Seahawks Flatten Bears, 34-6
SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle's defense is expected to among the best in the NFL again. If Russell Wilson and the Seahawks' offense can play this well in the regular season, look out.
Wilson threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score, helping the Seahawks rout the Chicago Bears 34-6 on Friday night.
The third preseason game was especially important for the Seahawks, who have just a week between their exhibition finale at Oakland and the season opener on Sept. 4 against Green Bay. And Pete Carroll could not have been happier with the continued efficiency of his offense.
Seattle scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, and Steven Hauschka hit a 59-yard field goal — what would be a franchise record in the regular season — on the final play of the first half.
Wilson was behind center for nine straight scoring drives going back to last week's win over San Diego, a run of 55 points. And it nearly reached 10 on the first drive of the second half before Hauschka's 53-yard attempt clanged off the left upright.
Wilson completed 15 of 20 passes for 202 yards, including scoring plays of 12 yards to Jermaine Kearse and 7 yards to Christine Michael. Wilson also had a 7-yard touchdown run.
Marshawn Lynch got his first taste of the preseason with three carries for 16 yards and capped Seattle's opening drive with a 7-yard TD run before putting on basketball shoes and a baseball hat.
A week after rolling up 260 yards offense and 24 points in the first half against San Diego, the Seahawks had 250 yards and 31 points versus the Bears. Seattle converted all seven third-down opportunities in the first half.
Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler played the entire first half and appeared to throw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett late in the second quarter only to have Bennett ruled down at the 1 on review. Two plays later, after an offensive pass interference call on Brandon Marshall wiped out another touchdown, Cutler was intercepted at the goal line by Jeremy Lane.
Cutler finished 12 of 20 for 157 yards and both Alshon Jeffery and Marshall had four receptions. But the Bears' run game was again absent with just 21 yards on six carries in the first half.
Jordan Palmer got the first chance in the competition to be Cutler's backup, but struggled managing the huddle. Palmer was twice penalized for delay of game and Chicago had only 51 yards and two first downs in the third quarter. Jimmy Clausen played the fourth quarter and led Chicago to its only points on a pair of Robbie Gould field goals.
Along with Lynch getting his first real playing time of the preseason, Seattle saw center Max Unger, left tackle Russell Okung, safety Kam Chancellor and linebacker Malcolm Smith all make their preseason debuts. The four mostly just played the first quarter.
Chicago played without defensive end Jared Allen (shoulder), rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller (ankle) and right tackle Jordan Mills (foot). Safety Ryan Mundy left in the first half with a head laceration and Chris Conte suffered a concussion making his debut after missing OTAs and part of training camp following shoulder surgery.
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