Seahawks vs. Chiefs: Previewing Seattle's Preseason Week 2 Matchup
Beauty is rare in the NFL's preseason, and even those occasional moments of polish and precision are fleeting; this much was evident during Seattle's 22-20 loss to Denver last week—even Tyler Lockett's electric 103-yard kickoff return touchdown was spoiled on the peripheries when Pete Carroll got trampled by a referee—and it will be evident again this Friday when the Seahawks travel to Arrowhead Stadium to meet the Chiefs.
Seattle's two-point loss is filled with deceit.
The Seahawks offense didn't discover the end zone until there was just less than three minutes remaining to play in the game.
All three Seattle quarterbacks spent the majority of their time being sacked, hit and hurried. With the signal-callers fleeing like stalked gazelle, the offense was left to scrape together a minus-31.7 overall offensive rating for the game, the third-worst mark in the entire NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
The defense, as expected, was more spirited, though a combination of limited snaps for most of the starters and none at all for several others produced a makeshift legion that was often more bust than boom.
Fresh faces provided tantalizing glimpses of the future—rookies Frank Clark and Tye Smith, along with NFL sophomore Cassius Marsh, were excellent—while lapses in judgment and unfamiliarity with the system doomed several others in their 2015 debut.
Carroll and his staff have tinkered and tailored in the days leading up to the second preseason game with the hopes of releasing a steadier, more prepared product against Kansas City.
With Week 1 in the rearview mirror, let's take a look at the latest news and notes heading into Friday's clash, with up-to-date injury reports, key matchups, players to watch and a final prediction.
Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Time: 5 p.m. PT
TV: NFL Network (National), Q13 FOX (Local)
News and Notes
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Seattle's Safety Issues
The Legion of Boom has been without its two stalwart safeties for much of the preseason, and though Earl Thomas has finally returned to practice, Kam Chancellor is still the stubborn ghost haunting the locker room.
On Wednesday, Thomas spent his first day as a truly active participant in training camp, taking part in individual and team drills while outfitted in a no-contact jersey.
There's no reason for Carroll to rush Thomas into preseason action, especially with his Boom Brother Chancellor's fate uncertain.
Thomas was evasive when asked whether he might suit up on Friday, per a training camp report from the Seattle Times' Bob Condotta.
"I’m not sure," Thomas said. "I’m just happy that they have taken the handcuffs off of me and let me kind of do my job. That’s all I can control right now."
Certainty is evasive during the preseason, but what we do know, for certain, is that no one will see Chancellor suit up in Kansas City.
His agent, Alvin Keels, essentially told ESPN's Josina Anderson that those who are holding their breath and waiting for an imminent resolution and return are in serious danger of asphyxiation: "Nothing has changed. He will not report without his contract being addressed this season. The team and I have been in contact, but we haven’t been able to agree on any compromise."
The four-time Pro Bowl selection's holdout has turned into the offseason's longest running drama, but a happy ending has yet to be written into the script.
Quarterback Conundrum Following Tarvaris Jackson Injury
Football doesn't do sugarcoating well, so it's not too harsh to say that Seattle's offensive line, which allowed four sacks and seven quarterback hits, was nothing short of atrocious against the Broncos.
The line's foul play may have had more lasting effects though, as it led to backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson's high-ankle sprain and subsequent sidelining.
Carroll doesn't believe the injury to be too serious, telling Condotta that Jackson, Russell Wilson's backup since 2013, should return to the field in two weeks.
In the interim, Seattle waived long snapper and former Army Green Beret Nate Boyer in order to sign Kansas State quarterback Jake Waters, according to a report from Seahawks.com.
Waters will join R.J. Archer behind Wilson, with converted wide receiver B.J. Daniels the "break glass in case of emergency" option.
Seattle has traditionally kept just two quarterbacks under Carroll, but if Jackson's injury lingers as Seattle nears its regular=season opener, the team may have to open up a spot for Archer or Waters.
Offensive Line Woes Lead to Shuffling
The football community universally praised Seattle's acquisition of New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham. The move added a weapon unlike anything Wilson has ever had before, but it also took away center Max Unger, a two-time Pro Bowler and 2012 First-Team All-Pro.
