There was a lot of talk the week leading up to this game that the Seattle Seahawks (3-1) were ripe for an upset. In the second half it sure looked that way. But there’s this element of football called four full quarters, and the Seahawks used all four of those quarters to turn away a hungry and desperate Washington Redskins (1-4) squad 27-17 at FedEx Field.
There is a reason why Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson is the hottest name as far as quarterbacks go these days in the NFL, and it’s because of performances like the one he put together tonight.
Wilson aggravated the Redskins and their fans with his arm (18 of 24 for 201 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions) and his improvisational skills as a runner (11 carries for 122 yards and 1 score including 80 yards rushing in the first quarter!). Where would the Seahawks be without him? That’s a question that the Seattle media, fans, and franchise hope they NEVER have to answer for quite a while.
It only took the Seahawks six plays to go 65 yards and secure the first score of the game for both teams, which came courtesy of a Wilson 15 yard touchdown strike to the underutilized Jermaine Kearse. The score was now 7-0 Seahawks with 12:49 left in the first quarter.
If things weren’t bad enough for the Redskins’ defense, they lost their best defensive player in right outside linebacker Brian Orakpo to an ankle injury when he was cut blocked by the Seahawks’ third tight end Cooper Helfet. Not long after that injury to Orakpo, Wilson sped to the side (right side) where the aforementioned linebacker lines up for a 22 yard gain to the SEA 45 yard line.
The Seahawks eventually punted on said drive (a holding penalty and two offensive fumbles recovered by Seattle helped stall the drive), but the Seahawks understood on the drive how much they can hurt the Redskins defense with their running game.
By the end of the first quarter Seattle already had 108 yards on 9 carries (12 yards per carry).
Seattle’s next scoring drive was hurt by two self inflicted penalties (biggest was a holding call versus left guard James Carpenter on Skins defensive tackle Jason Hatcher) that wiped out not one, but TWO Percy Harvin touchdown receptions on the same drive! Then on 3rd and 18, running back Marshawn Lynch (17 carries for 72 yards and no score rushing) saw his screen-pass reception go for just for just 5 yards which set up a 4th and 13 field goal situation.
Placekicker Steven Hauschka came in and made a 40 yard field goal attempt to put Seattle up 10-0 with 9:04 left in the first half.
Then later in the quarter, Wilson rolled to his left and denied Orakpo a sack and then completed a 36 yard reception to Helfet who secured the ball and stepped out of bounds at the WAS 9 yard line. That reception set up an untouched Wilson 9 yard touchdown run down near the left sideline for a 17-0 Seahawks advantage with 4:37 left in the first half.
With just under 2:45 left in the half, quarterback Kirk Cousins (21 of 36 for 283 yards, 2 touchdown passes and no interceptions) beat some hot pressure by the Seahawks defense, and then zoomed a slightly overthrown 60 yard touchdown pass to an all alone DeSean Jackson (5 catches for 157 yards and 1 score) down the right sideline for a 17-7 score with 2:34 left in the half.
That play was Jackson’s first touchdown catch since the Redskins Week 3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles 15 days ago.
After being as lifeless as a taxidermied dog last week and for much of tonight’s game, Jackson had 2 catches for 117 yards and 1 score by the 11:20 mark of the third quarter. That stat total included a 57 yard reception down the left sideline, in which he beat tight coverage by cornerback Byron Maxwell and deep safety help from Earl Thomas to get the Skins to the SEA 23 yard line.
That reception set up a Kai Forbath successful 27 yard field goal to make the score 17-10 Seattle with 10:41 left in the third quarter.
The Redskins were fired up for the second half (especially on defense) as Forbath’s field goal was the only score of the third quarter for both teams.
But in the fourth quarter Seahawk punter Jon Ryan took it upon himself to puncture the momentum that the Redskins thought they possessed. Hauschka lined up in field goal formation for what was supposed to be a 49 yard boot, but Ryan took long snapper Clint Gresham’s snap and jumped up and sped to his left for 5 yards to the WAS 27 for a first down.
That huge play by Ryan set up Wilson’s second touchdown pass of the night, this time to Lynch who caught the pass and trotted untouched into the end zone from 9 yards out for a 24-10 Seahawk lead.
But Washington wasn’t dead yet. Cousins led the Skins on a 12 play-80 yard drive that was ended when he threw a 6 yard touchdown pass to receiver Andre Roberts between soft coverage from Seattle’s Kam Chancellor and Marcus Burley near the back of the end zone. This score pulled the Redskins within seven points at 24-17 with 3:35 left in the game.
But Wilson made a play for the ages on Seattle’s ensuing drive that closed the lid on Washington’s comeback hopes. He took the snap rolled to his right a little and then dodged a sure sack, then he set up and threw off his front foot to a wide open Lynch along the left sideline with the running back taking the pass 30 yards to the WAS 20 yard line.
That astronomical play set up Hauschka’s for real and successful 43 yard field goal to give the Seahawks a 27-17 lead with 27 seconds left in the game.
On the Redskins ensuing drive they only got one play off and the game ended.
