Frustrations boiled over on the Seattle Seahawks sideline during their 31-10 home loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. In a game filled with costly penalties, turnovers, and missed opportunities, the low point came when defensive tackle Jarran Reed and linebacker Derick Hall briefly scuffled with each other late in the first half.
Costly Penalty Sparks Confrontation
The altercation occurred after Hall drew a roughing the passer penalty for a late hit on Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Reed immediately confronted the second-year linebacker on the field, chiding him for the ill-timed penalty. The two continued to exchange heated words on the sideline, with Reed grabbing Hall’s facemask before teammates and coaches intervened to separate them.
There’s some frustration there. Our guys, they’re connected and they have each other’s backs, but they are emotional and there’s going to be flare-ups and stuff.
Coach Mike Macdonald
Hall’s penalty negated what would have been a third-and-12 situation for Buffalo from the Seattle 29-yard line. Instead, the Bills got a fresh set of downs at the 12 and scored a touchdown two plays later to take a 14-3 lead into halftime. It was one of many self-inflicted wounds for the Seahawks on a day full of miscues.
Hall and Reed Make Amends
Despite the heated moment, Hall said he and Reed quickly patched things up. “We both love the game, we both love each other,” the linebacker explained after the game. “When it’s in the moment, you can’t really say who’s going to say or do what, but we told each other we love each other. He knows that I’m a guy that can help us.”
Reed, a ninth-year veteran, is looked to as a leader on the Seahawks defense. According to Hall, his message was simply to play smarter going forward. “He just wants me to go out, play smart, play fast, play physical, and that was basically his message in that moment,” Hall said.
Seahawks’ Slide Continues
The loss dropped Seattle to 4-4 on the season, leaving them tied with the Arizona Cardinals atop a muddled NFC West. It was a thorough beating by the AFC-leading Bills, who outgained the Seahawks 423 yards to 327 and won the turnover battle 2-0.
- Seattle committed 11 penalties for 82 yards
- The Seahawks’ 74 total penalties through 7 games are 3rd-most in the NFL
- 21-point margin was Seattle’s biggest home loss since 2017
Coach Macdonald didn’t mince words after the game, calling it a “laundry list” of errors. “We got outplayed, we got outcoached and we’ve got to go make it right,” he said bluntly. “I feel like it’s too often that we’ve had this conversation… We have to hit this thing head-on and see if we can get this thing turned around.”
Pivotal Stretch Ahead
The Seahawks will look to regroup next Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Rams (3-4) before heading into their bye week. It begins a critical stretch for a Seattle team with playoff aspirations but one that has now dropped three of its last four games.
It gets out of hand when we’re doing the things that we did today where we didn’t help ourselves. It’s a long season and we have plenty of time to get it right, but it starts with taking a long look in the mirror.
A team source on the state of the Seahawks
How the Seahawks respond over the coming weeks, as the schedule intensifies and the games become more meaningful, will go a long way toward determining if this group has what it takes to overcome adversity and remain in the playoff hunt. Sunday’s loss – and the ugly scene it produced on the sideline – will provide plenty of motivation as they look to get back on track.
