3 quick takeaways from Seahawks preseason game 2 loss to Bears

The Seahawks lost to the Bears in preseason game 2 and looked potentially like the worst team in the NFL. Here are three quick takeaways.

I kept reminding myself during the Seahawks vomit-inducing performance against the Bears on Thursday this: “It’s only the preseason. It’s only the preseason.” And that is true and it is also true that Seattle chose not to play many potential starters.

But the game was so concerning because Seattle failed to look anywhere close to good in any phase of the game. The offense was inept and Geno Smith threw behind players at times or had other passes dropped. Special teams was a disaster. The defense got no consistent pressure and the tackling issues in preseason game 1 were there in game 2 as well.

Plus, Seattle appears to have lost left guard Damien Lewis for a long while with an ankle injury. Seattle avoided other injuries to key players but one in the preseason is too many.

Three takeaways from Seahawks loss to Bears on Thursday

The team looked uninspired and undisciplined

For the Seahawks to have any chance of being decent in 2022, they must be fundamentally excellent. There is no Russell Wilson to bail the team out anymore. Seattle needs to come into each game with a plan and have that plan worked out to perfection. But the Seattle teams in the 2010s that played with so much passion are night and day from this team.

Seattle finished with 13 penalties. 13! In a preseason game! And they were all deserved. Seattle looked like a high school team still learning how to play the game compared to the Bears.

Fundamentally on special teams, Jason Myers missed a 46-yard field goal attempt, the punt coverage team allowed another long return, Justin Coleman completely lost track of where he was while standing on the goal line for a punt that should have been downed at the 1-yard line that turned into a touchback, and punt return Cade Johnson muffed a punt so bad the Bears recovered it for a touchdown.

This team looked so lost from presumed starters to backups and appeared not capable of beating any team on its schedule. Oh, and they can’t tackle well either.

Geno Smith didn’t cement his status as the starter

This could have been the game, since Drew Lock was unable to play after testing positive for COVID, that Geno Smith took full ownership of being QB1 to start the year. But Smith looked like the long-time backup he is. He tripped over Travis Homer’s foot once which resulted in a sack. He threw behind an open Penny Hart over the middle that would have set up a short third-down.

Smith never got his offense into the red zone and he certainly didn’t look like the kind of safe game-manager who could help score his team score enough to win close games. He didn’t have DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett but it wouldn’t have mattered. Drew Lock could still win the starting job with a great performance in preseason game 3.

More than just a QB away

Again, it’s just the preseason but because the Seahawks looked so oblivious to fundamental football just adding a high-quality quarterback is not going to fix the team the way it looked Thursday. Seattle must cut out the penalties, sure. But gambling on young and unproven talent could hurt the team for years if the young guys don’t work out.

As far as rookies, Charles Cross and Abe Lucas looked not as good as in preseason game 1 (Cross had three penalties). Bo Melton and Dareke Young both had key drops. Ken Walker couldn’t play with a core injury. Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen looked slightly better than in preseason game 1 but not Week 1 ready. Boye Mafe was not nearly as interesting as he was against the Steelers.

The bottom line of maybe all this is that Pete Carroll used to be the kind of coach who could get teams highly motivated and prepared to inflict pain on other teams. This team looks disinterested and that’s horrific.