These Seahawks were the real surprise against the Chargers Sunday night
When you make predictions, you’re bound to get some wrong. Let’s look at who I called my surprise Seahawks for Sunday, and who really came through with the goods.
Most people make bold predictions, tons of them. When they’re wrong, they just hope you remember the few they got right. Not me, 12s. I’m wallowing in my stupidity! See, you can check it out right there. There’s no shame in my game! Probably should be, but that’s another matter entirely. Thing is, I think I did okay. I got one and a half of the right Seahawks in my predictions.
Let me start with the total miss. The blazing speedster Cyril Grayson was targeted just once, and couldn’t make good on it. Then again, that could be because Trevone Boykin chose that moment to throw his only bad pass of the night. More on Mr. Boykin in a bit. So Grayson didn’t come through as I expected. That’s okay. He can reasonably be expected to have just two more good shots. He isn’t likely to see much time at all in the third preseason game. I think Grayson will still manage to to make the practice squad, but he needs a big performance next week for any chance at the 53 man roster. A performance like… yeah, we’ll get to him, too.
My half-right prediction was Shaquill Griffin. He didn’t set the world on fire, but he was in for most of the first half. Better yet, he didn’t play like a rookie cornerback. He looked solid, and will only get better.
That leaves Mr. Chris Carson. Carson had the best 19 yards rushing you’ll ever see. As Lee wrote, “Carson ran like the type of running back the Seahawks love.” Yes he did. More to the point, Alex Collins didn’t. For that matter, neither did Eddie Lacy, but there’s more reason to assume Lacy will get things right than Collins. Carson looked like he belonged, and he let everybody know it.
The real surprise players were…well, surprises
As for the real surprise players, Lee already did an excellent job of recapping those guys. I’ll just add that after the camp he had, I did not expect Trevone Boykin to play like Russell Wilson’s twin. Other than the one errant off-target bomb to Grayson, Boykin looked amazing. Now, amazing against base defenses with a lot of second-string guys isn’t the same as amazing in week 14, for instance. But considering how awful he’s looked in camp – well, maybe the Seahawks defense is just that darn good.
Blair Walsh had zero yips. Maybe it’s just preseason, but it still matters. If you don’t think so, just ask former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Roberto Aguayo if the preseason matters. Yeah, it does.
The last big surprise to me was wide receiver Kasen Williams. He’s the Seahawk that Grayson needs to catch for any shot at making the roster. Williams was targeted four times and brought every one of those happy little piggies home. He averaged just under 30 yards per reception. Not a bad night’s work at all.
Related Story: It wasn't all rainbows and ponies against the Chargers
Speaking of not a bad night’s work – I think one and a half out of three isn’t the worst performance ever. Heck, if Aguayo had managed that, he’d still have a job.