1st Pre-Season Game: Raiders at Hawks

[River Dog]

Well, we must be on the downhill side of summer as the first preseason game is tomorrow night, 7pm PDT kickoff on NFL Network. It's the third game of a triple header, although only two appear on NFL Network.

Since my bedtime is commonly around 8-9pm, I'll record it and watch it later. If it were a regular season game, I'd change my sleeping habits. But not for a stinking preseason game. I'm hoping to see a lot of Jalen Milroe and our Kam Chancellor-like safety we traded up to get.

[NorthHawk]

I thought I read somewhere that Darnold probably won't play and if he does it will only be for a series.
Maybe I'm wrong about that but if it happens then we should see a lot of Milroe.
But for me, I want to see how the Offense performs - not the success rate, but rather the style and how the new Offensive Coaches use the players and the blocking schemes.

[River Dog]

I thought I read somewhere that Darnold probably won't play and if he does it will only be for a series.
Maybe I'm wrong about that but if it happens then we should see a lot of Milroe.
But for me, I want to see how the Offense performs - not the success rate, but rather the style and how the new Offensive Coaches use the players and the blocking schemes.

I think that's pretty typical for starting quarterbacks, at least for the first preseason game, although this is a new offense for Darold. I remember Russell Wilson's first season with the Broncos when he didn't take a single snap in preseason then came out flatter than a pancake in the regular season. Darnold needs the reps with his new teammates/offense.

[Stream Hawk]

Well, we must be on the downhill side of summer as the first preseason game is tomorrow night, 7pm PDT kickoff on NFL Network. It's the third game of a triple header, although only two appear on NFL Network.

Since my bedtime is commonly around 8-9pm, I'll record it and watch it later. If it were a regular season game, I'd change my sleeping habits. But not for a stinking preseason game. I'm hoping to see a lot of Jalen Milroe and our Kam Chancellor-like safety we traded up to get.

Nick Emmanwori. And I’ve heard he’s not necessarily in the Kam Chancellor mold. There have been some concerns by bloggers about some of his game acumen. But overall, it sounds like he’s exceeding expectations in camp. Hoping he can be somewhere between Kam, Hamilton, and maybe Kenny Easley?

[Aseahawkfan]

Time to get rolling. Let's hope to find some gems. At least it will be more hopeful than the Mariners endless wasting of a great pitching staff because ownership is unwilling to spend on bats.

[Stream Hawk]

Time to get rolling. Let's hope to find some gems. At least it will be more hopeful than the Mariners endless wasting of a great pitching staff because ownership is unwilling to spend on bats.

Have you not followed the Mariners the last couple weeks? Their offense is basically stacked now. But overall their ownership definitely doesn’t spend in the off-season.

[Aseahawkfan]

Have you not followed the Mariners the last couple weeks? Their offense is basically stacked now. But overall their ownership definitely doesn’t spend in the off-season.

It don't matter if they do well for a short while. They don't spend to put it all together when they have the horses to run hard. We had a great pitching staff for a few years now front to back. They won't spend to bring in the bats.

Cal's having a great year. Julio hasn't improved much if at all from previous years. Our record is still competing only for a wild card spot. Then we'll likely get wrecked in the playoffs if we manage to get in on a wildcard spot.

Years of disappointment with the Mariners. All because ownership isn't that interested in winning.

[Stream Hawk]

I think we take the division. The AL is very winnable this year. Cal’s actually slumping a lot now, and Julio is heating up per the late summer norm. I’d love it if this team were sold or Stanton steps down, but neither is likely soon.

Our excellent farm system combined with trader saviness of Jerry/Justin may just beat the system. I am not impressed with their mgr decisions. Neither Dan nor Scott had experience - and it showed.

[Aseahawkfan]

I think we take the division. The AL is very winnable this year. Cal’s actually slumping a lot now, and Julio is heating up per the late summer norm. I’d love it if this team were sold or Stanton steps down, but neither is likely soon.

Our excellent farm system combined with trader saviness of Jerry/Justin may just beat the system. I am not impressed with their mgr decisions. Neither Dan nor Scott had experience - and it showed.

I'd love nothing more than to add a World Series to our Super Bowl and NBA Championship. But until ownership pushes to win, I don't see it happening unless it's some lucky run getting hot at the right time. Baseball is one of those sports where they play so many games in the playoffs, the better team almost always wins.

This ownerships goal is to make money every year, so they manage the payroll according to what will make them profitable. It's why I don't follow baseball very closely and why the NFL is number one. Salary cap makes the NFL incredibly competitive. Whereas in baseball, you can buy championships if you're willing to spend the money. Look at the Dodgers. Pretty much bought last year's World Series.

[River Dog]

Time to get rolling. Let's hope to find some gems. At least it will be more hopeful than the Mariners endless wasting of a great pitching staff because ownership is unwilling to spend on bats.

