The Seattle Seahawks, sitting at 4-2, have shown promise as true contenders in the NFC this season. The team ranks fifth in points per game (27.7) and sixth in points allowed (19.5). The defense is forcing sacks and turnovers at an elite level. And the Darnold-JSN tandem is perhaps the best in the league. Yet, a worrisome trend could plague the Seahawks as the season progresses. The team known for its deafening stadium seems to have lost its home-field advantage.
Since the beginning of Mike MacDonald’s tenure last season, the Seahawks have a .333 home winning percentage. That’s tied for 25th in the NFL. The league-average over the last four seasons is .542.
“An issue that began during Pete Carroll’s final three seasons as coach has worsened under his successor, a hard reality to square with the fact that Macdonald’s Seahawks have been almost unbeatable away from home,” Brady Henderson writes in a recent ESPN article. “Their win last week over the Jaguars in Jacksonville pushed their road record to an NFL-best 10-1 since the start of the 2024 season.”
Henderson questions whether an influx of visiting teams’ fans has led to the Seahawks poor home record, or if it’s a blend of scheme and circumstance. He writes, “The disparity raises questions: Have opposing fans played a role in Seattle’s diminishing home-field advantage, or vice versa? Could the importance of pre-snap communication to the Seahawks’ defense be a factor? How much of a role has their schedule played?
“The only aspect of the situation that is clear is how intent the organization is to fix it.”
Mike MacDonald on Seahawks Home-Field Advantage
The recent losses at Lumen Field aren’t going unnoticed by Seahawks personnel.
“It’s really important that we play better at home,” head coach Mike Macdonald stated. “It’s been an important emphasis since I was hired. Hasn’t come to life yet. We’re determined to make it come to life.”
GM John Schneider even commented on the perceived increase in opposing fans before the Seahawks Week 1 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. “We’re hoping–as we look over here and see these San Fran red jerseys, we’ve got to keep them out of here,” Schneider said. “We’re tired of it.”
Visiting fans are seen at every NFL game, of course, especially the more significant the matchup. However, Henderson says the Seahawks have made deliberate efforts to attract more hometown fans, perhaps to reclaim a home-field advantage that’s slipping away. Methods include rewarding season-ticket holders who attend every game and cracking down on season-ticket holders who frequently list their seats for resale.
Turning the Trend Around
The Seahawks are 1-2 at home this season–certainly a small sample size. Given the efficiency they’re playing with on both offense and defense, they could easily string together a few home wins and turn the trend into a non-issue.
Their first opportunity is tonight, as the Houston Texans (2-3) head to Seattle for a primetime matchup on Monday Night Football. It’s expected to be a tightly-knit contest, despite the Texans’ losing record. Houston is coming off two straight wins and a bye week.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba could also be facing his toughest matchup of the season if the Texans elect to shadow him with cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. The game kicks off a 10 p.m. EST.
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