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Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks’ running game sputters but line protects Russell Wilson in defeat

Bob Condotta Seattle Times

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Russell Wilson wasn’t running for his life.

But the Seahawks weren’t really running for their livelihoods, either, creating another mixed-bag performance in the second week of the preseason, which ultimately turned into a 14-13 loss at Kansas City. Seattle is now 0-2, the first time it has started the exhibition season with two losses since 2002.

Giving Seattle some good vibes on the flight home, though, was that a week after allowing seven sacks in a 22-20 loss to Denver, a remade offensive line didn’t allow any until the third team was in the game in the fourth quarter.

“That’s good stuff,’’ said coach Pete Carroll.

Not so good is that Seattle had just 30 yards rushing on 12 carries in the first half and 36 on 18 through three quarters, unusual numbers for a team that led the NFL and set a franchise record at 172.6 per game.

“It might change a little bit when number 24 gets in there,’’ said Carroll, referring to running back Marshawn Lynch, who again had the night off. “But we need to block better just in general.’’

In fact, the Seattle offense managed just two scoring drives out of eight possessions, both field goals,  with the Seahawks’ only touchdown coming on a 25-yard interception return by linebacker Bobby Wagner late in the second quarter.

The starting offense went three-and-out its first two possessions, then managed 30 yards on its third before finally moving 59 yards in 14 plays to set up a Steven Hauschka field goal. Three Wilson passes to new tight end Jimmy Graham, including a long of 21, were the keys to the drive.

“You can just see that he is going to fit really nicely with us,’’ Carroll said of Graham.

But some of the rest of the game didn’t provide quite as clear of a view.

Seattle had 11 penalties which Carroll called “a way to lose a football game. It was too much to overcome the way we were playing.”

There were also three dropped passes and a few other mistakes that had Carroll concluding “we’ve got some stuff to clean up.”

Whether the Seahawks will again need to make sweeping changes on the offensive line, though, is unclear.

After the Denver debacle, the Seahawks moved backup tackle Garry Gilliam to starting right tackle, and right tackle Justin Britt to left guard. Drew Nowak, meanwhile, got his first start at center in what has been a rotation with Lemuel Jeanpierre.

Carroll said he’d need to study the film to really know but didn’t rule out that the team could decide to stick with that five. Gilliam, in particular, appeared to hold up well going against Kansas City’s standout pass rusher Justin Houston.

But the improved pass protection was offset by the struggles in the running game.

“We just didn’t get the kind of movement that we need,’’ Carroll said, adding that he didn’t think the running backs “missed a lot of stuff. I think we got knocked around a little bit.’’

What the Seahawks think of their line could become clear this weekend. Carroll confirmed after the game the team is hosting free-agent guard Evan Mathis, a 33-year old who made the Pro Bowl playing for the Eagles the last two years, for a visit. Mathis won’t be cheap (he was released by the Eagles after demanding a new contract that was due to pay him $5.5 million in 2015), and how the Seahawks feel the line played Friday night might help sway how seriously they go after him.

“He’s coming in for a physical, that’s all,” Carroll said.

The Seahawks’ defense largely acquitted itself well, with the starting unit giving up a 14-play, 83-yard drive for a touchdown in the second quarter – aided by a facemask penalty when Kansas City had second-and-21 at its own 23 – but otherwise keeping the Chiefs in check.

Linebacker K.J. Wright, who led the Seahawks with six tackles, said the starters were motivated by a 24-20 loss to the Chiefs last November when Kansas City rushed for 190 yards. Wright said the team game-planned as much as it ever has for an exhibition game.

“We really tried to redeem ourselves because last time we played the Chiefs, it was embarrassing,” Wright said.

Wagner, meanwhile, made good on a pregame boast, saying he had told Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith during warmups that he planned to pick off a pass and run it back for a touchdown. Wagner said Smith responded by laughing.

“I just sat back and read his eyes,” Wagner said. “I just felt the receiver behind me and I just broke on it the minute he threw the ball.”

It was the first touchdown Wagner has scored in any game since his days as a high school tight end, he said.

“It felt amazing,” he said.