Nick Emmanwori, roaring Seahawks defense rout Falcons

Published 7:30 am Monday, December 8, 2025

ATLANTA — Nick Emmanwori did it all. Again.

Including making this proclamation after the Seahawks obliterated the Falcons off their home field 37-9 on Sunday.

“Man,” the rookie safety/outside linebacker/inside linebacker/end/field-goal blocker said outside the visiting locker room at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta, “this defense special.”

“This defense is super special…I don’t think no defense can top this. …I think this defense is, like, historic almost. People want to shy away from saying it, but I really do think this defense is.

“It’s a special defense.”

Historic, as in “Legion of Boom”-like?

It’s one thing for a 21-year-old in his first NFL season to say that.

What does the only member of the current Seahawks who played with those “Legion of Boom” legends, 32-year-old 2016 Seattle draft pick Jarran Reed, think?

“This is the best defense I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here — besides when I first got here with the guys. Pay respect to them, though,” Reed said over more boomin’ bass music in another victorious Seahawks locker room. “I think the intent, man.

“When I first got here with the LOB (in 2016), it was the intent. The way we practiced, in the games.

“And I’m feelin’ that right now.”

With Devon Witherspoon, Emmanwori and the defense dominating like, yes, their Legion of Boom predecessors, the Seahawks offense — and specifically their quarterback’s turnovers — are afterthoughts.

For now.

Sam Darnold committed his 16th turnover in less than 13 full games. Kenneth Walker again couldn’t get going in the running game, with the offensive line not opening lanes for him for half the game Sunday.

But the Seahawks defense got the first interception of the season, a forced interception and a fumble recovery from Witherspoon. “What a phenomenal player,” coach Mike Macdonald said.

Seattle got an interception and a blocked field goal by Emmanwori. “I told him,” Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba said of the rookie, “he can be a legend.”

Emmanwori and Witherspoon, neither older than 24, made huge stops and big plays yet again. Witherspoon had two of Seattle’s three takeaways in the second half. Emmanwori had the other, thanks to Witherspoon’s tipped pass.

Emmanwori finished with six tackles, a sack, two quarterback hits, two tackles for losses, the interception and a pass defensed.

Rashid Shaheed made his biggest splash in his month with the team, a 100-yard kickoff return for a reviving touchdown to begin the second half. It came after coach Mike Macdonald said to the team at halftime: “Rashid, go run back this kickoff for a touchdown.”

And Smith-Njigba got open down the field for the first time in two games.

Darnold rebounded with three touchdown passes after halftime, two to Smith-Njigba and one to Cooper Kupp. The final score of Seahawks 37, Falcons 9 doesn’t reveal how uneven half this game was again for Darnold and Seattle’s offense.

Turning the ball over is no way to win divisions. Or playoff games. “Our defense has been playing well all year. We know how good they are on that side of the ball,” Darnold (20 for 30 passing, 249 yards, three touchdowns, the one interception, two sacks). “But as an offense, we’ve got to continue to sustain the drives. We’ve got to sustain our success throughout the season and throughout the game.

“If we continue to do that, I feel like we’ll be in a good spot as a team.”

This is the first time since the 2014 “L.O.B.” Seahawks, the team that made their last Super Bowl, that Seattle has held consecutive opponents under 10 total points. It followed Seattle’s first shutout in 10 years, of Minnesota last week. Seattle began the weekend third in the NFL, allowing 18 points per game. They allowed half that Sunday. And to think: This was the first time this season the Seahawks had all their defensive starters healthy and available for a game. “Honestly,” linebacker Drake Thomas said, “if things aren’t going necessarily how we expect them to on offense, it’s our job to pick them up.”

It was about pride when the Seahawks, leading 37-9, turned away Atlanta from a touchdown after a first and goal with six minutes left. Riq Woolen broke up two passes, the second in the middle of the end zone. On fourth down, safety Ty Okada batted away Kirk Cousins’ pass to Darnell Mooney in the end zone.

“GREAT STOP!” coach Mike Macdonald could be seen yelling from the Seahawks’ sideline.

“I’m not going to lie to you: This is the best secondary I’ve played with,” Woolen, a fourth-year veteran, said. “I’ve been with some dogs before, but it’s different when you have dogs and we’re all on the same time, all on the same line and same rhythm.”

This latest defense-first win leaves the Seahawks 10-3 this season overall, and 13-2 on the road in two seasons under Macdonald. It keeps Seattle on pace with the Rams atop the NFC West. The Rams (9-3 entering Sunday) were hosting 3-9 Arizona later Sunday.

“We feel really good. We feel really confident,” Smith-Njigba said.

“We’re just going to try to keep building this mojo, and win out.”

If they do that, win the final four games, the Seahawks will win the NFC West for the first time since 2020.

The NFL’s leading receiver in yards responded from a season-low two catches for 28 yards last week against the Vikings with seven receptions for 92 yards. Smith-Njigba caught his eighth and ninth touchdown passes this season.

Up next for the Seahawks: at home next Sunday against Indianapolis (8-5). The Colts lost for the fourth time in five games Sunday, to Jacksonville — and lost starting quarterback Daniel Jones to a reported Achilles injury. Rookie Riley Leonard finished that game for the Colts.

