SEATTLE — The Dalvin Cook the Vikings had wanted to see showed up Friday night. The defense didn’t.
Cook, a rookie from Florida State, rushed seven times for 40 yards in the first half of a 20-13 preseason loss to Seattle at CenturyLink Field.
In last week’s preseason opener at Buffalo, the running back had looked good catching the ball, with four grabs for 30 yards. However, he ran for just 13 yards on five carries.
Meanwhile, Minnesota’s vaunted defense looked lost to start the game. The Seahawks went 77 yards on the first series, and took a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Kasen Williams.
Wilson, taking advantage of Minnesota being without starting cornerback Trae Waynes and safety Andrew Sendejo, threw for 60 yards during the drive.
“Defensively, I don’t think we played well,” said Vikings coach Mike Zimmer. “I did not think we were very sharp.”
The Seahawks on their second possession marched to the Minnesota 37. At least defensive end Danielle Hunter was able to halt the drive with a 13-yard sack on second-and-13.
The Vikings (1-1) had wanted to get some offensive continuity after the first team had managed just 24 net yards and no points in three series in the 17-10 win over the Bills, and Sam Bradford had been sacked twice.
The first team managed just three points in three series Friday, but at least reviews were better. In addition to the offensive line opening up holes for Cook, Bradford was not sacked. And the line was without starters Riley Reiff at left tackle and Alex Boone at left guard.
Bradford, who completed 7 of 11 passes for 95 yards, had talked earlier this month about wanting more “explosive plays.’’ He delivered during Minnesota’s first series with a 39-yard strike to Stefon Diggs down the left side that set up a 29-yard field goal by Marshall Koehn to cut the deficit to 7-3.
“Protection was great, and we were able to kind of create a big play right there,” Bradford said. “I think those guys up front played really well.”
Zimmer agreed, saying he was pleased with the protection and that the Vikings “ran the football better.” Cook broke loose for runs of 15 yards and two of nine yards.
“We just need to keep attacking their defense and get more comfortable with what we’re doing,” Cook said.
Still, the Vikings’ first-team offense couldn’t get into the end zone. On the drive that led to Koehn’s field goal, they had first-and-10 at the Seattle 12 before they two penalties, one a false start on tight end Kyle Rudolph and the other a delay of game.
The Seahawks extended the lead to 14-3 when Wilson threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Mike Davis in the second quarter against Minnesota’s second-team defense. The Vikings were able to cut the deficit to 14-6 just before halftime on a 51-yard field goal by Kai Forbath.
In the second half, Seattle kicker Blair Walsh made a pair of 52-yard field goals, and taunted his former team after each of them. On the first, Walsh pointed toward the Minnesota bench. On the second, he pointed to his head and then was joined in the taunting by cornerback Richard Sherman.
Walsh botched a 27-yard field goal in Minnesota’s 10-9 playoff loss to Seattle in January 2016. He seemingly had recovered by the next season, and was released by the Vikings last November after having missed four field goals and four extra points in the first nine games.
After Walsh’s kicks put the Seahawks up 20-6, the Vikings were able to close within 20-13 on a 21-yard TD pass from Taylor Heinicke to rookie tight end Bucky Hodges with 2:49 left in the game. Heinicke earlier in the fourth quarter had throw an interception on a tipped ball.
In special teams battles, Koehn and Forbath each made field goals and punters Taylor Symmank averaged 42.3 yards on three kicks and Ryan Quigley 40.7 on three. However, the Vikings’ kickoff returns were a disaster.
Rodney Adams averaged 17 yards on two returns, and lost a fumble. Stacy Coley had a 17-yard run that he brought out from six yards deep in the end zone. And Jerick McKinnon had one return for 10 yards.
“We had a couple of miscues in the return game, which affected us,” Zimmer said.
The Vikings suffered another injury in the first half when safety Jayron Kearse hurt his left wrist, but he was able to return in the second half. Kearse provides depth in the secondary, and any help the Vikings could get was needed Friday.
Antone Exum replaced Sendejo at safety and Terence Newman filled in for Waynes at cornerback. But Marcus Sherels was inserted for Newman late in Seattle’s first drive, and was beaten for the touchdown by Williams.
Zimmer said Newman “got a little hurt” on the first series. Newman wouldn’t elaborate but said the defense needed to do better.
“We didn’t execute very well, didn’t play well,” Newman said. “It’s pretty simple.”
Replacing Reiff at left tackle for a second straight game was Rashod Hill. And Nick Easton stepped in for Boone at left guard with rookie Pat Elflein getting the call at center. Easton, battling Elflein to start at center, had started there at Buffalo.
There was controversy before the game started. For the second straight game, Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett sat during the national anthem in a protest measure. On Friday, Seahawks center Justin Britt stood next to Bennett with his arm around him and cornerback Jeremy Lane stood in front of Bennett with his back to the field.
