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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Listless Seahawks Sleepwalk Through 17-7 Defeat In San Francisco

Mcclatchy News Service

The Seahawks stormed out of Candlestick Park on Saturday night probably muttering to themselves, “It was only an exhibition game, it was only an exhibition game.”

Good thing the 17-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers didn’t count in the standings. The Seahawks (2-2) and 49ers (3-2) looked like two teams going in opposite directions.

Somewhere prior to opening kickoff, the swirling 20 mph winds blew the Seahawks’ emotions out into the bay.

“It was almost like we were in a skully (a skeleton drill),” defensive coordinator Greg McMackin said. “Maybe we were respecting Jerry Rice and Steve Young. But we have to play with more emotion.”

If practice makes perfect, the Seahawks are headed for a perfectly disastrous Sunday season opener against the Chiefs, based on their show against the 49ers. The first-team defense is becoming more porous. Look at the first-half defensive statistics:

Against the Rams, the Seahawks surrendered 131 yards in 34 plays. They gave up 177 yards in 32 plays against the Colts, 220 yards in 40 plays against the Saints and a staggering 233 yards on 40 plays.

“We made a couple of mistakes of not staying on coverage,” free safety Eugene Robinson said. “We turned a 3-yard gain into a 15-yard gain on one play, which normally wouldn’t happen.”

Of course, Young has made a career turning little defensive mistakes into big plays. Three times in the opening drive, Young isolated tight end Brent Jones for gains of nine, 38 and 22 yards.

To complete the 84-yard opening drive, Young went to Rice, who beat Carlton Gray with a turn-in route for a 14-yard touchdown.

Plagued by poor pass protection and the lack of a running attack, Seattle quarterback Rick Mirer went into the middle of the second quarter 2 for 6 for 45 yards.

Finally, sensing the uselessness of a running play against a certain defense, Mirer called an audible. Rookie Joey Galloway streaked down the right sidelines on cornerback Eric Davis for a 36-yard touchdown.

In other games…

Alundis Brice’s late interception gave Dallas its only TD in a 10-0 win over the Oilers at Houston.

Tracy Rogers returned a fumble for a TD on the first play to spark Kansas City to a 17-13 win over the Vikings at Minnesota.

Carolina used two second-half field goals by John Kasay to beat New York 6-3, in Clemson, S.C.

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