There was plenty to like about the Seahawks’ summer on the whole, but their week one preseason showing against the Dallas Cowboys was not part of that picture.
For a game filled with backups, the level drop still stood out. Seattle looked disjointed from the opening snaps, and the offense never found much rhythm. The defense had even fewer answers, with one obvious exception: Tyrice Knight.
Knight was the one Seahawk who consistently jumped off the screen. He was around the football in coverage, active against the run, and finished with a team-high 10 tackles despite not playing the full game.
More than once, he looked like the only defender with any real urgency. At times, he played like a starter facing reserve-level competition, and nobody else on that side of the ball came close to matching his impact.
The rest of the defense had a rough night. Seattle’s pass rush never really showed up, with only Mike Morris flashing here and there.
Beyond that, the pressure was basically nonexistent. In the secondary, Noah Igbinoghene had a couple of positive moments, but Dallas seemed to find openings against Shemar Jean-Charles.
He was out of position too often, couldn’t play the ball, and the touchdown he allowed was ugly. Michael Dansby also had no real answer on the touchdown he surrendered.
Offensively, the Seahawks were just as hard to watch. The constant quarterback rotation didn’t help the flow, but the unit never looked connected.
Drew Lock finished 9 of 13 for 40 yards and spent much of the night mixing risky downfield shots with throws into tight coverage. He still looks like a quarterback with big arm talent who doesn’t always know how to turn it into production.
Even that was easier to stomach than Jalen Milroe’s performance. He finished 5 of 8 for 36 yards and took three avoidable sacks, and the processing issues were obvious throughout.
He held the ball, patted it, and often waited too long before trying to escape. By then, the rush had already closed in from multiple angles.
The athleticism is supposed to be the calling card, but the hesitation kept taking that away too.
Joe Milton looked cleaner when he got on the field, with better processing, easy arm strength, and the ability to work the second and third levels. Sam Howell also looked significantly better than Milroe, which only made the gap more glaring.
Milroe’s profile at Alabama was built on dynamic legs and the occasional big throw, but that version of him has not translated well here. The Seahawks may not be ready to shut the door on the experiment, but this was not a reassuring step. If roster decisions get tight later, Milroe does not look safe unless his play improves sharply.
There were a few other bright spots worth noting. Jake Bobo continued to look like exactly the kind of steady, instinctive player coaches want around.
Beau Stephens showed some encouraging run blocking, including on a George Holani attempt, then followed it by flattening an opponent on the next snap to help clear a lane. He had rookie moments too, and he doesn’t look like an immediate starter candidate, but the tools are there.
Seattle also got some decent returns on special teams, though Jason Myers missed an easy kick.
In the end, the result mattered less than the opportunity it represented. These preseason games are auditions, and most of Seattle’s roster bubble players failed to make a strong case. Knight was the lone clear winner, and he already looks ready for meaningful snaps.
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Seahawks Preseason Opener Raised A Troubling Question About This Offense
Seattles preseason opener against Dallas offered an early look at Brian Fleurys first game calling the offense, but the bigger takeaway was how uneven the unit looked in a 17-7 loss. With a new coordinator in place and Christian Parker making his debut on the Cowboys defensive side, the Seahawks spent much of the night sorting through a choppy offensive performance while the defense tried to keep things within reach.
There were still a few bright spots in the building. Tyrice Knight was active throughout the night and Rashad Rochelle sparked the crowd with a long punt return that gave Seattle a much better field position late in the third quarter. Even so, the game raised a familiar preseason concern for Seattle: whether this offense can find enough rhythm soon enough to make the new system feel like a step forward rather than a reset. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Macdonald Sends Early Warning After Seahawks Sloppy Opener
The Seahawks first home game since winning Super Bowl LX turned into an early gut check, with a 17-7 loss to the Cowboys exposing how much work still sits ahead for Mike Macdonalds team. Macdonald did not hide his disappointment afterward, saying the opener showed the kind of sloppiness Seattle cannot afford if it wants to keep building on last seasons success.
What stood out most was the coachs focus on the basics, not a single busted play or one side of the ball. He said the Seahawks need cleaner communication, better alignment and sharper execution on both offense and defense, a reminder that even after a championship run there is no shortcut to looking like a complete team again. [Read more 🡒]