RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks have fielded a handful of memorable defenses, ranging from the 2013 “Legion of Boom” unit to the 1984 team that featured the late Kenny Easley and forced a franchise-record 63 turnovers.
According to defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, the 2025 team has the best defense he has played for in his 12 NFL seasons.
“Yes, and I mean that wholeheartedly,” Lawrence said after Sunday's 26-0 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. “But I feel like there’s another level we’re going to reach. Y’all haven’t seen the best of us, and we’re going to capitalize on our opportunities.”
It's been pretty impressive so far, a key factor in Seattle's 9-3 record. The Seahawks rank fourth in the NFL with 40 sacks. They are tied for second with 13 interceptions. They slot in at third in yards allowed on the ground.
All that has taken place with safety Julian Love missing nine games with a hamstring injury, defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins missing the whole season with a back ailment and plenty of other key players shuffling in and out of the lineup.
On Sunday, Seattle’s defense stopped Minnesota four times in Seahawks territory while pitching the shutout.
“It’s nothing new to us and it just feels good because when we get in those situations, we’re not stressed,” cornerback Riq Woolen said. “We’re more relaxed. We know what to do when we get there.”
As a result, the Seahawks find themselves in a coveted position. They are tied with Los Angeles for first place in the NFC West after the Rams lost 31-28 to Carolina on Sunday.
Under second-year coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks will secure the division title if they win out over the final five weeks of the season. They host the Rams on Dec. 18.
Kenneth Walker III continues to separate himself as Seattle’s clear No. 1 option in the backfield. For the fourth straight week, Walker averaged more than 4 yards per carry. He finished Sunday’s game with 56 yards on 13 carries, as well as 18 yards receiving on three catches.
Walker's emergence has been critical to Seattle’s offense finding more balance over the second half of the season.
One of the most improved units for the Seahawks in 2025 has been its offensive line. But the line struggled at times against the Vikings.
Sam Darnold was sacked four times before halftime. He was sacked 11 times through the Seahawks’ first 11 games of the season.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores made life difficult on Darnold and the Seahawks with an array of blitzes.
“We need to start faster, especially in terms of protection and making sure we’re on the same page,” Macdonald said.
Darnold was not sacked in the second half.
Jason Myers made three more field goals against the Vikings, connecting from 56, 54 and 40 yards. Myers has made 15 of his last 16 attempts, with the lone miss from 61 yards during a Nov. 16 loss to the Rams. He is 28 for 33 overall this season.
Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been sensational, catching 82 passes for a league-leading 1,336 yards receiving. But Smith-Njigba finished with two receptions for 23 yards against the Vikings, both season lows.
“Coach Flores does a great job mixing up looks, and we were just taking what they give us and made the best decision for the team,” Smith-Njigba said. “It was just one of those days.”
DT Jarran Reed (thumb) is eligible to come off injured reserve this week, and “looks good” according to Macdonald. RG Anthony Bradford (elbow) is expected to practice Wednesday. Josh Jobe (concussion) cleared protocol, according to Macdonald, during the game. Love (hamstring) possibly could play this week as well.
3,717 — Days between shutouts for Seattle. The Seahawks also beat the Chicago Bears 26-0 on Sept. 27, 2015.
The Seahawks visit the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
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Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) forces an incomplete pass against Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) runs against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced a plan Wednesday to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, moving past a split between the two Republican leaders that resulted in Congress leaving Washington last week without a fix to a record-setting partial government shutdown.
They said in a joint statement that “in the coming days” Republicans in Congress will return to a Senate plan to fund most of the department through an agreement with Democratic senators, with the exception of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol. Republicans would then try later to fund those agencies through party-line spending legislation.
Neither outcome is guaranteed, and the strategy could potentially still face opposition from the GOP’s own ranks even though President Donald Trump has given his support.
“We appreciate and share the President’s determination to once and for all bring an end to the Democrat DHS shutdown,” said Johnson, R-La., and Thune, R-S.D.
The plan represents a do-over of what senators had in mind when they passed a bipartisan funding agreement through unanimous consent last Friday. The Senate could approve similar legislation as soon as Thursday morning through unanimous consent, but even if that happens, it's unclear how quickly the bill could move through the House. It will likely take several months for Republicans to act on the second part of Trump's plan and pass budgeting legislation to fund ICE and Border Patrol.
House Republicans refused to go along with the Senate plan last week, instead changing the bill to fund all of DHS for 60 days.
As a result, the shutdown continued as lawmakers left for their home states and congressional districts for a two-week recess. The DHS shutdown reached its 47th day on Wednesday.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement, "Republican divisions derailed a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction."
The announcement from the GOP leaders showed that for now, Thune and Johnson are on the same page. Their working relationship experienced a rupture late last week when Johnson — at the urging of many House Republicans — rejected Thune’s plan.
The top Republicans hoping the path ahead will win over skeptical GOP colleagues, but the most conservative lawmakers are likely to seek full funding for all of Trump’s immigration and deportation operations.
“Let’s make this simple: caving to Democrats and not paying CBP and ICE is agreeing to defund Law Enforcement and leaving our borders wide open again,” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., posted on X. “If that’s the vote, I’m a NO.”
It is uncertain whether Johnson could find enough support from the House to recall lawmakers back to Washington before their spring recess ends in mid-April.
Meanwhile, the narrow budget package being prepared for later this year is expected to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the remainder of Trump’s term, as a away to try to ensure those agencies are no longer at risk from Democrats objecting to the president’s immigration enforcement agenda.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump weighed in on the shutdown, using a social media post to seemingly call on Republicans to fund the immigration portions of DHS through a bill that would not require Democratic support. He said he wanted the legislation on his desk by June 1.
“We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us,” Trump said.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries released a statement saying, “It’s time to pay TSA agents, end the airport chaos and fully fund every part of the Department of Homeland Security that does not relate to Donald Trump’s violent mass deportation machine.”
The vast majority of Homeland Security workers continue to report to work during the shutdown, but many thousands have been going without pay. That led to more Transportation Security Administration agents calling out from work, causing frustrating security lines at some of the nation's biggest airports. Those bottlenecks appeared to be clearing this week as agents began receiving backpay, per an executive order from Trump.
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Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed reporting.
Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
