> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Rapid Reaction: Seahawks Fizzle After Fast Start, Fall 17-7 to Cowboys in Preseason Opener - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/rapid-reaction-seattle-seahawks-start-fast-fall-dallas-cowboys-preseason-opener/ - Published: 2026-08-16T03:00:07.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:55:22.000Z - Author: Corbin Smith - Tags: Analysis, Game Day, Seahawks, Drew Lock, Montorie Foster Jr., Tyrice Knight, Rashad Rochelle, Jared Ivey, Brady Russell, George Holani, Elijah Arroyo, Shemar Jean-Charles, Jason Myers, Jalen Milroe, Jalan Gaines, A.J. Finley \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4356"\] ![ Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2) passes the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/2026-08-16t013800z_1689887293_mt1usatoday29594551_rtrmadp_3_nfl-dallas-cowboys-at-seattle-seahawks-jpg-format-original.jpg) Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2) passes the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images \[/caption\] SEATTLE, Wash. - Despite a fast start to kick off the exhibition season with an opening drive touchdown, the Seattle Seahawks whiffed on multiple fourth down opportunities and the offense went ice cold for the final three quarters of play as the Dallas Cowboys earned a 17-7 victory in the preseason opener. Rotating snaps under center, Drew Lock completed nine out of 13 passes for 40 yards and tossed a five-yard touchdown to receiver Montorie Foster Jr., though he overthrew a potential 65-yard touchdown to the same receiver in the third quarter, while Jalen Milroe rushed for 36 yards and added 36 yards as a passer. Seemingly playing with clones on the field, linebacker Tyrice Knight stuffed the stat sheet with a team-high 10 tackles and two pass breakups, starring in the middle with mostly backups playing on defense for Seattle, while edge rusher Jalan Gaines and safety AJ Finley produced the team’s only tackles for loss. Here are five takeaways from the preseason opener at Lumen Field: ### 1\. A methodical drive aided by a big penalty finishes with Lock’s arm giving the Seahawks a quick lead. Playing with all backups on the offensive side of the ball, Lock didn’t waste much time going into aggressive mode from the pocket. After a short run by George Holani and a quick completion to Jake Bobo on the first two plays of the series, the Seahawks faced 3rd and 4 and the veteran backup uncorked a deep ball down the left sideline for veteran receiver Cody White, who got grabbed by cornerback Caelan Carson from behind as the pass sailed over his head. With his progress severely impeded to prevent a big play, he drew a 19-yard pass interference penalty to extend the opening possession. Keeping the drive alive again, Holani punched forward on a 3rd and 1 to move the chains and three plays later, Lock tucked the ball with pressure coming into the pocket and scrambled for a six-yard pickup to advance the ball into the red zone. Following a 12-yard completion to tight end Elijah Arroyo on the next snap and two short runs by Holani, Lock came through on third down again, this time zipping a fastball just over the hands of a linebacker dropping into his curl responsibility, finding Foster Jr. on a dig route for the touchdown from five yards out to give Seattle an early 7-0 lead to cap off an impressive 13-play, 80-yard drive. ### 2\. Sloppy, undisciplined play from Seattle's reserve offensive line held the unit back after the first series. Not surprisingly, the Seahawks rested their entire starting offensive line on Saturday night, rolling out for the opening series with veteran tackles Josh Jones and Bobby Hart, guards Christian Haynes and Mason Richman, and center Olu Oluwatimi. That unit played quite well, particularly in pass protection keeping Lock upright in the first two series. But as line coach John Benton started to rotate in some different players into the lineup, including third-string tackles Logan Brown and Amari Kight, second-year quarterback Jalen Milroe endured constant duress from the Cowboys’ defensive line after he checked in. Thanks to his athleticism, Milroe found a way to overcome the relentless pressure on several occasions, including ripping off a 20-yard run on the final series of the first half after escaping the pocket and scrambling to his right. For the half, he rushed for 34 yards on just four carries and completed a few throws after evading the rush. But even his dual-threat capabilities weren’t enough to avoid taking a sack on that final series with multiple rushers collapsing on him, and on the two plays sandwiched around that snap, rookie guard Beau Stephens and Brown