Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald makes tough admission after loss to Packers

The Seattle Seahawks suffered a humbling 30-13 defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night, and head coach Mike Macdonald didn’t hold back in assessing the team’s performance. Speaking to reporters after the game, Macdonald took full responsibility for the loss and candidly critiqued both the coaching staff and the players.

“Give Green Bay a lot of credit. I thought they out-coached us,” Macdonald said, via Curtis Crabtree on X. “We didn’t have a good enough plan in all three phases. I’m responsible for that and then, frankly, we didn’t play good enough.”

The Seahawks came into the game with high stakes, vying to maintain their position atop the NFC West. However, the loss dropped Seattle to 8-6 and out of first place in the division, with the Los Angeles Rams overtaking them thanks to a head-to-head tiebreaker.

Seattle’s struggles were evident from the start. The Packers opened with two methodical touchdown drives, and by the time the Seahawks managed to put points on the board with a field goal, Green Bay already had a commanding 20-3 lead. Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, who had been relatively sharp in the first half, exited in the third quarter with a knee injury after being hit by Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.

Seahawks drop in the NFC West standings after a blowout loss

Backup quarterback Sam Howell struggled to find any rhythm in Smith’s absence, completing just five of 14 passes for 24 yards and an interception. While Smith’s injury was a pivotal moment, the Seahawks’ issues were much broader. The Packers’ defense overwhelmed Seattle’s offensive line, sacking their quarterbacks seven times and forcing two turnovers.

Meanwhile, Seattle’s defense couldn’t contain Green Bay’s offense early on, allowing Packers quarterback Jordan Love to throw for 229 yards and two touchdowns while running back Josh Jacobs added a rushing score. Macdonald emphasized the need for accountability across the board. “We didn’t execute, and that starts with the coaching staff,” he admitted. “Our players fought, but we have to put them in better positions to succeed.”

The loss highlighted lingering concerns for Seattle as they head into the final stretch of the season. With Smith’s availability uncertain for next week’s game against the 11-2 Minnesota Vikings, the Seahawks are at risk of falling further out of playoff contention.

Despite the setback, Macdonald remained optimistic about his team’s ability to rebound. “We’ve got a lot of pride in that locker room,” he said. “It’s a tough loss, but we’ll regroup and get ready for Minnesota. There’s still a lot of football left to play.” The Seahawks now face a critical juncture in their season. If they are to remain in the hunt for the NFC playoffs, they’ll need to address their shortcomings quickly, starting with their preparation and execution in all three phases of the game.