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Rapid Reactions: Seahawks Close Out Preseason With 20-7 Loss To Green Bay

Takeaways From The Seahawks’ 20-7 Loss To The Packers In The Preseason Finale

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GREEN BAY, Wis.—The Seahawks closed out their preseason with a 20-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers. With all of Seattle's starters getting the day off and several of Green Bay's playing early in the game, the Seahawks fell behind early, then saw the gap widen due to multiple turnovers.

Even so, there were plenty of bright spots from young players fighting for roster spots, and a long look at Seattle's rookie quarterback, Jalen Milroe.

Here are seven rapid reactions to Saturday's game at Lambeau Field:

  1. It was an up-and-down first start for rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe.

With their starters getting the day off, Seattle's backup offense, led by rookie quarterback Jalen Milroe, had a tough time getting going on Saturday. Before an impressive touchdown drive put them on the board late in the game, the Seahawks were shut out through the first three quarters. They did go for it twice on fourth down in the red zone in the second quarter, so those might have been field goals in a regular-season game.

With the running game struggling to get going like it did in the first two preseason games, the Seahawks went 0 for 6 on third down in the first half and were 0 for 3 on fourth downs, though they had the yardage to convert on a Milroe sneak, but he unfortunately lost the ball fighting for extra yards. That was one of two fumbles for Milroe, who also lost the ball on a third-down sack, a pair of turnovers that led to 10 points for the Packers. Milroe was credited with a third fumble when he was unable to handle a shotgun snap from rookie offensive lineman Mason Richman.

To be fair to Milroe, he wasn't always put in the best situations. With the Seahawks starting second- and third-string linemen against a Packers defense that began the game with several starters on the field, the Seahawks weren't able to run the ball like they have in their previous two preseason games.

In addition to those fumbles and the lack of first-half scoring, there were also plenty of bright moments for Milroe as well in his first full game as a Seahawk. Milroe hit several nice downfield throws, including a 27-yard completion to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and a 25-yard completion to Cody White, as well as an 18-yard touchdown to White.

Overall, Milroe completed 13 of 24 attempts for 148 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 31 yards on seven carries, including a 15-yard run on Seattle's only scoring drive.

  1. Cody White came up big in the fourth quarter.

The third preseason game is always about players fighting for spots on the 53-man roster or the practice squad, and one of those players is receiver Cody White, who spent most of last season on the practice squad before a late-season call up to the 53-man roster.

White played a big role in the Seahawks' only touchdown of the game, first by putting the offense in good field position with a 35-yard punt return he punctuated by hurdling a defender. White then caught a 25-yard pass from Milroe to start off the drive and get the Seahawks out of a hole after a false start, then ended the drive with an 18-yard touchdown reception. White later added an 11-yard punt return, giving him 46 yards on his two returns, and had another long reception, a 26-yard catch-and-run down the sideline late in the game, to finish with a team-high 69 yards on three catches.

  1. Safety Ty Okada made the play of the game.

The Seahawks have a lot of talent at safety, making for a tight competition for the final spot or two on the roster. While one game, let alone a play, won't be the only factor in those decisions, Ty Okada ended his preseason on a high note, turning in the play of the day for Seattle: a spectacular diving, one-handed interception on a deep pass early in the game.

After making the improbable grab, Okada got to his feet and added a 23-yard return to an already great play. Okada also was a physical presence in run support, and finished with four tackles before coming out of the game.

  1. Marquez Valdes-Scantling had an active first half.

The Seahawks signed veteran receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling as a possible third receiver behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, but rookie Tory Horton has been pushing Valdes-Scantling for that job, and through two preseason games, it has been a pretty quiet summer for the veteran receiver.

With Kupp, Smith-Njigba and Horton all getting the afternoon off, Valdes-Scantling saw significant playing time early in the game, and finished with three catches for 33 yards, including a 27-yard reception. What that performance means for Valdes-Scantling's place in the pecking order at receiver remains to be seen, but it was a good showing for the veteran when he got his opportunity.

  1. Michael Dickson is in midseason form.

With the Seahawks offense having a hard time finding its footing, punter Michael Dickson was busier than he was in the first two preseason games. Dickson started his day with a 50-yard punt that landed inside the 10, then rolled to the 4-yard line before it was downed by safety Jerrick Reed II.

Dickson finished the game averaging 47.3 yards per punt, and four of his six punts pinned the Packers inside their own 20.

  1. Jared Ivey came back from an injury scare to have a big game.

Rookie defensive end Jared Ivey went down early in the game and was on the field for a while getting checked out by athletic trainers and a team physician. Usually that can mean bad news for a player, but the undrafted rookie eventually walked off the field. After further evaluation, he not only came back in the game, he also finished with a team-high eight tackles while recording multiple quarterback pressures.

  1. A scary second-quarter collision between Jake Bobo and Tyler Hall cast a shadow over the game.

With Seattle's top punt return options Steven Sims and Tory Horton not suited up for the game, receiver Jake Bobo took over that role to start the game, having also returned a punt last week. Bobo had a solid start to the game, gaining 14 yards on his first return, but his second return, in which he ran forward to try to field a short punt, ended in disaster. As Bobo lunged forward to try to field the punt, he ran into teammate Tyler Hall, who was trying to block a Packers player, and Bobo's head hit hard into Hall's leg. Both Hall and Bobo stayed down for several minutes, with teammates and coaches taking a knee on the field for the scary scene. Hall eventually limped off with the help of athletic trainers, while Bobo was able to walk off under his own power, heading straight to the locker room for further evaluation.

Check out the top photos from the Seahawks preseason finale vs. the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

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