Top 3 things we learned from the Seattle Seahawks second preseason game
By Matthew Holm
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Over the course of the offseason, both media members and fan writers like myself have taken turns patting the Seattle Seahawks on the back. And for good reason — they've done all the right things to mold a young team with lots of offensive firepower into a plausible contender. They shored up what was a porous defense and fortified the offense against the attrition that goes on in a typical football season.
This last Saturday, we got to see just how entrenched the roster is for this upcoming season. Seattle looked largely dominant for most of the game against the Dallas Cowboys, who also project to field a deep, talented roster with playmakers on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks still cruised to a 22-14 win that wasn't as close as the score suggests.
The first squad looked good, the offensive line looks like it's beginning to come together, and we're even starting to see some extra contributors that could be set to lobby for some playing time with the first team. In particular, Boye Mafe looks like he's leveled up his game significantly over the offseason. His hands are much more violent, and he already had great closing speed and reach.
What we learned from the Seattle Seahawks in preseason Week 2
On a similar note, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been everything advertised and a little more. Much like when Tyler Lockett was first drafted, he runs routes like a ten-year veteran already, and he's faster than his combine numbers would have you believe. There's a decent chance that Seattle will evolve into a top-5 offense this season, and JSN will be among the first of reasons why.
But Mafe and JSN are both already presumptive starters for the Seahawks, have already been talked about ad nauseam, and are ultimately number ones taking preseason reps. Both are great stories, but they're stories for another time. In the meantime, there are others whose preseason reps have much more bearing on the rest of their careers. Let's talk about those guys.