Stacy’s Seahawks Takeaways: Standouts, Pete, Marshawn, more

We all want to be a film buff, combing through Seattle Seahawks tape long after the game has wrapped to squeeze every bit of information we can from a first glimpse.

Observations from Seattle Seahawks’ preseason opener

It’s a tempting approach when the questions we’re seeking to answer – Will the offensive line improve? Can Sam Darnold replace Geno Smith’s production? – are so hugely important for a Seahawks team that’s looking to get back to the playoffs. But sometimes the simplest takeaways are the most fitting for a preseason opener.

Rather than asking if Klint Kubiak’s offense can unlock something special in Darnold or the running backs, we can probably just ask: Did the stuff the team worked on in practice translate to the field? Did the players who’ve shined for the last month get some good production in against the Raiders?

The answer: yes!

Walk (or run) the talk…

Let’s start with what they’ve been doing all summer long, which is very clearly (and very publicly) re-establishing the run. Seattle’s offense flailed here last season under first-time NFL offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who certainly appeared to lean into Seattle’s more established passing weapons (DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba) as opposed to pushing through learning curves for a struggling offensive line or a banged up running back room.

Establishing the run can take a frustrating level of stubbornness, in addition to steps forward up front and with the scheme, so fans were rightly expecting Seattle to lean into it on Thursday. They saw flashes of a plan that had been in action since winter.

Kubiak said back in February that he’d be utilizing a fullback in his scheme; Seattle didn’t have one on the roster, so they drafted Alabama’s Robbie Ouzts. His blocking was huge on a touchdown drive capped off by George Holani’s 24-yard scoring run.

Holani takes it HOME!

📺: @King5Seattle or @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/qQImteTokr

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) August 8, 2025

On Tory Horton…

To the second point, players that have looked great in camp so far looked great on Thursday. Chief among those is rookie wide receiver Tory Horton, who may very well play himself into Seattle’s No. 3 WR role.

Buy or Sell: Will Tory Horton be Seahawks’ No. 3 WR?

There’s been excitement around Horton for a while. Three months ago, SeahawksDraftBlog’s Rob Staton joined us on Bump and Stacy to talk about the Hawks’ draft class and mentioned Horton as his “value” pick.

“I had a fringe second, third-round grade on him,” Staton said. “He’s got clear starter potential at receiver. I had him rated higher than Tre Harris, who went in the second round to the Chargers. He carried Colorado’s State’s offense for a couple years. They’ve not had good quarterback play there but somehow he seems to just continuously make plays, whether it was competitive catches that he would go up and get, contended grabs, or just burning past people.

“He showed at the combine that he could run and he wasn’t even fully healthy. So if it wasn’t for those injury things or maybe the fact that he played for Colorado State rather than one of these high-powered offenses in the Big Ten or SEC he could’ve gone a lot earlier.”

FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWN 😮‍💨 @toryhorton11

📺: @King5Seattle or @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/PnURclUrWr

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) August 8, 2025

Also worth mentioning

• Marshawn Lynch… the photog? In between attempts to FaceTime the broadcast booth, former Seahawks and Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch was posted on the sidelines capturing the action through a different lens. He also up an elbow after Holani’s run. Gotta protect the camera at all costs, right?

.@MoneyLynch unnecessary roughness ? https://t.co/VlL9EUPot9 pic.twitter.com/S7gTUGJdqS

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) August 8, 2025

• New Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll was in peak form. Carroll interrupted his old friend John Schneider during the Seahawks general manager’s usual pregame interview on the Seattle Sports radio broadcast with Steve Raible, which was great in itself. But I thought his interaction with Hawks kicker Jason Myers took the cake for Most Mischievous Moment.

As he jogged off the field a few minutes ago, Pete Carroll made a slight detour so he could go knock the ball off Jason Myers' kicking tee, then ran away laughing.

— John Boyle (@johnpboyle) August 8, 2025

• OOTD – Outfit of the Day – was easy. He may have been playing for The Other Side, but Maxx Crosby was sporting one of the best fits pregame. BRING THEM BACK!

.@crosbymaxx in the building with a SuperSonics jersey on 😮‍💨

LVvsSEA — 10PM ET on @NFLNetwork
Watch live out-of-market preseason games on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/lUXl3Gbwj7

— NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2025

More Seattle Seahawks coverage

• Seahawks tie Pete Carroll’s Raiders 23-23 in preseason opener
• Pete Carroll crashes John Schneider’s pregame interview
• Five undrafted Seattle Seahawks rookies to watch
• ‘Spectacular’ 1-on-1 practice matchup catches Wyman’s eye
• Horton gains steam as potential Seattle Seahawks draft steal

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