Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak didn’t dodge the topic this week.
With Seattle set to host the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, December 18 at Lumen Field (8:15 p.m. ET), Kubiak acknowledged the offense hasn’t done its job early in games lately, and he put a chunk of the responsibility on himself.
The numbers back up the “slow start” concern. Over Seattle’s last five games (Weeks 11-15), the Seahawks have scored a total of 12 first-quarter points — a 2.4-point average — including zero in Week 13 against the Minnesota Vikings.
That recent dip is notable because, for the full season, Seattle has still been one of the league’s better first-quarter scoring teams at 6.4 points per game.
Klint Kubiak Says Seattle Has to Start Faster and Says He Has to Be Better
Kubiak told reporters on December 16 that the emphasis has been on getting on the board earlier, especially with the Rams coming to town.
He admitted the offense’s early-game production “has got to improve,” adding it hasn’t happened “as of late.” He also said, “I got to be better getting our guys ready to go,” while explaining that early play-calling can’t get paralyzed by overthinking — “if you overthink that you go three-and-out.”
Kubiak also pulled back the curtain on Seattle’s weekly “openers,” saying teams typically script somewhere between 10 and 20 plays while preparing for early downs, red zone, short yardage, and goal-line situations.
In other words: the Seahawks have a plan, but Kubiak knows the plan hasn’t produced enough quick points recently.
What It Means for Seahawks-Rams on Thursday Night
This is not the kind of opponent Seattle wants to spot an early lead.
The Rams enter Week 16 11-3, tied with Seattle at 11-3, and they’ve been one of the NFL’s most explosive teams, scoring 30.0 points per game (second in the league, per Pro-Football-Reference).
Seattle, meanwhile, has been a more balanced team overall. The Seahawks have scored 405 points (28.9 per game) while allowing 242 points (17.3 per game) this season.
And even if Seattle’s defense continues to play at a high level, Kubiak’s point is simple: against a team like the Rams, slow starts shrink the margin for error.
It also didn’t help Seattle in the first meeting. In Week 11 at Los Angeles, the Seahawks scored 3 points in the first quarter and trailed 14-3 after one, ultimately losing 21-19.
Stats and Context Seattle Fans Should Know
A few season-long trends line up with what Kubiak described (red zone, third downs, running the ball, and overall balance):
- QB Sam Darnold (SEA): 3,433 yards, 22 TD, 11 INT through 14 games.
- Seattle rushing offense: 113.0 rushing yards per game (22nd in the NFL).
- Seattle red-zone TD rate: 57.45% (17th).
On the Rams’ side, one storyline to watch is the status of star wide receiver Davante Adams, who was listed as missing Tuesday’s walkthrough with a hamstring issue, though Sean McVay didn’t rule him out. Adams has 14 receiving TDs this season.
Kubiak summed it up bluntly: it’s been a “group failure,” and Seattle has to improve “pretty quick.” With the Rams coming on Thursday night, the Seahawks don’t have much time to wait for a better first quarter.
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