Seahawks vs. Chargers: What we learned in preseason game 2

In preseason game 2, the Seahawks offense struggled with consistency. There are a lot of concerns heading into 2018. Here are three things we learned from Saturday.

To be honest, I am not sure we learned a lot of good things about the Seahawks in their second preseason game of 2018. Against the Los Angeles Chargers, there was a lot of bad stuff. And not nearly as much good stuff as there was in preseason game one.

Seattle is now 0-2 in the preseason. That doesn’t mean anything. But as opposed to previous preseasons, there simply doesn’t seem to be the same kind of security once the real games start. If Seattle lost in the preseason in recent seasons, Seattle knew Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor and others would be there once the games that count began. That’s now over.

Germain Ifedi is still not good

What we seem to be left with is a lot of worry. And ok, maybe Russell Wilson didn’t have Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett to throw to as they didn’t play. But Germain Ifedi wouldn’t have given Wilson time to throw to them anyway. Ifedi was awful. And Seattle has no answer to who his replacement would be.

Ifedi basically played the revolving door for Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram III, allowing Ingram to get one sack on Wilson with a bunch more hurries. Ifedi doesn’t deserve to start. But since Seattle doesn’t have a good player to take his place then don’t expect Seattle to make the playoffs this season.

Michael Dickson might have won the punting job on Saturday

Both Dickson and Jon Ryan can kick it a long way. The difference is that Dickson can kick it higher with a longer hang-time. This was evident when Ryan outkicked the coverage that the Chargers turned into a 72-yard touchdown return.

Dickson, however, booted a ball 57 yards that went to the 10 yard-line of the Chargers with no return. Dickson kicks it a bit further than Ryan, but he places his punts better and allows little return yards. He’s the better punter.

The starting offense needs to work on being consistent

The Seahawks were able to move the ball well in it’s first three drives of the game. But the three drives after that amounted to a total of 41 yards. Wilson said after the game that Seattle could have had – should have had? – 21 points from those first three and led 21-7.

While that is true, it didn’t happen. And Seattle’s offense digressed as the first half went on. The right side of the line, especially Ifedi, couldn’t pass block well. And Chris Carson, who never fumbles, did so twice on back-to-back plays at the one-yard line. One of the fumbles didn’t count. Sadly, the second one did.

Of course, Carson could have had two touchdowns himself. He fumbled one away maybe. But the first was nullified by a blocking penalty on Nick Vannett. So looking at the optimistic side of possibly having 21 points really transposes into the Seahawks having only themselves to blame for not scoring three touchdowns.

And though Seattle had over 200 yards of total offense in the first half, the starting unit scored just two field goals. A lot like the 2017 offense.