Seahawks’ Loss to Bears Raises Playoff Concerns

The Seahawks’ 17-point defeat was their first loss by more than four points in 30 regular-season and playoff games. Seattle, the defending Super Bowl champions, now sits at 4-4 after an uneven start that includes losses to NFC contenders San Francisco and Chicago. The team is eighth in the NFC standings, narrowly ahead of the 4-4 Los Angeles Rams on a tiebreaker.

Seattle’s offense struggled against Chicago, totaling 252 yards and converting only one of 11 third downs. Quarterback Sam Darnold completed 17 of 34 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns, but threw an interception and was sacked three times. Coach Mike Macdonald said the team’s need to improve quickly was urgent.

The offense had added guard Quenton Nelson in a trade and welcomed running backs Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet back from injuries, but the revamped unit looked out of sync. The two backs combined for 52 yards on 16 carries. Jaxon Smith-Njigba remained a bright spot, catching six passes for 118 yards and a touchdown; he leads the league through Week 8 with 985 receiving yards and nine scores. Kicker Jason Myers missed an extra point, and a 33-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.

Seattle’s remaining schedule includes two games against the Rams, plus matchups with the Cardinals and 49ers. The Seahawks host Arizona on Sunday. They will need to improve as they pursue a wild-card place in a crowded NFC race.