Because of Thomas Rawls' injury, running back Christine Michael has spent the entire offsesaon with the Seattle Seahawks' starting offense. And in the preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Michael built on the momentum he has gained during training camp.
Michael carried seven times for 44 yards on the first two offensive possessions, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He looked explosive, secured the ball well and battled through contact, consistently breaking tackles.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said during the week that Michael has had an awakening. And so far, he's having a terrific summer.
QB depth chart: Russell Wilson played only one possession, going 3-of-6 for 34 yards. He was late with his throw to the end zone intended for Jermaine Kearse and got intercepted by cornerback Marcus Peters. Trevone Boykin was up and down, which was to be expected. Boykin came into the game in the first quarter, gave Jake Heaps a shot in the second half and then returned in the fourth. Boykin led the team on a game-winning, 88-yard drive in the fourth quarter. Overall, Boykin went 16-of-26 for 188 yards and a touchdown. Heaps completed 3 of 10 passes for 30 yards.
Maybe that player could start (on special teams): Tyvis Powell. The undrafted free agent had a crushing block on a punt return and came up with a tackle on the coverage team. Powell showed great effort in the second half, nearly downing a punt inside the 10, but his foot was on the goal line, and it was ruled a touchback. Defensively, he had an interception in the fourth quarter. Powell is on the roster bubble, but if he continues to have performances (specifically on special teams) like this one, the coaches will have no choice but to hand him a roster spot.
Who got hurt? Pete Carroll will provide an update when he addresses the media, but the Seahawks' first and second teams seemed to come out of this game clean.
A surprise player who impressed: Cassius Marsh. He has been around for a while and has been a special-teams standout, but the next step for Marsh is to show he can provide some pass rush. From right defensive end, he displayed quickness off the edge in the first half, getting a hit on Nick Foles. Marsh had a couple of quarterback hits and a special-teams tackle. His versatility will keep him on the roster.
When it was starters vs. starters, the Seahawks looked ... as it was expected they'd look. The team was playing without several key starters such as defensive end Michael Bennett, strong safety Kam Chancellor and Rawls. The offense moved the football, and the line did not give up a sack until the fourth quarter, when the third team was in. The defense gave up a 49-yard scoring drive in the first quarter, but there didn't appear to be anything too worrisome.
One reason to be concerned: The Seahawks still need to figure out their backup QB situation. Boykin will get a chance to claim the job, but the organization will continue to keep an eye on veterans who are released from other teams.
Paul Richardson shows off wheels: It didn't result in a catch, but the Seahawks wide receiver showed off his speed in the second quarter, beating Peters downfield on a go route. Boykin overthrew him, but Richardson showed what he can bring to the offense. He also had a nice grab on a slant, picking up a first down on a ball that was thrown low.
The drive: Boykin drove the offense 88 yards in 67 seconds on the final possession. It was not a crisp drive, but he found wide receier Tanner McEvoy for a 37-yard touchdown. The Seahawks went for two, and Troymaine Pope found the end zone to give the Seahawks the 17-16 win. McEvoy finished with three catches for 77 yards.
