The Seattle Seahawks know exactly what's coming this season.

Every defending Super Bowl champion gets everyone's best shot, and this year won't be any different. So, what's the good news? This team has already shown it knows how to handle expectations.

A lot of the preseason talks has shifted toward the Los Angeles Rams after an aggressive offseason, and it's easy to see why. They've added star power and look like one of the most talented teams in football on paper. They'll probably be one of the most popular Super Bowl picks heading into Week 1.

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That might actually work in Seattle's favor. The Seahawks don't have to spend the summer convincing anyone they're contenders. They already proved it on the field. More importantly, they won with something that's a lot harder to measure than talent alone.

Head coach Mike Macdonald has talked often about the importance of connection, and last season it showed. Seattle didn't rely on one player carrying the entire roster. It was a team that trusted each other, played solid football and consistently found ways to win together.

That's not something you can build overnight, and it's one of the reasons the Seahawks have every chance to make another deep run.

Of course, repeating is never easy. The NFC is loaded, and the Rams aren't going anywhere. Their rivalry suddenly feels even bigger than it did a year ago, with both teams looking like legitimate championship contenders. There's a good chance it becomes the most important division race in football.

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Still, the Seahawks don't need to reinvent themselves. They don't have to prove they belong among the league's elite. They've already done that.

The challenge now is staying hungry, and there's little reason to believe this group won't do just that. Seattle still has one of the NFL's deepest rosters, a coaching staff that has earned lots of trust and the confidence that comes from knowing what it takes to finish the job.