Preseason Tie! Raiders vs. Seahawks End Deadlocked—How NFL Handles OT Now

By Jason Bolton August 10, 2025 19:02

The Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks kicked off the 2025 NFL preseason with a competitive game that ended in a rare tie at 23-23, highlighting the unique nature of preseason overtime rules and reminding fans of how the NFL handles ties outside the regular season. The game, played at Lumen Field in Seattle, was a tale of two halves and included several spectacular moments, but ultimately finished deadlocked after a dramatic blocked field goal in the closing seconds.

Raiders rookie quarterback Cam Miller led a late rally, throwing a deep 41-yard touchdown pass that gave Las Vegas a chance to clinch the win. However, the Raiders’ kicker Daniel Carlson had his potential game-winning 55-yard field goal attempt blocked by Seattle’s Jalan Gaines as time expired, sealing the tie. Carlson had already made two field goals earlier, including a 51-yard boot in the fourth quarter, but that final kick was denied by a strong Seahawks special teams play.

The preseason tie underscores the NFL’s rule that preseason games, unlike regular-season contests, can end in a draw if overtime fails to produce a winner. Since the preseason primarily serves to evaluate rosters and preserve player health, the league opts for a limited overtime period (typically 10 minutes) with no sudden death to minimize injuries and wear on players. If neither team scores during that window or the tie persists, the game ends tied, as happened here.

Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, returning to Seattle for the first time as a head coach of a different team, called the game “a tale of two halves” and reflected on both teams’ struggles and upsides. Carroll said, “We started really poorly,” acknowledging the Raiders’ first-half penalties, tackling issues, and turnovers. “But we played a marvelous second half,” Carroll added, praising his team’s resilience. The Seahawks coach Mike McDonald also expressed the mutual frustration of a tie, saying, “You never want to tie a football game. That kinda stinks, but there was a lot of great stuff on both sides of the ball”.

From a statistical standpoint, the game featured solid performances from multiple quarterbacks. Raiders starter Geno Smith played only the first series, completing 1 of 3 passes before giving way to Aidan O’Connell who threw for 205 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Seahawks starter Drew Lock completed 12 of 22 passes with a touchdown and interception, while rookie Jalen Milroe handled the second half for Seattle, showing promise with 6 completions on 10 attempts for 61 yards.

This game also served as a reminder of the function of preseason contests: providing coaches with essential tape to identify weaknesses, like the Raiders’ tackling woes, and assessing young talent under real game conditions without the pressure of result-oriented regular-season play. The Raiders and Seahawks both know clean execution is required as they prepare for the regular season and tougher opponents ahead.

The Raiders versus Seahawks preseason tie at 23-23 demonstrates how the NFL’s preseason overtime and tie rules differ from the regular season to prioritize player safety and evaluation. While both teams showed flashes of potential and made defensive and offensive adjustments, the blocked field goal epitomized the fine margins and unpredictability of preseason football. For fans, it offers a unique glimpse of how the league balances competition with preparation before the wins and losses really start to matter.