Seattle attempted to address the problem by adding three offensive linemen in the draft: fourth-rounders Terry Poole (San Diego State) and Mark Glowinski (West Virginia) and with sixth-round defensive line to offensive line convert Kristjan Sokoli (Buffalo).
The early returns have been—and this might be kind—disappointing.
Just two Seattle linemen, right tackle Terry Poole and left tackle Russell Okung (who played only 11 snaps), posted positive overall ratings, per Pro Football Focus.
The porous pass protection evident both in training camp and Week 1 has led Carroll and offensive line coach Tom Cable to make some adjustments.
Second-year tackle Garry Gilliam has been working with the first-team offense at right tackle, which meant a move for Justin Britt to left guard and a demotion for Alvin Bailey to the second team, according to reports from Seahawks.com.
This likely won't be the last of the shuffling, as Lemuel Jeanpierre and Drew Nowak continue to compete for the starting center job while Sokoli tries his hand wherever Carroll places him.
Bleacher Report's Cian Fahey believes the continued woes of the offensive line could be the one piece of the equation keeping Seattle from a third consecutive Super Bowl journey:
"Running the ball will always be possible with Wilson and Marshawn Lynch behind them, but pass protection is going to be a major problem this year.
Unless Wilson plays spectacularly as a passer, something he didn't do last season as he dealt with hesitation too often, their offensive line problems will prove fatal to their chances of winning the NFC.
"
It's a major issue, one with relatively little time left to adequately solve, but this week's matchup with Kansas City could go a long way in providing a clearer picture of how Cable and Carroll might structure the line for the regular season.
Latest Injury News
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The NFL does not require teams to list official injury reports during the preseason, so it is somewhat difficult to glean with 100 percent accuracy who is injured, how severely and how it might affect his role in upcoming games.
But even without an official listing, we can go by reports from training camp and the coaching staff to produce a makeshift injury report of players who are questionable or ruled out entirely leading into Seattle's second preseason game:
| Player | Position | Injury |
| Will Blackmon | CB | Groin |
| Frank Clark | DE | Ankle |
| Tarvaris Jackson | QB | Ankle |
| Chris Matthews | WR | Shoulder |
| Douglas McNeil | CB | Ankle |
| Paul Richardson | WR | ACL |
| Mohammed Seisay | CB | Groin |
| Richard Sherman | CB | Hip Flexor |
| Tharold Simon | CB | Shoulder |
| Earl Thomas | FS | Shoulder |
| Jesse Williams | DT | Knee |
Jackson will be sidelined for at least the next two weeks, so newly acquired Jake Waters will likely receive third-team reps behind Wilson and Archer in this one.
Don't expect to see Thomas in any action, as he still hasn't been cleared for full-contact practice yet.
Matthews will be out of action this week, which makes the wide receiver competition even more interesting and competitive.
Key Matchups
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Seattle's Special Teams O vs. Kansas City's Special Teams D
There wasn't a ton to gush over following Seattle's 22-20 loss to Denver, but the Seahawks' special teams unit undeniably stood out.
Tyler Lockett totaled 204 return yards—186 yards on four kick returns and 18 yards on one punt return—which outdid Seattle's offensive output (181 net yards) for the entire game.
It's difficult to pry your eyes away from Lockett when he has the ball in his hands, but Seattle's return unit did a fantastic job of opening holes and keeping the sidelines sparse enough for the Kansas State rookie to streak up.
He's a highlight threat every time the ball lands in his hands, so unless that pigskin goes flying out of the end zone, expect to see Lockett and B.J. Daniels looking to break open some big plays.
Chiefs' Aggressive Rush vs. Seahawks' Reshuffled Offensive Line
In their first preseason game, the Chiefs defense lived in the Cardinals backfield. Kansas City hurried the quarterback 13 times, and though the defense was never able to produce a sack, the pressure was enough to keep Arizona's backups noticeably rankled.
Seattle's offensive line woes have been expounded upon heavily, but with one quarterback already down, the Seahawks can hardly afford to lose another one so close to the start of the regular season.
With so many starting spots still up for grabs, one would expect the players who are fighting for those positions to enter this game hungry. They'll need to be in order to stop the likes of Tamba Hali, Justin Houston and the rest of the Chiefs defense.