each were flagged for holding penalties. Kight drew a holding flag in the first half as well, while Brown got penalized a second time on a 4th and 4 conversion attempt in the red zone to open the fourth quarter on a night where trench play wasn’t ideal overall. ### 3\. Knight put on his Superman cape, once again proving himself to be a starter-caliber NFL linebacker. Right out of the gate, the Seahawks forced a three-and-out against ex-Seattle quarterback Sam Howell and the Cowboys’ backups, finished off by a quality pass breakup over the middle by Knight, who appeared to be playing every position at times in the opening half. On the second possession, he racked up an impressive seven tackles, helping hold Dallas to just a field goal as the home team maintained a four-point advantage. Three of those stops against the run went for two or fewer yards as he quickly diagnosed plays, shot downhill, and blew up ball carriers to shut down the Cowboys’ ground game. Continuing to make plays on the next series, Knight produced his second pass breakup on the opening play and tacked on three more tackles to hit double digits for the half to go with a pair of deflections in coverage. With Ernest Jones and Drake Thomas slated to start, the Seahawks don’t have a clear place to plug the third-year defender into the lineup for snaps, but his play in camp and the preseason thus far could make it tough to keep him off the field, potentially opening the door for him to be utilized as a third linebacker in specialty packages or even as a situational rusher off the edge on obvious passing downs. ### 4\. Third down ineffectiveness and explosive plays wound up undoing many of the early positives from Seattle's defense. On one hand, the Seahawks did a fine job of getting the Cowboys into third downs on a consistent basis for most of the game. But on the other hand, that only matters when you can finish stops, and coach Mike Macdonald won’t be too pleased with the fact that his team wasn’t able to get that done very often in the first three quarters on Saturday. Dallas wound up moving the chains on third down five times on seven attempts, including four times on the second drive - including once by penalty with a defensive pass interference call on cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles - that culminated with a Brandon Aubrey field goal. Compounding the third down woes and struggles getting off the field for much of the night, the Seahawks allowed two explosive pass plays in crucial moments. Closing in on halftime, Jean-Charles couldn’t get his head turned around quick enough as Howell launched a 39-yard touchdown to Camden Brown on a go ball, trying to make a play on the ball too late to prevent the score with 45 seconds to go in the half. On the ensuing drive to open the third quarter, rookie Andre Fuller got beat in coverage on 3rd and 3 by receiver Anthony Smith for a 23-yard reception, setting up Brown’s second touchdown on a filthy one-handed grab with rookie Michael Dansby in coverage to extend the lead to 17-7. ### 5\. A mostly positive night on special teams unfortunately didn’t net any points on the scoreboard. Playing a key role in the team’s Super Bowl run a year ago, the Seahawks boasted one of the best special teams units in the league, and in many regards, the home squad was the superior team in the third phase of the game on Saturday. Immediately after Lock’s touchdown, defensive tackle Jared Ivey and Brady Russell bombarded kick returner Israel Abanikanda with massive open field hits to the delight of the crowd. In the third quarter, after the Cowboys were finally stopped on third down on their second series of the half, undrafted rookie receiver Rachad Rochelle galloped to a 52-yard punt return, setting the offense up with prime field position deep in Dallas territory. But as was the case all night away from the opening possession, the Seahawks couldn’t get out of their own way trying to finish drives, contributing greatly to the defeat. Following Rochelle’s long return, Lock’s 4th and 4 pass attempt in the red zone to Velus Jones Jr. resulted in a four-yard loss, and it wouldn’t have mattered if they picked up the conversion anyway due to Brown getting nabbed for holding. Fast forwarding to the fourth quarter, a gifted muffed punt by Traeshon Holden was recovered by Seattle running back T.J. Harden inside the Cowboys’ five-yard line, only for Milroe to get sacked on fourth down to wipe out another drive with no points. Adding on a missed field goal by Jason Myers in the second quarter, the Seahawks lost at least nine points with those missed opportunities, something Macdonald will certainly harp on this week coming out of the game.