What to watch for when Seahawks face Chargers in their first 2024 NFL preseason game

The Seattle Seahawks will finally begin their 2024 NFL preseason schedule later this afternoon. At 4:05 p.m. Pacific time they'll kickoff against the LA Chargers on the road at SoFi Stadium. For the home team the game will be broadcast on CBS Los Angeles and in Seattle on KONG. For the rest of us, NFL+ offers live preseason games. Now that you know how and when to watch let's talk about what to watch for.

First and foremost, we won't be getting to see a Geno Smith vs. Justin Herbert matchup at quarterback. Smith suffered a minor hip/knee injury last week and missed a few practices. Smith is practicing again but not expected to play tonight, so Sam Howell will likely get the ball for the Seahawks. On the other side, Herbert has been ruled out with a plantar fascia injury, so Easton Stick will start in his place.

For Howell, he'll have to deliver on his offseason promise to play smarter football after a shaky training camp with some reported accuracy issues . P.J. Walker is the team's third-string QB but a known commodity, whereas Howell still has room and time to improve. So, expect Howell to get most of the snaps and Walker may not see action until the fourth quarter.

The featured attraction will be on the sidelines for both teams, in any case. Jim Harbaugh has returned to the NFL after 10 years, fresh off a national title at Michigan. He is now the Chargers' head coach. Meanwhile, his former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is going into his first year as a head coach at this level after a brilliant couple of years calling defensive plays for the Baltimore Ravens. Preseason action usually means we don't see coaches reach very deep into their bag of tricks, but this will offer us our first look at what Macdonald's new scheme will look like.

As for his lineup plans, a few days ago Macdonald told reporters that some starters will play. Our best guess is he means everyone but Geno Smith, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett will get a series or two, maybe even a full quarter. Then it'll be all backups.

The one player who we are most excited to see on the field (assuming he actually gets snaps) is first-round draft pick Byron Murphy II out of Texas, who was graded as the best interior pass rusher in the nation last season. Murphy was not listed as a starter on the team's first unofficial depth chart, which means he could be facing other backups - and that doesn't bode well for them.

More Seahawks stories

Richard Sherman loves 'chaos being created' by new Seahawks defense

NFL analyst sees high-end promise for wide receiver DK Metcalf in 2024

Nasty new defense tricked Geno Smith into pick-six to Leonard Williams