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Rapid Reactions: Seahawks Fall In Preseason Opener To The Cowboys

Takeaways From The Seahawks’ Preseason Opener Against the Dallas Cowboys

Aug 15, 2026 at 08:10 PM

Seahawks.com Senior Reporter

The Seahawks started off strong, scoring on their opening drive, but struggled to get going on offense the rest of the way, and the result was a 17-7 loss to the Cowboys in a preseason opener in which both teams rested their starters.

Here are five rapid reactions to Saturday night's game at Lumen Field:

Tyrice Knight is playing like someone who deserves to have a role on defense.

Partly because of injury, and partly because of the great play of Drake Thomas, linebacker Tyrice Knight lost his starting job last season and, while being a key player on special teams, had a limited role on defense in the second half of the season.

But on a night when both teams rested their starters, Knight was a clear standout among backup players, building off of what has been a very strong camp for the third-year 'backer. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald acknowledged earlier in camp that Knight is pushing for playing time, and on Saturday night, he looked very much like a player who deserves to have a role on defense when the regular season begins next month.

Knight started his game with a third-down pass breakup to force a three-and-out on Dallas' first possession, then was everywhere making plays the rest of the first half, finishing the half with 10 tackles, many of them stops for short gains on running plays, as well as two passes defensed, the second of which came on a huge but legal hit on Dallas receiver Michael Trigg.

Montorie Foster Jr. did what he has been doing since the start of training camp.

Casual Seahawks fans might not be familiar with Montorie Foster Jr., who signed with the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent last year, got injured early in camp, then joined the practice squad late in the season. But to anyone who has been paying attention to this year's training camp, it was no surprise that Foster was a standout in his first preseason game.

Foster has been a playmaker in camp, making things happen in nearly every practice, and he continued that on Saturday night, starting his day with a 5-yard touchdown catch on a pass from Drew Lock, a throw that was nearly on top of Foster before he spun around just in time to make the catch.

Foster finished the day with a team-leading five catches for 36 yards, and could have had a huge day had Lock not slightly overthrown him on a deep ball after Foster got wide open with some good route-running. With a better throw, Foster likely would have added a 68-yard touchdown to an already solid preseason debut.

The Seahawks have a lot of depth in the return game.

The Seahawks have one of the league's best returners in Rashid Shaheed, as well as another standout punt returner in Tory Horton, but even with both of those players getting the night off, the Seahawks showed they have a lot of quality options in the return game.

Receiver Cody White opened the game with a long kick return, though it came back due to a penalty. On his next opportunity, White took a punt return 18 yards, nearly turning the corner for an even bigger gain. Later, rookie receiver Rashad Rochelle had one of the biggest plays of the game, a 52-yard punt return.

The offense didn't take advantage of good opportunities set up by special teams.

Everything that happens in the preseason needs to be taken with a big grain of salt, especially when the second and third-team offense is on the field, but Macdonald and the rest of the coaching staff will still be unhappy with the offense's inability to take advantage of some great opportunities.

After Rochelle's long punt return gave the Seahawks the ball at Dallas' 31-yard line, the Seahawks got as far as the 6-yard line, but were unable to convert on fourth-and-goal. Later, a beautiful Michael Dickson punt landed inside the 5-yard line, only to be muffed by Cowboys receiver Traeshon Holden and recovered by Seahawks running back T.J. Harden. After three straight runs set up fourth-and-goal at the 1, the Seahawks went for it again, but Jalen Milroe was sacked. In a real game, the Seahawks very well may have taken the points in one or both of those situations, but either way, they were missed opportunities for the offense to get the Seahawks back into the game after big plays on special teams.

Seattle's starters who didn't play were still very into the game.

To borrow one of Macdonald's favorite phrases, the "secret sauce" behind last year's Super Bowl winning season very well might have been the connection of last year's team. Obviously there was a ton of talent and great scheme, but players and coaches throughout the team's late-season run spoke over and over about how close the team was and how that helped them have the success that they did.

This is a new season and a new team, but it's clear that this, too, is a pretty connected group, and that was on display Saturday as some of Seattle's top players were fully into an August preseason game despite not playing.

When Rochelle popped a long punt return, Devon Witherspoon ran onto the field to celebrate the big play, and whenever the defense made a stop, Ernest Jones IV was jumping up and down, waving a towel in the air. They were just two of several starters who spent their night off putting a lot of energy into supporting their teammates.