After sloppy Week 1 win, Seahawks hope to find identity against Pittsburgh

SEATTLE – Welcome to Week 2 in the NFL. The world is better when football is back, right?

The Seahawks walked away from last week’s season opener with the 21-20 ‘W,’ but somehow few were happy about it. Some analysts called it a game Cincinnati let slip away as opposed to one Seattle earned.

The peanut-gallery may very well be right on this single occasion.

Seattle survived a career-day from Bengals QB Andy Dalton, who threw for 418 yards.

The Seahawks defense did themselves no favors either with several defensive lapses throughout the game, including a critical misjudge from safety Tedric Thompson that allowed the Bengals’ go-ahead TD on a 55-yard pass with mere seconds to go in the half.

Veteran QB Russell Wilson only managed 196 passing yards and two touchdowns on a night where his O-line looked downright lost, allowing their signal-caller to get sacked four times. We’re looking at you Germain Ifedi.

But a win is a win.

In the end, the old veterans bailed out a Seattle team full of fresh faces. Mid-fourth quarter, Wilson’s eye caught Tyler Lockett running deep. Seattle’s most experienced receiver hadn’t seen a single target all night. It didn't matter. Under pressure, Lockett hauled in the ball for a 44-yard touchdown; giving the Hawks its lead, and they never looked back.

This may be how Seattle’s first few games shake out; Seahawk veterans laying the foundation while the rest of the team settles in. Call them fine wine, this squad should only get better with time.

Rookie D.K. Metcalf and key addition Jadeveon Clowney were bright spots for Seattle. Metcalf pulled in four catches for 89 yards and absolutely dwarfed his 5-foot-11 defender B.W. Webb.

You can see the possibilities here. On man-to-man coverage, Metcalf will always have the physical edge.

Clowney shined in his blue and green debut, and on limited practice as well. The pass rusher logged a sack and two combined tackles, and head coach Pete Carroll called Clowney a positive force and an energy man the team needs.

“He’s been very oriented to not trying to be in the limelight, front of it all,” Carroll said. “He’s been very humble about the way he’s taken to the approach. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Seattle has growing pains to work through, but this squad will find their identity in due time. They don’t need all the answers just yet, especially not against a Pittsburgh team that just suffered a 33-3 shellacking courtesy of the Patriots.