While a better showing would serve to assuage the fears of fans, Carroll doesn't appear, at least outwardly, to be terribly concerned with these growing pains, according to his recent comments, per Seahawks.com:
"Really, I think it’s a process we have to go through. It’s not like it’s a surprise. We knew that some young guys were going to play, so we’re competing to figure it out… We’re just going to have to wait and see how it turns out, like I said it’s going to take a whole camp for sure.
"
Kansas City's Passing Attack vs. Seattle's Secondary
No, it wasn't the Legion of Boom, but Seattle's secondary performance against Denver was worrying.
DeShawn Shead and Steven Terrell, two safeties who are fighting for starting spots in the absence of Thomas and Chancellor, were erratic and, at times, unfocused, especially Shead.
Rookie cornerback Tye Smith, whose 52 snaps led the team, had an impressive debut, but his fellow defensive backs who received ample playing time didn't.
Kansas City isn't exactly revered for its passing attack, but Alex Smith and Chase Daniel combined to complete 23 of 31 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns without being sacked once.
Each had ample time in the pocket to find open receivers, and the quarterbacks made the most of it, completing at least one pass to 10 different receivers.
We won't see anything close to a fully operational Legion of Boom for some time, but Seattle's fill-ins and backups need to step up in the absence of stars and leaders, or the Chiefs could end up blowing this game open in front of a raucous home crowd.
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Matchup X-Factors
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Seahawks X-Factor: WR/KR Tyler Lockett
This is starting to sound like a broken record, but here we go again: Tyler Lockett had himself a game last week.
He was a dash of lightning during an otherwise gloomy, gray Seattle night.
He doesn't dance quite like Devin Hester; instead, he makes subtle cuts, boasts beautiful vision and exhibits straight-line speed that NFL combine warriors love so much.
It will be interesting to see if Carroll involves Lockett more in the passing game; the rookie was only on the field for 10 of Seattle's 65 offensive snaps against Denver, per Pro Football Focus. He has the DNA of a stellar slot receiver, and with some injuries in the wide receiver corps, Kansas State's all-time leader in receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns could get the call.
The Chiefs know what to expect from Lockett, but with his particular set of skills, that may not matter all that much.
Chiefs X-Factor: QB Chase Daniel
Chase Daniel has been around the NFL for a while.
Undrafted out of Missouri in 2009, he eventually latched on as the New Orleans Saints backup quarterback from 2009 to 2012, before signing with the Chiefs in 2013.
His prolific passing accomplishments at Missouri never translated to the NFL, but he looked excellent in Kansas City's first preseason game against the Cardinals.
Daniel showed no fear in the pocket, standing tall and strong and delivering bullets.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid praised Daniel for his composure in the pocket, per ESPN.com's Adam Teicher. "He took some hits there and he was still able to make big throws," Reid said. "He had three or four of them in this game where he was under a little bit of pressure. Chase hung on to that ball right to the end and I just thought he did a real nice job with that."
Pressuring the quarterback was one of the few things that Seattle excelled at against Denver.
Daniel will have his hands full when the likes of Frank Clark and Cassius Marsh are bearing down upon him.
Prediction: Seahawks 20, Chiefs 17
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Prediction: Seattle 20, Kansas City 17
Don't expect to see a ton of action from Seattle or Kansas City's starting units, as that's typically reserved for the third game of the preseason.
That said, this essentially boils down to which team has better depth and more adequate backups. In this, the slight edge goes to Seattle.
The offense will likely struggle again, especially with R.J. Archer now taking Tarvaris Jackson's reps, but both the defense and special teams units are more than capable of turning in enough big plays to get red-zone opportunities that should, at the least, produce some field goals from Steven Hauschka.
Seattle will have its hands full with Daniel and a potent Chiefs rushing attack—143 yards on 32 attempts against the Cardinals—but the young boomers appear poised for the challenge.
Should the Seahawks' new-look offensive line falter, Seattle could well be kept in single-digit scoring range, but should this unit prove more cohesive than it did last week, breakout games could be in store for a young, feisty wide receiving corps.
In the preseason, there are far more unknowns than knowns, but, at the very least, I expect a much improved performance from a Seahawks team that demands excellence.
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