The Seattle Seahawks' junior varsity squad is superior to the Jacksonville Jaguars' varsity.
On Sunday's 45-17 laugher that played according to script, that was the primary takeaway.
The Seahawks boast the deepest roster in the NFL while the Jaguars are stuck with the shallowest.
Russell Wilson became the fifth quarterback since the 1970 merger to win his first 10 home starts. After he staked the Seahawks to a 31-0 lead in the third quarter, coach Pete Carroll called off the dogs against his former defensive coordinator.
With Seattle's stars on the sidelines, backups Tarvaris Jackson and Doug Baldwin connected on a highlight-reel 35-yard touchdown. Jackson finished with a perfect 158.3 passer rating and 16.1 yards per on eight attempts, while rookies Christine Michael and Luke Willson showed flashes of impressive talent in garbage time.
All four of those players would start in Jacksonville.
Here's what else we learned in Sunday's game:
- Sidney Rice was held to just 48 yards on three catches in the first two games combined after missing time in August for treatment on his knee. He looked like his old self in tallying 79 yards and twotouchdowns on five catches versus the Jags.
- Michael broke off an 11-yard run on his first career carry, making a defender miss with a sharp cut. It speaks to the Seahawks' depth that its most explosive offensive player was a healthy scratch the first two weeks.
- The Jaguarsfell in love with Stephen Burton's potential after claiming him off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings early this month, but he had trouble separating from coverage. Rookie Ace Sanders also has failed to live up to expectations. This offense desperately needs Marcedes Lewis (calf) and Justin Blackmon (suspension) back in the lineup.
- Cecil Shorts was the garbage-time king, racking up 143 yards on eight receptions. He should have had an early-game touchdown, but Chad Henne's pass went through his hands and hit the receiver in the facemask.
The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.
