It may not have counted, but how great was it to have Seahawks football back? In arguably one of the biggest preseason games in recent history, Seattle welcomed back former quarterback Geno Smith and now Raiders head coach Pete Carroll. In classic Pete Carroll fashion, the game ended in a wacky 23-23 tie. Let’s break what we saw on Thursday night.
1st down – It was good to see Pete back
I’ll be honest. I thought it was a little awkward to see Geno Smith in the “Silver and Black.” We only got to see him for one series, but I expect we’ll see a very similar season in 2025 that we saw the past two years Geno was here in Seattle.
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Pete Carroll back on the sidelines, even as an opponent, didn’t feel awkward at all. It felt like family getting back together again. Pete will get a status at Lumen Field within the next few years, and he helped create our greatest memories as Seahawks fans. It was also time for some different, for both sides. Seattle has a new coach that is clearly a defensive mastermind and seems more comfortable in year two as the head man. This team is in a better spot to be successful than they have since the 2020 season, and Carroll has a chance to implement his culture for a franchise that desperately needs him.
Everyone is where they should be.
2nd down – The rookies are so much fun to watch
Trying not to get too carried away with it being preseason week one, but this rookie class continued from their strong camps, making an impact.
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I thought Grey Zabel looked like the potential franchise altering star when I first scouted him at North Dakota State last October. His versatility is a huge asset, but as a guard, he can be a future All-Pro guard that gets Seattle back to respectability along the offensive line. In his two series, he may have been the best player on the field.
Robbie Ouzts gave some of the older Seahawks fans some real Mack Strong nostalgia from back in the day. Ouzts, who’s been a star in camp, hauled in a 17-yard catch where he bowled over a couple of Raiders, and then was the lead blocker on both of Seattle’s longest runs, including George Holani’s 24-yard touchdown score.
Speaking of camp stars, Tory Horton could be in the driver’s seat to take the No. 3 WR spot on this roster. He looked explosive in special teams, while hauling in three receptions for 31 yards and a touchdown.
Elijah Arroyo hauled in two passes, while converting a first down, and Nick Emmanwori physically looked like someone that offenses will have to game plan around.
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They may not become superstar names, but the overall depth of the class could be the difference in two or three wins this year.
3rd down – Drew Lock is Drew Lock, and that’s ok
Lock ran the offense for the entire first half, and there was a lot of Drew Lock in it. He finished the game 12/22 for 147 yards, throwing for a touchdown and a pick.
At moments he looked really smooth and comfortable in the Klint Kubiak offense, and then he’d also have some poor decision making and a poor throw that was picked off.
I know people hate seeing him back in Seattle and want to see all of the Jalen Milroe experience in preseason, but Drew is here in the LOB era Tavaris Jackson mold, and that is ok and needed. Remember, Sam Darnold is new to Seattle, and has a unique contract that puts pressure on him to deliver this year. Jalen Milroe is a raw rookie with immense talent, but needs time and mentorship to develop. That shouldn’t be Darnold’s focus at the moment, and Drew can help both players.
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Drew will not threaten Sam, but has proven to be a capable backup in a pinch. Lock will be able to be the mentor for Milroe, while shielding him from being asked to do too much too soon, if Darnold ever got hurt.
He is a character, but Drew Lock is an organizational asset for the Seahawks.
4th down- The Kubiak scheme will look a lot different than Ryan Grubb’s
No disrespect to Ryan Grubb, but was I the only one who found watching Klint Kubiak’s offense to be far more appealing to the eyes? The philosophy and execution were there immediately and throughout the first half. You felt the offensive line move the Raiders back, over and over. Seeing a fullback kick some ass felt amazing. The classic bootleg was alive and well. Mike Shanahan and Gary Kubiak must be proud to see their offense take over the league, and I’m so excited to see it in Seattle under Klint.
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Kubiak got a raw deal in New Orleans, but had moments of brilliance when his roster wasn’t ravaged by injuries. Tonight, he and his offense looked in control throughout and confident in what they were trying to accomplish. This has been a theme throughout camp, despite facing a potentially dominant defense every day in practice.
Hopefully we’ll be able to see some of the starters next week, but my expectations for the offense continue to rise.
Going for Two
The 50 year celebration patch works
I like the patch. It’s big enough to catch your eye, but doesn’t have too much on it to distract you. I’m curious if the patch will be on the retro jerseys.
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Now we can move on
The Pete Carroll and Geno Smith game is over and finally past us, so now we all can finally move on from comparing Pete and Geno to the Seahawks this upcoming season (we all know that ain’t happening).