed Singleton’s diagnosis, surgery and mindset in the immediate aftermath of the news, including how teammates and coaches rallied around him during the frightening stretch.
What It Means for the Broncos Defense
On the field, Singleton’s potential return is a massive storyline for a Broncos defense that has leaned on him as its tackling machine and emotional heartbeat in the middle. His 89 tackles not only lead Denver but rank among the NFL leaders, continuing a trend that dates back to his breakout seasons with the
If he’s cleared to play against Washington, even on a pitch count, the Broncos would regain their every-down communicator at inside linebacker and a reliable run stopper. If he’s not, the team will have to keep leaning on its depth and rotation in the middle while continuing to monitor his health long-term.
The Broncos also have to balance the competitive boost of getting Singleton back with the reality that his recovery and future well-being come first. Early practice work, walkthroughs and positional drills could serve as the bridge between rehab and full-contact snaps.
Singleton also took his story national on November 25, appearing on “Good Morning America” to revisit the shock of learning about his testicular cancer from a random NFL drug test and how he “thought about it 24/7” in the days leading up to surgery. He told GMA he’s trying to turn the experience into a platform for early detection, saying he now wants to be the guy on the mountaintop telling people to get checked and stay on top of their health.
Stats, Schedule & Context for Broncos & Singleton
Singleton’s story has already become one of the season’s most striking examples of how quickly serious health issues can be detected — and treated — in the NFL environment. His case has drawn national attention to testicular cancer awareness and early screening, with medical experts pointing to his experience as a reminder for other men to pay attention to warning signs.
For quick plug-and-play context in your final draft:
- Broncos record: 9-2
- Washington record: 3-8
- Singleton 2025 stats: 89 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass deflected
- Week he missed: Chiefs game in Denver, Week 11
- Next game: Broncos at Washington, Sunday, Week 13, Sunday Night Football, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock
If practice goes as hoped, the Broncos could be welcoming back their leading tackler and defensive captain at the very moment the stretch run tightens, and Singleton could be taking the next step in turning a terrifying diagnosis into a comeback story.
