Dolphins debuting new coach against Seahawks today

SEATTLE — Adam Gase knows he gets a bit of an advantage as the new coach with a new team and no lengthy background on what he might try to pull in his first game in charge of the Miami Dolphins.

Gase is also well aware the Seattle Seahawks have tape on what he’s tried to do in the past as an offensive co-ordinator, including one memorable Super Bowl while Gase was in Denver.

“I think a lot of us felt like we were rolling at that time. Really, it was as close to a shutout as you can get. We got one (touchdown) late,” Gase said recalling Seattle’s 43-8 blowout of Denver nearly three years ago. “You have to do a lot of soul searching at that point and re-evaluate what you were doing and what went wrong and how you could’ve changed things.”

Gase makes his debut as coach of the Dolphins today, facing a major challenge in travelling to Seattle to take on one of the favourites in the NFC.

The baseline in Seattle has now become 10 wins and a playoff appearance under Pete Carroll. And those expectations are no different entering a season where the Seahawks believe the swagger that led them to a Super Bowl title is back.

While Seattle’s defence returns all of its elite talent, there is a different feel about the offence this year.

Marshawn Lynch has retired , leaving it even more in the hands of quarterback Russell Wilson coming off the finest season of his young career.

“The finish to last season, the second half of last season, he couldn’t have been sharper,” Carroll said of Wilson. “He comes off of that. He’s just added to his awareness and his command.”

Here’s what else to watch for as Miami visits Seattle for the first time in 12 years:

SPLIT BACKS: Thomas Rawls is healthy. But he’s not completely in game shape, with Carroll likening his status this week to Rawls heading into his second preseason game after he got very limited action in the final preseason game.

Expect Rawls and Christine Michael to split the carries in the Seattle backfield for the opener . It will be the first regular-season game for Rawls since breaking his ankle in Week 14 last season. Michael has earned the opportunity by averaging 6.0 yards per carry in the preseason.

WELL-TRAVELLED: Cornerback Byron Maxwell will be playing for his third team in as many years when he returns to Seattle. Maxwell spent his first four NFL seasons in Seattle in 2011-14, left for Philadelphia and is now with Miami.