Seahawks shut down Chiefs in 20–3 win, with red-zone work still ahead

Rain City Sports editorial desk | October 26, 2026 | Game played October 25.

A response built on defense

Seattle beat Kansas City 20–3 on Sunday, October 25, at Lumen Field, handing the Chiefs their first defeat and improving to 4–3. The Seahawks ended a two-game losing streak with a defensive performance that kept Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense out of the end zone.

The official Seattle report credits the Chiefs with only 213 total yards and 11 first downs. Kansas City converted three of 11 third downs. Kenneth Walker III finished with 36 rushing yards on 14 carries in his return to Seattle, while the Seahawks established a much more productive ground attack of their own.

The offense supplies enough separation

Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. His 28-yard scoring reception helped Seattle take a 10–0 halftime lead. Emanuel Wilson added 100 rushing yards on 24 carries, including the fourth-quarter touchdown that put the result beyond realistic reach.

Sam Darnold completed 20 of 28 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. Seattle converted 11 of 16 third downs and held the ball for 35:51. Those extended possessions gave the defense recovery time and repeatedly denied Kansas City a fresh opportunity to change the game.

Analysis: that combination is the most useful part of the win to carry forward. A defense holding its assignments and an offense sustaining drives can reinforce each other. Seattle did not need a succession of spectacular defensive plays to compensate for an offense immediately giving the ball back.

Why the run defense mattered

In his October 25 assessment for The Seattle Times, republished by The Spokesman-Review, Tim Booth emphasized Seattle’s discipline against Walker. He described defenders removing the cutback lanes that had helped their former teammate thrive. Booth also highlighted Nick Emmanwori’s ability to stay with Xavier Worthy in coverage.

Those are specific observations from a named reporter, rather than an assertion about what all supporters believed. Analysis: the larger lesson is that containing an explosive opponent requires both sound positioning and the ability to finish the play. Sunday supplied evidence of both, without establishing that every future matchup will unfold the same way.

The improvement still required

Seattle’s official account also identifies an offensive limitation: three red-zone trips produced only six points. Two ended in short field goals and the other in Darnold’s end-zone interception late in the first half.

Analysis: a comfortable final margin should not hide those missed opportunities. Better decisions near the goal line would make the offense less dependent on long touchdown plays and give the defense more room for error. The interception is a concrete sequence to review, rather than a reason to dismiss an otherwise effective night from Darnold.

Injuries and what comes next

The Seahawks reported that Rashid Shaheed left with a knee injury and Charles Cross exited with an ankle injury. Mike Macdonald had no immediate postgame severity update. The club also reported that Anthony Bradford came through his return from injured reserve well. Future availability requires follow-up information; Sunday’s exits do not establish a recovery timetable.

Seattle hosts Chicago on Monday, November 2, at 5:15 p.m. Pacific, according to the official schedule. Analysis: the next standard is to repeat the defensive discipline and possession control while improving the red-zone finish. Beating a previously unbeaten opponent is a significant response. Turning it into a sustained improvement requires another complete performance.

Sources

• Seattle Seahawks: official rapid reactions and game statistics (checked 2026-10-26)
• Seattle Times/Spokesman-Review: Tim Booth’s October 25 assessment (checked 2026-10-26)
• Seattle Seahawks: official postgame injury updates (checked 2026-10-26)
• Seattle Seahawks: official schedule (checked 2026-10-26)

Analysis and recommendations are the editorial desk’s interpretation. Reporting and attributed perspectives are linked above. Information is current as of the publication date.