Seattle Seahawks 27, Dallas Cowboys 17
Here are the top-graded players and biggest takeaways from the Seahawks' 27-17 victory over the Cowboys:
Quarterback grade: Tony Romo, N/A; Dak Prescott, 70.2
Romo exits after just two plays, but rookie Prescott solid in relief
Well, we got to see Tony Romo for two total dropbacks before every Cowboys fan in the country’s heart sank. Seahawks DE Cliff Avril chopped down Romo from behind while he was sliding, and the quarterback lay motionless on the ground, cradling his back. The early prognosis was positive, thankfully, as Dallas head coach Jason Garrett said the injury is not serious. The injury meant we got to see more of the rookie Dak Prescott, who wasn’t as electric in this game as he was the first two weeks of preseason, but still performed admirably against the vaunted Seahawks defense. Prescott completed 17 of his 23 passes.
Top offensive grades:
C Travis Frederick, 81.2
FB Keith Smith, 78.0
WR Rodney Smith, 77.3
G Boston Stiverson, 75.7
C Joe Looney, 73.2
Ezekiel Elliott has an impressive Cowboys debut
No. 4 overall pick Ezekiel Elliott saw his first action of the preseason, and he did not disappoint. The rookie running back had seven carries for 48 yards (6.9 yards per rush), including 17 after contact, which is a good way to start his pro career. He also flashed his exceptional body control when he spun out of a Kam Chancellor tackle in the first quarter.
Top defensive grades:
LB Sean Lee, 80.1
CB Brandon Carr, 77.7
LB Brandon Hepburn, 77.0
DE Lawrence Okoye, 76.6
DT Cedric Thornton, 76.2
Defensive line play remains a big question mark for Dallas
Even against an underwhelming Seahawks offensive line, the Cowboys defensive line was ineffective all day. No player on that unit notched a grade higher than Lawrence Okoye's 76.6, and they managed to pressure Seahawks quarterbacks on only five of their 25 dropbacks. It’s easily the Cowboys' biggest question mark heading into the season.
Get the Cowboys' complete, in-depth 2016 season preview right here.
Quarterback grade: Russell Wilson, 68.6
Russell Wilson looks ready to pick up where he left off last season
Russell Wilson missed a handful of throws in this game that we routinely see him make, but as is usually the case with the Seahawks quarterback, the good outweighed the bad. He completed six of his nine attempts targeted 10 or more yards downfield. His decision-making was impeccable, and he avoided any egregious decisions. All in all, Wilson looks poised to pick up in Week 1 where he left off last season, when he ranked as the No. 5 QB in PFF grades.
Top offensive grades:
RB Christine Michael, 75.9
G Jahri Evans, 75.4
WR Paul Richardson, 75.0
TE Brandon Williams, 74.6
C Joey Hunt, 72.0
RB Christine Michael has another strong performance
The hype train isn’t stopping anytime soon, as Christine Michael looked explosive as can be Thursday night. He broke two long runs for no other reason than defenders took bad angles after failing to anticipate his excellent burst. He broke two tackles on seven carries, and is now averaging 3.3 yards after contact per attempt for the preseason. With Thomas Rawls still not able to play due to injury, it's unclear what the running back situation will be for Seattle when the regular season arrives.
Top defensive grades:
LB Bobby Wagner, 86.9
LB Brock Croyle, 80.2
DE Michael Bennett, 78.8
DT Brandin Bryant, 77.5
CB Richard Sherman, 75.9
Bobby Wagner shows why he is one of the NFL's top inside linebackers
After a bit of a rough go of it last week against the Vikings, Bobby Wagner came back in a big way this week. He made four stops without missing a single tackle and added a pressure for good measure. This was a very clean performance from one of the best middle linebackers in the league. The Seattle pass-rushers also showed up, as Michael Bennett and Frank Clark produced three hurries each, while Cliff Avril recorded two sacks and a hurry.
Get the Seahawks' complete, in-depth 2016 season preview right here.
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