With Mike Macdonald at the helm, the Seattle defense took quarterbacks' souls for fun, and now, they are one win away from immortality.
First, there was the "Legion of Boom" for the Seattle Seahawks; now we have "The Dark Side."
The Seahawks, under Mike Macdonald, have been one of the most consistent teams in football. On both sides of the ball.
Sam Darnold and the offense have been high-octane, while Macdonald's defense has made a name for itself, suffocating offenses and making a habit of making "the" play when it's needed.
Allowing just 17.2 points per game across the regular season (1st), the Seahawks carried that on into the playoffs, holding the San Francisco 49ers to just six points.
Then, the physical and brutal nature of their win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game was a sight to behold.
No mistakes (aside from Riq Woolen), the unit was buttoned up against one of the best in football. The "Dark Side" claimed another scalp.
And for Sports Illustrated's Greg Bishop, he, with the help of Woolen, detailed how the name "Dark Side" for the defense came about.
"Cornerback Riq Woolen could not pinpoint the precise moment this defense got its nickname," Bishop wrote. "He can recall discussions centered around their collective identity that formed over this season’s second half. He noticed when the sun went down Sunday. “Hey, that’s the “Dark Side,” man,” he said. “That’s the power. That’s how we’re relentless.”
Now they are just one win away from NFL immortality. The New England Patriots are the ones standing in their way.
After a 10-7 record in the 2024 season, Macdonald's first year as head coach, the Seahawks transformed into a beacon of consistency, led by Darnold's career resurgence, and the defense became one of the best in football under his guidance.
In just seven regular-season games, the Seahawks' defense gave up 100+ rushing yards just twice. They gave up 400+ yards of total offense twice, forced multiple turnovers eight times, and kept the opposing offense under 20 points 11 times.
That's the "Dark Side's" power, folks.
They're tough, physical, play for each other, and take quarterbacks' souls for fun.
And it's gotten them to the Super Bowl in Macdonald's second year.
The "Legion Of Boom" capped off their year with a Super Bowl win over the Denver Broncos.
Now, Macdonald's "Dark Side" is one game away from doing the same.