Have you not followed the Mariners the last couple weeks? Their offense is basically stacked now. But overall their ownership definitely doesn’t spend in the off-season.

It's pretty easy to complain about ownership, kinda like complaining about your boss. They've had to make some tough calls over the past few years. I tend to be a little more forgiving.

They've made some very good moves down the stretch, in particular bringing in Josh Naylor. I don't know if they can win the division, but they should make the playoffs where anything can happen. It's nice to have them doing well as my interest level in baseball has waned significantly over the years due mostly to the troubles the Mariners have had.

[Aseahawkfan]

It's pretty easy to complain about ownership, kinda like complaining about your boss. They've had to make some tough calls over the past few years. I tend to be a little more forgiving.

They've made some very good moves down the stretch, in particular bringing in Josh Naylor. I don't know if they can win the division, but they should make the playoffs where anything can happen. It's nice to have them doing well as my interest level in baseball has waned significantly over the years due mostly to the troubles the Mariners have had.

You always are a strange contradiction. You act like the Seahawks aren't pushing hard enough to win when they have been far more successful than the Mariners, than act magnanimous for 20 years of futility and unwillingness to spend by Mariners ownership.

In baseball, you buy championships with rare exception. You really want to win in the MLB, you build a great team from your farm league which the Mariners have managed to do with the pitching staff and players like Cal and Julio, then when you have that core you spend big on bringing in some big bats and supplement pitchers and really go after the World Series.

That's how the MLB works. If your ownership can't look down and go, "We got a hella of a core built, we need to go all in now while we have this strong core", then you're going to end up as the Mariners have been for the past 20 years and really their whole existence other than that brief period in the mid 90s to 2001.

Forgiving? That has nothing to do with it. Mariners have produced no results and don't know what to do when they do have some results that if then went in big, would give them a real shot at winning it all.

[c_hawkbob]

For the most part I liked what I saw in this game, our depth (didn't see much from the starters) looks solid. Cuts a gonna be interesting.

[Stream Hawk]

You always are a strange contradiction. You act like the Seahawks aren't pushing hard enough to win when they have been far more successful than the Mariners, than act magnanimous for 20 years of futility and unwillingness to spend by Mariners ownership.

In baseball, you buy championships with rare exception. You really want to win in the MLB, you build a great team from your farm league which the Mariners have managed to do with the pitching staff and players like Cal and Julio, then when you have that core you spend big on bringing in some big bats and supplement pitchers and really go after the World Series.

That's how the MLB works. If your ownership can't look down and go, "We got a hella of a core built, we need to go all in now while we have this strong core", then you're going to end up as the Mariners have been for the past 20 years and really their whole existence other than that brief period in the mid 90s to 2001.

Forgiving? That has nothing to do with it. Mariners have produced no results and don't know what to do when they do have some results that if then went in big, would give them a real shot at winning it all.

But they actually did bring in two big bats. I think we have enough to at least make the playoffs this year. Well, I think we can win the West it’s definitely not guaranteed because the Astros never seemed to go away.
Re Hawks preseason. I love what I saw overall. I missed the first quarter+ because Sling is awful; hence, signed up for Fubo. See other thread.
Milroe showed good touch on short passes and had amazing pass on the run to set up the touchdown. I’ve heard our OL was very solid in the first couple of drives. Still have expectations for an 11 win season & the sky is limit.

[Irish Greg 2.0]

Re-watching the game in detail, and there are lots of positives on offense:

-The offense looks structured, competent, engaged, well coached. Everything it hasn't been the last several seasons. You can see the imprint of a professional, NFL caliber offensive staff.

-Kubiak likes to move the pocket (unlike the moron last season), and each of the QBs are suited to manage that.

-I love I formation, and I love fullbacks. Ouzts is an absolute unit, and can catch the ball as well. We are going to kill people in the I this season, both running and with play action.

-I have always liked Holani, and with McIntosh out for the season he will get some reps this season.

-Horton is my rookie crush, and he already shows that he is going to produce fast. He is so fluid.

-I think the TEs are going to be much more emphasized this season, and the potential in 12 personnel with Barner/Arroyo is tantalizing. I would expect to see Arroyo split wide in 3-wide sets sometimes as well.

-I already see signs of much better coaching up front on the OL. Zabel struggled a bit with technique, but he can be coached. Bradford seems to have the lock on the starting RG spot- which is disappointing as I am not sure he is a great fit for wide zone, and more disappointing that Haynes can't beat him out.

[Aseahawkfan]

Sure would be nice to see some consistent, competent O-line play and guys last long enough to mesh before we're triaging the O-line.

[NorthHawk]

I liked the efficiency of the OL. Even without Cross the line as a whole was effective and in run blocking they moved in a group much more so than in past years. Bradford is an interesting player as it's been said he played in a Wide Zone type Offense in college but put on a bunch of weight after the draft. He tested pretty quick at the combine so maybe there is a chance he can become a solid starting RG now that he's lost a bunch of weight.