Aug 15, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Brandon Pili (95) celebrates following a safety against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

ESPN analysts sees something special in Seahawks' rare energy this early in season

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 8:00 PM ET

The Seattle Seahawks played about as complete a preseason game as one could hope for on Friday night, demolishing the Kansas City Chiefs 33-16 at home.

Seattle's offense was the biggest story of the night, and after racking up 477 total yards - 268 of which came on the ground, it's easy to see why.

However, the Seahawks' defense was also suffocating for most of the night. They allowed just 156 total yards on the night, and only two of the Chiefs' seven offensive ended in points - a second-quarter field goal and a third-quarter touchdown (their second touchdown came on a punt return). The other five ended in three punts, a turnover on downs and a safety.

The Seahawks' performance on defense was exceptional, but their energy is what really stood out to ESPN analyst Matt Miller.

Analyst loves Seahawks' energy on defense

"The energy from the Seattle defense is amazing considering it’s Week 2 of the preseason," Miller wrote on social media. "To be this fired up? Says a lot."

The energy from the Seattle defense is amazing considering it’s week 2 of the preseason. To be this fired up? Says a lot
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) August 16, 2025

Indeed, the vibes were immaculate during and after the game. While starters played briefly early on, the younger players were mostly responsible for the dominant performance, much to the delight of star safety Julian Love.

"That's what I was most excited about today," Love told reporters after the game. "Those guys were balling. There were very little explosives, the DBs were tackling well today, the D-line, those young boys up there were getting it. Across the board, it was just exciting to see."

Last week's 23-23 tie against the Las Vegas Raiders left a sour taste in the Seahawks' mouth, even if it was an emotional game for multiple reasons. So, going out there and dominating on defense was exactly what head coach Mike Macdonald wanted to see.

"Coming into this game felt like we didn't finish it right against Vegas, and these guys did a great job," Macdonald said. "They came in and I thought we played physical. You're always thinking of, it's great, but you're thinking of stuff, hey, we can build off. The guys are working really hard, making calls, running to the ball, leveraging the ball. I think we are tackling really well, which is great."

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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