Seahawks at Broncos: a 3-2 vs. 3-2 Thursday-night test in Denver
Two teams with identical records meet at Empower Field at Mile High, with Seattle looking to fix its turnover problem and Denver chasing back-to-back wins.
The Seattle Seahawks visit the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football with both teams sitting at 3-2. Kickoff at Empower Field at Mile High is 6:15 p.m. Mountain (5:15 p.m. Pacific), and the game streams on Prime Video.
Where Denver stands
The Broncos come in off a 23-17 comeback win over the Chargers, per DenverBroncos.com. They are 2-0 at home this season and are looking for a second straight win. Denver's defense forced a season-high three takeaways in that game, and Courtland Sutton and J.K. Dobbins each scored their first touchdown of the season. The Broncos will wear their throwback uniforms for the first time this year.
Where Seattle stands
Seattle, the reigning Super Bowl champion, is coming off a 32-29 loss to the 49ers, according to FOX 13 Seattle. The recurring issue is ball security: the Seahawks have turned the ball over seven times across their two losses, three against Washington and four against San Francisco.
The offense still has its centerpiece. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year and the league's receiving yards leader, per the Broncos' preview, left the 49ers game with an ankle injury but is cleared to play, FOX 13 reports. Defensive tackle Leonard Williams is expected to play through an ankle injury, running back Zach Charbonnet will sit out again, and linebacker Drake Thomas is ruled out.
What to watch
The matchup is Seattle's protection of the football against a Denver defense that has just produced three takeaways in a game. Sam Darnold quarterbacks the Seahawks, and Denver will be trying to limit Smith-Njigba.
For the Broncos, cornerback Riley Moss was limited in practice earlier in the week and appears as questionable in a headline linked from the team's own preview. Defensive lineman Sai'vion Jones moved to full participation. Fans should check the final inactive list before kickoff.
History
Denver leads the all-time series 35-23 across 58 meetings, FOX 13 reports. Seattle's most notable win in the series was Super Bowl XLVIII in February 2014.
Why it matters
At 3-2 each, a win moves one side to 4-2 on a short week and leaves the other with a third loss. It is also the first of two consecutive primetime games for Seattle, which hosts Kansas City on Sunday Night Football on October 25. For Denver, a second straight win would extend a home record that is so far unbeaten.