It’s possible, if not likely this roaring Seahawks defense will get a rookie or a backup quarterback, or both, for the third consecutive game next weekend.

Rashid Shaheed’s game break

This game at Atlanta (4-9) was a slog, tied at 6 with the offenses malfunctioning. Macdonald gathered his team for a speech in the locker room.

“It was short,” the coach said later.

The message: Shaheed, go return the second-half kickoff for a touchdown.

Moments later, Shaheed fielded Zane Gonalez’s kickoff at Seattle’s goal line. The speedy receiver and return man the Seahawks traded two third-day draft picks to New Orleans to get in late October ran to his right between the numbers and the sideline. He sprinted past every Falcon, including the last-man kicker at midfield. Shaheed was untouched on his 100-yard touchdown. “Blew the game open,” Seahawks tight end AJ Barner said.

The Seahawks led 13-6 without their offense stepping on the field. “Coach Mike, he called it right before we went out from halftime,” Emmanwori said. “He literally called it out. He said ‘Sheed, go take one back to the house.”

Macdonald acknowledged “maybe” he did that.

“I’m going to get a fine for that (from the players), for bragging,” the 38-year-old coach said.

Witherspoon then had his second and third key defensive stops of the game.

In the first half, he had yet another sure tackle in the open field short of the line to gain, this one on Kyle Pitts. Atlanta’s tight end outweighs Witherspoon by 65 pounds. That forced Atlanta to punt.

After Shaheed’s return touchdown to begin the third quarter, Atlanta drove into the red zone. Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy stopped running back Bijan Robinson for no gain. On third and short, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence hit Robinson at the line to force the ball loose. Witherspoon recovered at the Seattle 13 to keep the Seahawks ahead 13-6. On the ensuing drive, Smith-Njigba got free down the field for the first time in two games. His deep crossing route to Darnold’s accurate pass resulted in a 30-yard gain to the Atlanta 27. Two plays later, Smith-Njigba beat Atlanta cornerback A.J. Terrell on a crossing route in the opposite direction over the middle of the field for a 28-yard touchdown.

Suddenly, Seattle led 20-6 midway through the third quarter. A few plays later, Witherspoon faked a blitz at the snap.

“Just a little disguise,” Witherspoon said, with a grin. “Give ‘em a little flavor.”

Then he ran from behind to deflect Cousins’ pass away from tight end Kyle Pitts. The ball caromed into the air. Do-it-all Emmanwori dived and intercepted the pass before it hit the ground.

“An incredibly difficult play to make. He played with anticipation,” Macdonald said. “An awesome play.”

Darnold then completed a pass for 24 yards to Kupp, the veteran’s first catch of the game. That set up Jason Myers’ 37-yard field goal.

Seattle led 23-6, with 17 unanswered points in the first 12 minutes of the third quarter. Ten of those points came off Atlanta turnovers forced by Seattle’s Lawrence and Witherspoon.

Witherspoon added an interception early in the fourth quarter when he ripped a bubble-screen pass away from Atlanta receiver David Sills. Darnold and the offense turned that into a 37-9 lead with Darnold’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Smith-Njigba. Witherspoon finished with seven tackles, a hit on Cousins, the interception, the fumble recovery and two passes defensed. “We haven’t been as a whole in long time,” Witherspoon said.

That’s a tantalizing prospect for Seattle for this stretch run to the playoffs.

Josh Jobe’s 4-point play

The Falcons thought they had a go-ahead touchdown in a 3-3 game late in the first half. Mooney juggled then caught Cousins’ pass down the sideline of the end zone past Josh Jobe.

But before the pass arrived, Jobe had perfect body position inside Atlanta’s wide receiver. Seattle’s cornerback forced Mooney to run out of bounds. Mooney did not re-establish being inbounds before he caught the pass, so instead of a touchdown, it was an incomplete pass on fourth down.

Atlanta settled for a field goal by Zane Gonzalez. Instead of 10-3, Seattle trailed only 6-3.

Darnold then scrambled for one of the rare times, trying to pass for a first down. With Atlanta double-covering Smith-Njigba down the field, Darnold then completed passes to Shaheed and Barner on the final two scrimmage plays of the half. That put Myers in position for his 48-yard field goal as the clock expired for halftime.

All things considered, with how disjointed the offense had been the last 1 1/2 games, the Seahawks gladly took that 6-6 tie into the second half. Barner said the offense knows they have to be better to go deep into the playoffs next month. “We’ve got to start the game better,” the second-year tight end said. “It’s not acceptable to start the way we did. It needs to be better.

“Yeah, we know they’re legit. We face them all the time,” Barner said of Seattle’s defense.

“We know they’ve got our backs.”

Another Sam Darnold turnover

Darnold threw his 11th interception for his 16th turnover in less than 13 full games, on a third-and-1 in the first half.

Yet once again after a Darnold turnover, the Seahawks defense said “nope.” They pushed the Falcons backwards after the turnover, into a 50-yard field-goal try.

Emmanwori sprinted in off the edge to block it. The game remained tied at 3.

“Tremendous game,” Macdonald said. “We gave out some game balls, and he got one of the game balls. I’m really happy for him. He’s worked his tail off. He really has. He does it every day.

“He’s a tremendous asset for us.”