Seahawks' Pete Carroll: Competitive QB's Drew Lock and Geno Smith both had great visits in preseason openers
After the Seahawks’ preseason opener Saturday night, the first-round matchup between Seattle quarterbacks Geno Smith and Drew Lock is in the books. In all respects, the team’s score so far is a draw. Smith, the current QB entering his third season in Seattle, started the game and played the entire first half. NFL London fans to buy NFL London Tickets from our website.
The eight-year veteran led a charge that was slow. But he finished the game on a high note with an impressive scoring run with less than two minutes left. Smith completed 3 of 5 passes for 36 yards in nine two-minute 61-yard drills and found the end zone in a 2-yard scramble.
“It turned out to be a good outing for two guys. Because they were under a lot of pressure to get things done,” head coach Pete Carroll said via Bob Condotta after the 32-25 win over the Steelers Tower, the Seattle Times says.
“We came in from the back and drove to the front and stuff like that. I’d love to see what it looks like when we tear it down. But those are the options we’re looking at to see how well these guys do.
“I felt great there,” said Smith, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 101 yards, rushing nine and scoring. “I feel like my decisions put things in perspective. They have some good blitzes and things like that, but I can take the ball out of my hands when I need it.”
The Seahawks trailed Pittsburgh 17-10 going into the half, but Smith’s contender quickly returned the team’s stutter attack in the second half.
Lock shut the gate, linking up with Bo Melton on a 39-yard strike to open up a nine-game 73-yard scoring drive and interrupting it with a TD toss to Dareke Young. The newly acquired Seahawks QB had another TD pass after DeeJay Dallas crushed defenders twice. Lock then switched the game with Travis Homer for a two-pointer.
With a score of 25-25 late in the fourth quarter, Lock had a chance to make his debut with a game-winning shot. But that was when the 25-year-old made the biggest mistake of the evening. Under oncoming pressure from the Steelers, Lock blundered in Game 1, and the error sent Pittsburgh to Seattle’s 43-yard line. Steeler’s rookie Kenny Pickett closed the game with a winning TD pass.
“I could have handled this better,” Lock said of the late turnover, “could have turned the pros around (protection), played the hotshot (read receiver). As a quarterback, you can always work it out”. These questions, I’ll keep on my chest, I could have done better there.
Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was also pleased with two QBs after the preseason opener. Despite a late start to the game and significant turnovers. NFL London Seahawks Vs Buccaneers fans to buy Seahawks Vs Buccaneers Tickets from our website.
“Both QBs did a great job. Geno Smith, that two-minute drive came in and then Drew Lock was out in the first half and came out for the game.” He learned in every situation.
The Smith-Lock showdown moves into the second round this Thursday night in a prime-time home game against the Bears. Seattle will travel to Dallas on Saturday, August 26 to wrap up the preseason.
Seattle Seahawks Seven Round WR’s Grind Roster Positions
The Seahawks used the final round of the 2022 NFL Draft to bring some potential depth to wide receivers, drafting Bo Melton of Rutgers and Dareke Young of Lenoir-Rhyne. While Melton and Young still have an uphill battle in the final 53-man roster. They will see some real performance during the preseason, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
Melton’s numbers at Rutgers don’t jump off the page. In his best season, Melton completed 47 passes for 638 yards and six touchdowns, adding two more ground runs on six rushing yards for 69 yards.
The lack of dazzling stats perhaps reflects the players around Melton more than his own. As Rutgers was not known as a top strategist in recent years. Still, Melton has led the Scarlet Knights in yards each for the past three years, racking up 132 receptions for 1,683 yards and 11 touchdowns during that period.
Young is a project by Lenoir-Rhyne. Young has only played seven games in the past two seasons due to COVID-19 and injuries. In the five games he played last year, he caught 25 for 303 yards and four touchdowns, including eight catches for 160 yards and three touchdowns against Mars Hill in September.
That shortened season’s numbers nearly matched his two full 14-game seasons in 2018 and 2019, demonstrating the tremendous potential an adult youngster could have achieved in a full season with the Bears. NFL London Seahawks Vs Buccaneers fans to buy Seattle Seahawks Vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tickets from our website.
Melton and Young were impressive during the off-season in Seattle. In the team’s preseason loss to the Steelers last Saturday. The two led the receiving group, with Melton receiving 2 for 47 yards and 4 touchdowns by Young for 30 yards.
While the top two on the depth chart are level with Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf, injuries to the rest of the receiving team should give Melton and Young ample opportunities to earn their roster. Freddie Swain is expected to enter the season as the third wide receiver. After finishing third in the receiving field last year.
However, after struggling through much of training camp, Swain was recently sidelined with a minor injury, leaving the door ajar and someone to pass him. Free agent Marquise Goodwin has been great in training camp. So far and gave him a real shot at getting into the starting group. But he has also recently been sidelined with an injury.
Meanwhile, sophomore receiver Dwayne Eskridge struggles to stay on the ground and is still recovering from an injury in a bid to get back into the game.
The absence of Swain, Goodwin and Eskridge in the preseason gives Melton and Young plenty of starting offensive time. That in no way guarantees they will confirm themselves on the final roster. But again, Swain, Goodwin and Eskridge may not want to get too comfortable if they continue to perform.
It might be hard to get a seventh round on the 53-man roster as a rookie. But these two pass catchers have a great shot at beating the odds.
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