Washington's Commanders, who had yet to record a victory on the season, defeated Seattle 33-31 on Sunday with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota starting under centre, ending the Seahawks' franchise-record run of 12 consecutive wins.
Despite holding a substantial advantage in total yardage — 437 to 258 — and earning 28 first downs against Washington's 17, Seattle's loss was attributed primarily to self-inflicted mistakes by the home side.
Quarterback Sam Darnold threw for 379 yards and four touchdown passes, though two interceptions tempered an otherwise productive afternoon. With 3:57 remaining, reserve linebacker Kain Medrano intercepted a pass from Darnold and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown, providing Washington with the margin of victory in a closely contested game.
Washington converted three Seattle turnovers into 21 points, offsetting a yardage deficit of nearly 180 yards. A late fourth-quarter fumble by Darnold, occurring as Seattle had held possession for much of the contest, gave Washington a favourable starting position at a point when the outcome remained within reach.
Turnovers were not limited to Darnold alone. First-year running back Jadarian Price fumbled in the opening quarter, a turnover that contributed to an unsteady performance from Seattle throughout the game. The Seahawks finished with a 0-3 turnover differential — a gap that included Darnold's two interceptions and represented the decisive statistical disparity in an otherwise closely contested match.
Post-match analysis attributed Seattle's defeat not to roster absences or tactical shortcomings, but to three turnovers that Washington converted into 21 points. In instances where a team holds a 179-yard advantage in total yardage and wins 11 additional first downs yet still falls short, ball-possession errors were identified as the determining factor.
Seattle's defensive unit, which had been regarded as one of the stronger groups in the league heading into the week under coordinator Mike Macdonald, struggled to contain Mariota. The Commanders' reserve quarterback completed 19 of 31 pass attempts for 183 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions — a performance achieved in the absence of starter Jayden Daniels.
Washington was held to 248 total yards, a 4.0 yards-per-play average, and three third-down conversions from 13 attempts. Despite those figures, the defence conceded a score on a returned turnover and allowed short-field opportunities, and was unable to force a stop against Mariota in the fourth quarter.
The offensive unit, hampered by repeated turnovers, drew the greater share of responsibility, with Darnold's fourth-quarter pick-six standing as the costliest individual moment. Macdonald's defensive unit also contributed to the outcome by failing to contain Mariota during what the stat line reflected was an outstanding personal performance. Seattle led across nearly every statistical measure yet fell short in turnover differential, the one area that ultimately separated the two teams.
