Seattle’s crown offered no protection. It never does. The reigning Super Bowl champions were brought back to earth via losses this season, and the Chicago Bears only made it worse. A lopsided 34-17 loss against the Bears showed there was no narrow margin to soften the blow. Chicago imposed its will, and Seattle couldn’t stand strong.

For the champions, it was a reminder of how quickly the NFL can humble even its most celebrated teams. Here’s how the night unfolded.

A hit on Sam Darnold went unpenalized

During the first quarter of Monday Night Football, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold scrambled on a third-and-eight play. As he began a feet-first slide to give himself up, the play took a dangerous turn. Bears linebacker Devin Bush came sliding in and delivered a forceful blow to Darnold’s head and neck area.

Under NFL rules, a quarterback who initiates a slide is considered a defenseless runner. Defenders are prohibited from making forcible contact with the player’s head or neck area in such situations.

However, officials did not flag the play for several potential infractions, including unnecessary roughness under Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8(d), which prohibits defenders from diving or throwing their bodies against a sliding runner. The play also raised questions about the protection afforded to players who give themselves up.

And the lack of a penalty did not go unnoticed. Even broadcasters and analysts, including Jason McIntyre and Albert Breer, took to social media to question why officials had let the hit go without throwing a flag. “I’m surprised replay assist didn’t jump in on the Devin Bush hit on Sam Darnold. Seemed pretty clear,” Breer wrote.

Even game broadcasters and analysts, including Jason McIntyre and Albert Breer, expressed their surprise on social media that the officials did not throw a flag. “I’m surprised replay assist didn’t jump in on the Devin Bush hit on Sam Darnold. Seemed pretty clear,” Breer wrote.

They viewed the incident as a clear late hit that could have resulted in a concussion or a more serious injury. The officiating crew, unfortunately, missed the call during the fast-paced play, leaving fans, media members, and even Bears supporters baffled as no whistle or penalty followed.

Although Bush escaped an on-field penalty or ejection, the incident could still attract the league’s attention during its postgame film review. Players can face additional discipline, including fines, for unflagged violations.

Despite the heavy hit, Darnold continued playing and finished with 17 completions on 34 attempts for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

Other decisions also came under fire

Apart from the unpenalized hit on Sam Darnold, another officiating decision during the game drew criticism from fans and raised questions about the consistency of NFL calls.

With Seattle trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks appeared to get a crucial third-down stop when running back D’Andre Swift was tackled behind the line of scrimmage. However, officials called a pre-snap delay-of-game penalty against Chicago. Rather than hurting the Bears, the dead-ball penalty nullified the failed play, reset the down and distance, and gave head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams additional time to regroup.

Chicago took advantage of the opportunity on the next snap, executing a 39-yard screen pass to Kalif Raymond that helped set up a touchdown and extend the Bears’ lead.

The decision frustrated Seahawks fans. However, Caleb Williams later opened up about how that officiating decision helped his team.

“Luckily, we got delay of game, because I ended up messing up a little bit, and it allowed us more time to be able to fix it. Crowd was loud at that point, and I missed a word, one word or so, and that’s what happens. We got the delay of game, and then it allowed us to have a little bit more time because the refs were figuring something out.” 

How did the Seahawks’ offense collapse?

The Seattle Seahawks’ offense struggled throughout the game, with poor execution and an inability to establish any consistent rhythm contributing to the 34-17 defeat.

Coming off a strong performance the previous week against the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle managed just one successful conversion on 11 third-down attempts, its lowest mark of the season. The team’s only conversion came on a 43-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

The offense struggled to get going from the opening quarter, allowing Chicago to build an early lead and maintain control of the game.

Despite activating running backs Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet and integrating newly acquired Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson, Seattle’s ground game failed to make much of an impact. The Seahawks finished with just 81 rushing yards on 19 carries, their second-lowest rushing total of the season.

The reshuffled offensive line, which was adjusting to Nelson’s arrival while also dealing with the absence of injured left tackle Charles Cross, struggled against Chicago’s defensive front.

Plus, Chicago’s Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons made an immediate impact in his Bears debut, consistently disrupting Seattle’s offensive rhythm.

Seattle’s Darnold also struggled to find consistency in the passing game. Although he connected frequently with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who finished with 118 receiving yards, several of his attempts failed to find their mark. One interception in the end zone was overturned following a Bears penalty, but he eventually threw another interception on a tipped pass late in the game.

Overall, Seattle managed just 252 total yards, one yard short of its season low, and scored only 17 points. The offense never found a way to keep pace with Chicago, particularly as the Bears took control in the second half.

Following the disappointing performance, Darnold emphasized the importance of honest self-evaluation as the team looks to bounce back.

“Dive deep and be honest with each other. Take a hard look at ourselves tonight and tomorrow and figure out what we can do,” he said.

The Seahawks will now have a week to regroup before facing the Cardinals in their next matchup. Meanwhile, the Bears will turn their attention to the Buccaneers as they look to build on their impressive victory.