The Seattle Seahawks are set to kick off their preseason opener at 5 p.m. PST against the Dallas Cowboys at Lumen Field. Here are four bold predictions surrounding main narratives in this game, which will give us the first taste of game action as defending champions.
First, I believe six to seven healthy running backs- George Holani, Jadarian Price, Emanuel Wilson, Velus Jones Jr., Jacardia Wright, TJ Harden, and Justin Jones- to get carries. We’ll see them all side-by-side and make a fair evaluation on the eye test, then discuss after the game in takeaways and Studs & Duds. Maybe we’ll even get a feel for the baseline RB pecking order at the current moment.
Second, don’t sleep on Dallas’ depth along both the offensive and defensive line. They’ve bolstered their formidable new interior duo of Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams with a plethora of edge pieces, from Otito Ogbonnia and Rashan Gary to Donovan Ezeraiku and Dee Winters, plus backups like Jaishawn Barham and rookie LT Overton out of Alabama that should play a lot tonight. This will be a much better measuring stick for the Seahawks’ developmental pieces than the Raiders were last year. That could mean Mason Richman, Bryce Cabeldue and the rest of the backup offensive line need to step up and prove their level in the second half.
Ironically, Brian Schottenheimer returns to Seattle with low stakes, but his offense still struggles to move the chains more than it should. Expect him to try to go deep and to the boundary and get his young skill players involved, but with the Seahawks positively violent mentality which was featured on the most recent Hard Knocks , screens and out routes will be no match- regardless of the level of depth the game calls for.
Finally, Brian Fleury’s offense will reveal its foundation to the world, or at least, whoever’s watching this game. I don’t know how much influence he’ll bring from Kyle Shanahan or the San Francisco 49ers offense, or if it’ll be productive. A first-time offensive play caller is as good an opportunity for surprise as any, so I expect this to be the talking point of the night when all is said and done. Follow us here during the game for breakdowns of exactly what Fleury and Mike Macdonald are cooking up, and check back postgame for takeaways, Studs & Duds, and all your other Seahawks needs!
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Four Bold Predictions For Seahawks’ Preseason Opener vs. Cowboys