5 Things We Learned from the Seattle Seahawks' Preseason Opener

The Seattle Seahawks came out and proved that they have taken the necessary steps in becoming an improved football team in 2012. 

When looking at a preseason game, it's important to look at individual battles. Winning individual battles is far more important than winning the game because in the regular season, a team won't have 37 extra players deciding the outcome.

There were plenty of positives that came out of the 27-17 victory over the Titans, yet it's important not to get so far ahead we overlook the negatives. 

Let's dive into the details and take in all the information so we can pinpoint just what we learned from Saturday night's game.  

1. The Secondary Is Still The Strength of This Team

I've been banging this drum for some time now, but the Seahawks secondary is the absolute best the NFL has to offer. I'm not just talking about cornerbacks, I'm talking about both safety positions and all three cornerback spots. 

Brandon Browner picked up right where he left off in 2011 as he intercepted Matt Hasselbeck on the very first play of the game. In reality, the ball had no business being picked off—it should have fallen to the ground, but credit Browner on his implausible awareness. 

Later on in the early second quarter, Hasselbeck was picked again; this time Richard Sherman was in on the action.

Sherman was the left cornerback in a 4-2-5 Cover 3 on the interception. In a Cover 3, the entire secondary drops straight back into their designated zones. This particular coverage leaves the middle of the field open, but Kam Chancellor started about 10 yards off the ball and shadowed Jared Cook all the way down the field to take away the seam route.

Turnovers are game-changers, yet they don't deserve all the attention.

Marcus Trufant's move to the slot may prove to be beneficial. Against Tennessee, he showed that he still has some quickness by breaking up a couple of well thrown balls. Not having to worry about playing every snap will help keep him fresh. 

2. Bruce Irvin Flickered

When the West Virginia star was drafted by the Seahawks back in April, it left many fans scrambling for their draft cheat sheets. Irvin was not expected to be a first-day pick, but he reportedly shot up Seattle's board once they heard the Jets had conjoining interest (via CBS Sports).

In an attempt to prove his naysayers wrong, he wanted to make the most of his preseason debut. There were plenty of moments where his speed and quickness off the edge were on full display.

Most notably, there was a 3rd-and-long play early in the first quarter where Irvin was rushing from the left defensive end spot. His speed coupled with the blitz of Leroy Hill forced the quarterback to get rid of the ball early.

With the box score being empty under his name, it's important to remember that a box score doesn't always give off the best representation. Many of Irvin's contributions only showed up on tape.  

3. Pete Carroll and Darrell Bevell Have a Deep Playbook

Whether it was a 32-yard bootleg or continuous short passes, the Seahawks offensive play calls adapted to the strengths of the quarterback that was under center. 

When Matt Flynn was leading the offense in the first half, Seattle ran a lot of short patterns that ranged anywhere between five and seven yards.

His average per attempt was 5.5 yards, which was 2.3 yards lower than Russell Wilson's.

Wilson's entrance into the game spelled trouble as offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell took advantage of Wilson's most valuable weapons. His running ability and arm strength helped deliver touchdowns on two separate occasions. The touchdown pass to Braylon Edwards could easily be described as an arm punt. 

Kudos to the offensive coaching staff as they took full advantage of each player's skill set—a move that proved to be the right one.   

4. Braylon Edwards Proved His Worth

Even though Edwards didn't see any first team reps against the Titans, he put to bed his biggest question mark.

For the first time since his tenure in New York, he looks healthy and moves like it. His routes were crisp and fluid; there's no reason he can't make this roster as it's starved for a playmaker with Sidney Rice on the shelf. 

Even with a leaping 39-yard touchdown catch under his belt, it's important to focus on the more prevalent plays that will be seen more often. For example, a 12-yard curl may not seem like much, but when you break it down further, you can see the technicalities behind it. 

In the image below, Edwards separation from the cornerback stands out. 

At no point last season did I ever see him get that type of separation on any player. An injury free season could be a perfect response to his critics. 

5. Tight End Is Still a Question Mark

The Seahawks cap number for tight ends alone is $11.74 million, and by my calculations Zach Miller makes up about seven million of that total cap number.

That is a lot of money for a group that has concussion, knee and drop problems. There's no secret that Miller is the starter based on his paycheck as long as he's healthy, but health may be his biggest concern.

Since 2009, he's had four concussions with his most recent coming Saturday night. 

Kellen Winslow's knees can't handle the wear and tear of being an every down player anymore—even if he was asked to be and Anthony McCoy can't block or catch the ball. So, it would be hard to rely on him since he offers little value to the offense. 

Money doesn't always equal success, but an increase in production is expected as Seahawks tight ends will be asked to block less if the offensive line lives up to their end of the deal.

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