The Seahawks’ offense took a step back to take a step forward last Sunday vs. Kansas City, and then it took an even bigger step Tuesday when John Schneider added All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson.

It’s all very promising as the Hawks get ready to host the Bears in a very important NFC matchup on Monday night.

Yes, it will take a minute for Nelson to adjust to Seattle’s playbook – and for Grey Zabel to get used to playing on the right side. But Mike Macdonald, Brian Fleury and Sam Darnold are not concerned – they feel like they have fixed the biggest problems on offense.

A lot of people thought the offensive line snapped out of its own funk against KC. After getting sacked 10 times and hit 26 in losses to the 49ers and Broncos, Darnold was barely touched by the Chiefs.

The Hawks still struggled to run the ball for three quarters (58 yards on 23 running back carries), before closing it out strong and finishing with 153 ground yards. But clearly John Schneider and Macdonald thought this unit needed to be improved. The trade for Nelson surely was in motion before that win over KC.

A little shuffling is required. Anthony Bradford is headed to the bench a week after he returned from IR – replaced by Zabel, who is being bumped by Nelson.

Charles Cross is out with a high ankle sprain, so he and Nelson will not get to play together immediately. Josh Jones will start Monday. And it might take a minute for Zabel to adjust to the switch of sides.

“Understand that there might be growing pains and just keep the head down and keep moving forward and do the best I can,” Zabel said. “It’s going to be such a growing experience for me. Kind of move positions as well as being able to learn from a guy like (Nelson) and, at the end of the day, just become a better football player.”

Macdonald said of Zabel, “The thought is that he’s had a lot of experience playing on the right side, so that’ll help with the learning curve. There’s a process that has to be had, and we’ve got the right guys for the job, but we understand it’s a process as well, and we’ve got to attack the heck out of it.”

Darnold said Nelson has fit in well in the first few days. “Q’s been doing a great job of just learning everything. I think our offensive line has done a great job of welcoming him with open arms and handling the situation with grace.

“I’m not thinking about (the line shuffling) at all. I know those guys – by the time Monday night comes – they’ll be ready to go.”

“We’ve put a lot time and effort into the chemistry of our offensive line,” Macdonald said. “We’ve got a couple things shaking up right now. But the guys will do a great job of meshing and getting on the same page — and I think we’ll be better for it.”

The big key, as everyone knows, is for Darnold and the ballcarriers to hold on to the ball.

Seattle has just two games with a non-negative EPA on offense this season, and it has won both (vs. Arizona and Kansas City) by a combined 51-10. That tells you how dominant this team can be when the offense doesn’t screw up.

Darnold has cost the Seahawks 36 points and – he surely would admit — three wins. When he keeps his interceptions to no more than one per game, the Hawks usually win. They are 15-0 with zero or one turnover since he arrived last year.

Against the Chiefs, Darnold made one really bad mistake – an end zone interception – but he otherwise played very smart and very decisively. He got the ball out faster than he had all season (a Week 7 league-best 2.45 seconds), he used Jaxon Smith-Njigba liberally, he tucked the ball and ran. And ran his 2026 record to 2-3.

Darnold needs to keep playing like that – quick and savvy – if the Hawks are going to dig all the way out of the 3-3 hole he helped put them in.

The Hawks need to continue to focus on things they do well.

“We’re still doing a lot – motions, shifts, changing up cadences,” Darnold said. “Changing up concepts as well. … It’s doing things that we know and love. That’s kind of the formulation for what worked against Kansas City.”

Fleury said he scaled back the playbook, realizing that everyone is new to it. “I am used to carrying a lot of volume,” he said of his years with Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. But he had to remember – perhaps prompted by Macdonald – that “we’re all kind of new to this.”

Among the moves that worked: Fleury implemented quick routes for Darnold to hit, used misdirection and tempo at times, used AJ Barner far more, went with two backs and made sure JSN got the ball plenty. It was a lot of what we talked about after the back-to-back debacles against the 49ers and Broncos. Fleury still needs to stop running so many screens – or else disguise them much better. But he definitely found some sweet spots for Darnold & Co.

Brock Huard broke down the secret to the offense’s success against Kansas City, which definitely applies going forward as well: “There was operation. They were ahead of the play. They played with tempo. They didn’t sub at times, especially on third down. They played more 21 personnel (two backs) that slows down the opponents.

“Get the ball out of your hands. That also requires Brian Fleury and the system to have your first option open, and it was open quite a bit. And it required putting the ball up to JSN on a couple fade routes and go routes. Give him an opportunity and … he’s going to make you look good.”

Some think JSN should not continue to carry the receiving load (he is over 50%), but why would the Hawks go away from their strength? It worked last year and is working again.

The big key is just to hold on to the ball. If the Hawks do that Monday vs. the Bears, who have 10 takeaways this season, they should win. And if they keep holding on to it, they should keep winning – especially as Nelson and Zabel get acclimated and the line becomes stronger.