4 takeaways from the Seahawks’ preseason-opening win at Chargers
Devon Witherspoon ran off the sideline like a grade schooler leaving the last day of school.
K’Von Wallace had just walloped a Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver as a throw arrived. Fellow reserve safety Coby Bryant intercepted the pass and returned it inside the Chargers 20-yard line. There were so many Seahawks defensive players running off the sideline and celebrating with Bryant, pushing him into the end zone, the SoFi Stadium press-box announcer proclaimed it a touchdown.
It was not. But the way new coach Mike Macdonald’s even-newer defense played in Seattle’s 16-3 domination of the Los Angeles Chargers in the preseason opener Saturday night, the game was over. A few plays later, undrafted rookie George Holani scored a touchdown on an 11-yard run behind a block from tight end Pharaoh Brown.
The remade Seahawks celebrated accordingly.
“We get tired of scrimmaging each other every day,” Bryant said after the encouraging debut for Macdonald and his defense.
“To go against someone else and execute the way we did is showing something.”
The biggest takeaway from the start of this new Seahawks era: Seattle held L.A. to five three-and-outs and an interception on a one-play drive in their first six defensive series.
There were others:
1. Mike Macdonald exacting, not satisfied
The NFL’s youngest head coach at age 37, in his first game as a head man at any level, was expressionless throughout the game.
Even after Bryant’s interception, after each of Seattle’s two touchdowns in the first half, Macdonald was almost stoic. He got pats on the back from assistants and players. Yet the only time he noticeably smiled on the sideline during the dominant first half was when wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba came over to him to chat during the time out in between the first and second quarters.
He played his starting defense for two series. It allowed the Chargers’ offensive line playing four starters plus backup quarterback Easton Stick to gain seven yards on six plays. Both drives Seattle’s starting defense played were three and outs.
What, Macdonald was asked postgame, is he trying to instill two weeks into training camp and now one of three preseason games into his Seattle tenure?
“A style that’s really tough to play. All the edges that we’re chasing, our mentality, we want to be rock solid, together and connected,” he said before the team left Los Angeles Saturday night. “We want everybody to be pushing in the same direction.
“And we’re not there yet.
“But that’s the vision, and the guys know it. We’re on our way. The faster we can push together, the further we’ll go. That’s step one.
“It wasn’t a perfect showing by any stretch, but it was a solid start.”
2. Byron Murphy was the best player on the field.
The Chargers double- and triple-teamed Seattle’s first-round draft choice at defensive tackle. He still spent much of the game in Los Angeles’ backfield.
“Man, it was truly a blessing. It was great,” Murphy said. “From the first snap to the last, you know, I had fun.”
3. Sam Howell still way off on some passes
Geno Smith, Seattle’s 33-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback, did full warm-ups in full pads pregame Saturday.
Then he took off the pads and watched Sam Howell run the offense for the first 2-1/2 quarters.
Howell, the Washington Commanders’ starting quarterback last season Seattle traded for in March, completed 16 of 27 passes for 130 yards. He threw a check-down touchdown pass to tight end Brady Russell in the second quarter. That made it 13-0.
Howell got sacked twice.
“We moved the ball well and controlled the game,” Howell said.
Yet he continued what he was doing in the first 14 practices of training camp. He was way off on numerous throws, in particular outside to the sidelines.
He threw a pass in the left flat to a wide-open Russell at his feet, causing the tight end to stumble into a no gain. Then on a goal to go in the third quarter, Howell had undrafted rookie running back George Holani in the right flat for a likely touchdown on a short pass on second down. He threw it wide to the left of Holani. That caused the free agent from Boise State to have to run and reach to his left, into the sideline boundary, to make the catch. Instead of a pass at his chest that would have allowed Holani to plant his foot and turn his shoulders up field to the goal line for a touchdown, Howell’s throw carried the rookie out of bounds at the 1-yard line.
The Seahawks never did score on that drive. Instead of a 20-3 lead more indicative of the Seahawks’ domination of the game, the turnover on downs kept it a 13-3 game.
Asked about his training camp so far, the 23-year-old Howell said: “I thought the first couple days that I wasn’t my best. But after the first two days or so, I feel like I’ve been playing some good football, especially this past week.
“I think I’ve definitely gotten better each and every day.”
4. Laviska Shenault helped himself
As in most training camps, the wide-receiver spot is crowded. At most, Macdonald will keep seven on the initial roster for the regular season Aug. 27.
Shenault made his case to be one of those seven Saturday.
New offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb sought to feature the 225-pound former University of Colorado star in what he’s know for: breaking tackles. He ran Shenault on a fly sweep. He had Howell throw two bubble screens to him on one drive into the red zone in the second quarter. On the second one, Shenault made two Chargers miss tackles for a 13-yard gain and a first down.
Shenault was also Seattle’s first returner on the new kickoffs. He took one from his own goal line and ran though the condensed blocking lines for a 44-yard return.
“Laviska’s return was a highlight,” Macdonald said.
New special-teams coach Jay Harbaugh is trying to determine what kind of returner he wants for the NFL’s new kickoff: a bulldozer who can break tackles or a fast, scat-like guy for the open field.
Shenault’s Saturday could have Harbaugh leaning toward the bulldozer.
What’s next
The Seahawks practice in Renton on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday evening they will fly to Nashville for joint practices there Wednesday and Thursday against the Tennessee Titans.
The Seahawks and Titans play a preseason game in Nashville on Saturday (4 p.m., KING-5 TV).
Macdonald said the joint practices will be large for Smith and the starting offensive to solidify Grubb’s new offensive schemes.
“I think the guys know that we should be able to take a jump here moving forward,” Macdonald said leaving Los Angeles Saturday.
“We’ve got a big week ahead of us practicing against Tennessee, and then having another game against those guys. So we’re looking forward to that.”
This story was originally published August 12, 2024 at 7:01 AM.
