Seattle Seahawks Rapid Reaction: Swarming Defense Fuels 16-3 Win in Preseason Opener

Limiting the Chargers to under 200 yards and not allowing a single third down conversion in the first half, a stout defense led the Seahawks to their first win under Mike Macdonald.

Aug 10, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) blocks a throw from Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Easton Stick (2) during the second quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports / Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Kicking off the preseason in style, the Seattle Seahawks held the Los Angeles Chargers to under 200 total yards of offense as first-time head coach Mike Macdonald's team earned a 16-3 road win behind a stingy defensive effort.

Entering the win column for the first time under Macdonald's watch, here are five quick takeaways from Seattle's first victory of the 2024 season at SoFi Stadium:

1. A rock solid debut for Sam Howell nets a pair of scoring drives.

Making the start instead of Geno Smith, Howell’s first game as a Seahawk wasn’t flashy or explosive, as evidenced by his dismal 4.8 yards per attempt average on 27 throws. However, much of that had to do with the play calling, as Ryan Grubb dialed up several bubble screens and quick hitters to get the ball out of his quarterback’s hands. While he was fortunate one of those screens to Laviska Shenault wasn’t taken back to the house for six points, he generally did a great job of not putting the ball in harms way and made smart decisions, particularly on third down, where Seattle converted seven times on 12 attempts in the first two quarters.

Managing the game well, Howell hooked up with tight end Brady Russell on a pivot route on 3rd and 4 and the receiver did the rest, breaking a tackle and rumbling into the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown to put his team out in front 7-0 early in the second quarter. He later added a 26-yard strike to Dareke Young early in the third quarter after properly reading a blitz and unloading the ball on target to his receiver and also had a couple quick screens to Shenault net more than 10 yards and a pair of first downs.

2. The third down running back competition remains deadlocked.

Entrenched in arguably the most intriguing positional competition on offense after three weeks of training camp, Kenny McIntosh and George Holani both helped themselves on Saturday night without either player truly separating themselves. Earning the start, McIntosh paced Seattle’s rushing attack in the first half, rushing for 40 yards on eight carries, including two carries of at least eight yards. His two receptions only netted two yards, but he showed plenty of toughness earning his yardage as a runner while averaging five yards per carry and returned a kickoff, which means he’s in the mix for that role as well.

As for Holani, an undrafted rookie out of Boise State, while he did get stuffed on a fourth and goal run play, he quickly capitalized off an interception by Coby Bryant by springing outside on an inside zone and sprinting 11 yards to pay dirt for a touchdown to extend Seattle’s lead to 13-0 in the second quarter. He also made several quality blocks on the night, including taking out a cornerback on a 22-yard run by Dee Eskridge on a jet sweep in the fourth quarter, and tacked on a special teams tackle, stacking a quality outing overall. This race is far from over, and if anything, it’s even tighter after the opener.

3. Mike Macdonald had to be all smiles after a dominant defensive first half.

With it being a preseason game, Macdonald likely will try to be cautious when it comes to praise in his post-game press conference, especially since he's been guarded on that front throughout training camp. But he couldn't have asked for much better of a first performance from his defense, as the only three points the Seahawks allowed came on a six-play, 24-yard drive late in the first half and they prevented the Chargers from converting on any of their seven third down opportunities in the first two quarters. Pacing the unit, outside linebacker Derick Hall frequently harassed Easton Stick, generating a sack and creating another sack for teammate Devere Levelston, while linebacker Jon Rhattigan recorded a sack on a blitz.

In the secondary, Seattle limited Los Angeles to 103 passing yards for the entire game and a putrid 3.6 yards per attempt. Bryant quickly turned a pick against Stick into Holani's touchdown, converting turnovers in points on the scoreboard, while six different players had pass breakups, including a resurgent Marquise Blair in his first game back with the team after re-signing earlier in camp. Safety Ty Okada dished out several big hits, including on the game-ending fourth down pass breakup, and rookie Dee Williams also made a pair of impressive plays on that final drive to recover from giving up a 39-yard reception. It was a suffocating effort overall that had to have Macdonald grinning ear to ear in the locker room.

4. Byron Murphy II makes a loud introduction to Seahawks fans as draft picks fare well on defense.

Under the microscope as the first first-round pick of the Macdonald era, Murphy faced plenty of pressure for a preseason game suiting up for his first game. But the former Texas star came out of the tunnel ready to roll, frequently eating up double teams and holding his own at the line of scrimmage. Then early in the second quarter, he blew up a run play and devoured Isaiah Spiller for a tackle for loss, following up with a quick interior pressure that led to Hall's sack. In his first half of action, though he only had one tackle, he made his presence felt with his elite athleticism and motor on display and registered a pair of pressures in an impressive debut.

Away from Murphy, fourth-round linebacker Tyrice Knight earned the start at weakside linebacker and finished with four tackles, sixth-round pick D.J. James recorded a pass breakup, and Nehemiah Pritchett played sticky coverage on the outside as the defensive draft picks played a key role in limiting the Chargers to just three points and under 200 total yards. It was undoubtedly an encouraging start for the Seahawks latest draft class in their first audition playing in Macdonald's scheme.

5. Laviska Shenault provides a spark on offense as well as special teams.

Building off a strong past week in camp, Shenault flashed his unique bag of tricks both on offense and special teams throughout the first two-plus quarters. Added as a free agent in March, the 220-pound receiver turned a pair of bubble screens into 31 yards and two first downs, using his strong lower body to power through multiple arm tackles and rack up big yardage after contact. Grubb also got him involved in the run game, giving him a single carry on a jet sweep that went for five yards, and he had a key block on Russell's touchdown reception to help the tight end get to the end zone.

With the new kickoff rules being a major curiosity even for the players and coaches themselves, Shenault also staked his claim to be one of Seattle's two primary returners. Taking the kickoff out of the end zone and showcasing plenty of juice, he initially sprinted straight upfield before cutting back to his right behind blocks by Dareke Young and Jake Bobo, finding a crease before plowing over a defender on a 44-yard return to set the Seahawks up near midfield.