SEATTLE (AP) — Pete Carroll’s Seattle return ended without a winner when Jalan Gaines blocked Daniel Carlson’s 55-yard field-goal try for Las Vegas as time expired, leaving the Raiders and Seahawks tied at 23 on Thursday night.
The 73-year-old Carroll, coaching his first preseason game with the Raiders, was narrowly denied the victory in his return to Seattle, where he led the Seahawks to some of their highest moments.
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The Raiders did lead a late comeback to secure the tie, with Carlson kicking a 51-yard field goal with about a minute left. It was the third field goal of the game for Carlson, who had a long of 56 yards. He also missed a 55-yarder to end the first half.
“We started really poorly,” Carroll said. “We didn’t run the ball well in the first half, we didn’t really do anything very well. But we stayed close, and it was the opportunity for us to face that and then come back and see what you can do in the second half, and it was a marvelous second half.”
Carroll coached the Seahawks for 14 years, going 137-89-1 and putting together double-digit victories eight times over a nine-year stretch. He led Seattle to its only Super Bowl victory in 2013.
Carroll showed the energetic, outgoing personality he was known for in Seattle before the game, talking with many Seahawks players during warmups.
Raiders starting quarterback Geno Smith, who was Seattle's starter the past three seasons, played the opening series for Las Vegas along with most of the offensive starters. Smith completed one of his three passes for 15 yards before making way for Aiden O’Connell, who played into the fourth quarter. O’Connell led all passers, going 18 for 30 for 205 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
"We started out really slow, and that’s to be expected for a preseason game,” Smith said. “But in that second half, we played inspired football. I saw Coach Carroll running up and down the sidelines just out of his mind a little bit.”
Most of the Seahawks' starters didn’t play, including quarterback Sam Darnold, running back Kenneth Walker III and wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
“You never want to tie a football game,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said. “That kinda stinks, but there was a lot of great stuff on both sides of the ball.”
Drew Lock opened the game at quarterback for Seattle and played the first half, going 12 for 22 for 147 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Rookie Jalen Milroe, the Seahawks’ third-round draft pick, came on for the second half, going 6 for 10 for 61 yards.
“What a dream come true to play my first NFL game,” Milroe said. “It was just awesome being on the field for the first time in the stadium. Now the biggest thing is to keep on building.”
The Seahawks opened the scoring with a 24-yard touchdown run by George Holani in the final minute of the first quarter, and Lock threw a 10-yard touchdown to Tory Horton in the second quarter, giving the Seahawks a 13-3 lead after the extra point was blocked.
Las Vegas got in the end zone for the first time in the third quarter, as O’Connell found Dylan Laube for a 6-yard touchdown pass.
Undrafted rookie Jacardia Wright had a 1-yard touchdown run with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter for Seattle.
Raiders rookie Cam Miller — the former North Dakota State star — came on at quarterback for the first time in the fourth quarter, and promptly got on the highlight reel with a deep 41-yard touchdown pass to Shedrick Jackson.
Big celebrations
Seattle had two interceptions in the second quarter off O’Connell. Josh Jobe got the first on a badly underthrown deep ball and had a 38-yard return. The second came when Nehemiah Pritchett jumped a route and led to a 48-yard field goal by Jason Myers.
Beast mode
Former running back Marshawn Lynch, who played for both the Seahawks and Raiders, was on the sideline in new role. Lynch was a credentialed photographer for the game, wearing an official vest and taking pictures. He also got a little into the action, as Holani bumped into Lynch after running past the back of the end zone on his touchdown.
Up next
Raiders: Host San Francisco on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Seahawks: Host Kansas City on Friday, Aug. 15.
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