#Seattle Seahawks

#Seattle Seahawks

The biggest lesson is that defense can win championships, period. And I say "can" because most leave that word out of the adage, but it applies in Dallas, because the Cowboys' offense could likely win a championship if only its defense was also as good - or even anywhere near it. That's the point of doing away with Matt Eberflus after only one season and bringing in a fresh, young fast-riser in Christian Parker,

Seattle is tied with the Los Angeles Rams at +950 to win the NFL's championship in 2027, followed by the Buffalo Bills at +1100, and the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and AFC champion New England Patriots tied at +1300, according to DraftKings odds. If they hold until the beginning of the season, the Seahawks' and Rams' odds would be the longest for a preseason favorite on record (since at least 1977), per ESPN Research and SportsOddsHistory.com. Since 2015, +950 would have been the second-shortest odds on the odds board once and fifth-shortest on the board six times.

While the Drake Maye-led Patriots are a talented team, likely Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the league's best defense headline a more talented Seattle squad. A hallmark of Seattle's offense, aside from Smith-Njigba, has been the run game. After hitting the 90-yard mark just once during his first 14 games, Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker has eclipsed that mark three times in the last five weeks. Zach Charbonnet's injury complicates things for Seattle's backfield, as Walker's 3.3 yards per carry last week was far from ideal.

Seattle is being led by quarterback Sam Darnold, who joined the Seahawks after being ditched by the Vikings last offseason, despite leading Minnesota to a 14-win season. A victory on Sunday would be especially sweet for the former USC Trojan, after Darnold was drafted by the New York Jets in 2018 and bounced around the NFL for years before finally finding what looks like a long-term home in Seattle.