A clash of reigning division champions turned one-sided on Monday night in the Pacific Northwest. The Chicago Bears marched 80 yards in 17 plays for a touchdown on the opening possession of their clash with the Seattle Seahawks. Ben Johnson's team took a 7-0 lead that they would never relinquish on the way to a decisive 34-17 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks.
It was the worst loss by Mike Macdonald's squad since a 30-13 home prime time setback to the Green Bay Packers i n Week 15 of 2024. And eight weeks into 2026, the defending Super Bowl champions have already dropped one more games than it did all of last season, when they concluded a 17-3 overall campaign by hosting a Lombardi Trophy.
Nov 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald stands on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
How truly stunning was the 17-point setback? As the sideline leader of the Seahawks, Macdonald owns a 31-14 overall record, which includes the team's three-game postseason run in 2025, and it was just the fifth time the team lost a game by double digits.
And just how odd was it that the club lost by such a margin? Go back to 2025 and the team's only three defeats that season were to the San Francisco 49ers (17-13), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (38-35), and Los Angeles Rams (21-19). Entering last Monday night's battle with Johnson's team, there were losses at the hands of the Washington Commanders (33-31), the 49ers (32-29) , and a Thursday night overtime setback to the Denver Broncos (17-14) in Week 6 this season.
This is easy math. Combine the margin of defeat in those six losses and it adds up to 17 points-equaling the surprising result on Monday evening at Lumen Field. Spooky stuff, indeed, post Halloween.
Coincidence aside, it was indeed a disturbing Monday night for Macdonald and company. The visiting Bears won the total yardage battle (363-252) and owned time of possession, 35:03-24:57. Chicago totaled 35 running plays for 126 yards. D'Andre Swift ran for 69 of those yards and three touchdowns.
And while turnovers were a big part of Seattle's regular-season showing in 2025, quarterback Sam Darnold finds himself in unchartered personal territory. In 2026, his completion percentage is a shaky 60.2 percent. He's thrown for 10 scores opposed to nine interceptions. Darnold has been picked off at least once in six straight games, the longest-such streak of his nine-year NFL career.
Obviously, there's a chance to rebound on Sunday against the division-rival Cardinals, who the Seahawks have defeated 10 straight times. But Monday night's uncharacteristic lopsided loss by the Macdonald's team was certainly an eye-opener.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/onsi as One Stunning Number Sums Up Seahawks' Lopsided Loss to Bears .
