The Seattle Seahawks will make their 2024 NFL regular season debut today at home against the Denver Broncos. It represents a turn of the page from a previous era, as the franchise plays its first real game in the post-Pete Carroll era.
Here are a few things we'll be paying close attention to as the game unfolds, beginning with the key matchup of the day.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald vs. Broncos QB Bo Nix
Macdonald was complimentary of Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix and his game earlier this week when he spoke with the media, even saying he reminds him of Drew Brees in some ways. Even if Nix is going to have a strong rookie year, it's unlikely that he'll find much success in his very first NFL game, especially going against Macdonald's defense, given its nature.
Mike-Mac's scheme is challenging in many ways, but particularly in how it confuses quarterbacks with simulated pressures and surprise shifts. Inexperienced quarterbacks like Nix are going to have a hard time competing against this defense, especially early in the season when there's so little film to go on, or none at all in this case.
Byron Murphy II: Rookie game-breaker?
The one player who we're most excited to watch also has a legitimate chance to be the biggest difference-maker when the Seahawks defense is on the field. Rookie defensive lineman Byron Murphy II has the potential to be a highly-disruptive interior game-wrecker right from the start at this level. During preseason opponents were intimidated enough to play double and even triple teams against Murphy.
That's just fine, because the more Murphy can occupy the attention of Denver's interior linemen, the easier it will be for guys like Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed and company to get home. Odds are Murphy will find a way to impact this game no matter how many guys are blocking him, though.
Ken Walker rising
Seattle has an exceptional 1-2-3 combo at wide receiver, a criminally underrated quarterback and a pretty darn-decent pass-catching tight end when he's used right. Nevertheless, based on everything we've heard coming out of training camp, new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb is apparently planning to run the ball down opponents' throats and make third-year running back Ken Walker the focus of his offense in 2024.
Walker is a supremely-talented back, but the team's perpetually-shaky offensive line situation may have more to do with that decision than anything else. Either way, expect a ton of touches for Walker going up against a Broncos defense that allowed the third-most rushing yards per game in the NFL last year.
