Pete Carroll announced that Russell Wilson will get the start over Matt Flynn in the team’s third preseason game. Carroll acknowledged NFL conventional wisdom of using the third preseason game as a dress rehearsal for the starting quarterback to get him ready for the regular season, but Carroll isn’t ready to name a starter, and he wants to see Wilson play with the first-teamers in order to make a final decision on the quarterback battle.

I do admire his willingness to toss conventional wisdom and do what he thinks is best for his team, but I’m a little shocked he would interrupt Matt Flynn’s preparation for the regular season just because Russell Wilson has looked good playing against third-string defenses.

Flynn has not played poorly, and he threw a beautiful bomb last week that Terrell Owens dropped. Seattle invested a lot of money in Flynn, and he’s certainly earned the opportunity to start for the Seahawks.

Meanwhile, Wilson dropped to the third round for a reason. His size is a huge disadvantage, and he’s also a rookie who has a lot to learn. For a team that’s presumably battling for another playoff appearance, this comes across as Carroll trying to outsmart himself. We’ll see who ultimately gets the start, but Flynn has lost out on a lot of the reps he’ll need to be ready for the opener.