Nelson’s arrival cannot fix Seattle’s struggling offense alone

Seattle’s offensive line faced a difficult adjustment on November 2, just days after the Seahawks acquired All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson. Grey Zabel moved from left guard to the right side to make room for Nelson, who settled in at his usual position. Zabel allowed one pressure, which resulted in a sack by Chicago’s Jeffery Simmons. Nelson allowed one hurry on 39 pass-blocking snaps and was called for a false start.

The loss left Seattle at 4-4. The Seahawks managed 81 rushing yards, including 20 by quarterback Sam Darnold, eight days after running for 153 yards in a win over Kansas City. Their running backs had a season-low 17.6% success rate on carries, and the team’s average of 3.9 yards per rush ranked 24th in the league through eight weeks.

Seattle’s line has struggled this season, and right tackle Abe Lucas gave up two sacks against Chicago. Left tackle Charles Cross missed the game with an ankle injury. Coach Mike Macdonald said on November 3 that Cross could return for Sunday’s game against Arizona. Reserve Josh Jones started in his place and allowed three pressures and one quarterback hit.

Zabel said the offense needed to improve its running game, while Darnold said the group’s preparation had been good but its performance fell short. Receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba defended offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, saying execution was the issue. Macdonald said he expected the team to improve. Nelson’s addition could strengthen the line as he builds familiarity with his teammates, but the reshuffle alone does not address Seattle’s wider offensive problems.