The Seattle Seahawks won today’s NFC Wild Card game over the Detroit Lions because of many factors. Their running game, second half heroics by their receivers and a suffocating defense. And because the Lions couldn’t muster any offensive consistency which equals touchdowns. Seattle punched their ticket to the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs with tonight’s 26-6 victory over the Lions. The Seahawks will most likely play the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome next Saturday.
The Seattle (11-5-1 including playoffs) defense held the Lions to 231 yards total offense, which included keeping the Lions’ 11th rated passing game (that passing game had a 256.9 yards per game average; but today that passing game was held to 205 yards and no score) from having a big say in how this game went about.
Quarterback MATTHEW STAFFORD (18 of 32 for 205 yards and no score) of Detroit got his yards passing-wise, but he and his receivers were never really a big enough threat to the Seahawks pass defense.
The Seahawks on the other hand, received a marvelous game from receiver DOUG BALDWIN (11 catches for 104 yards and 1 score) who had a 42-yard third quarter catch that took him out of bounds and which helped set the tone for the Seahawks to put the dagger into the hearts of Detroit. That Baldwin catch led to a THOMAS RAWLS touchdown run and a 19-6 Seattle advantage.
Rawls was the unquestioned leader of their running game today, as he rushed for a season high yardage total of 161 yards on 27 carries and the aforementioned score. He’s had an injury plagued 2016, but today he was ready to go and he was just the elixir that the Seahawks needed for offensive balance tonight.
Seattle quarterback RUSSELL WILSON (23 of 30 for 224 yards and 2 scores) did everything he could tonight to help will his team to victory, which included blocking, passing, and rushing. He will need another game like tonight against the Atlanta Falcons next week.
Seahawks receiver PAUL RICHARDSON (3 catches for 48 yards and 1 score) gave his team the lead, when he took his right hand and bought it above the top of Lions strong safety TAVON WILSON’s helmet, with the receiver then bringing his left arm down and gathering Wilson’s pass into his body while part of his upper body was hanging onto said defender’s body. That otherworldly catch gave the Seahawks a 7-0 lead at the 7:07 mark of the first quarter. 
For all intents and purposes, the Seahawks put this game away near the middle of the fourth period when Rawls jogged his way into the end zone from 4 yards out to give his team a 19-6 lead (missed extra point by kicker STEVEN HAUSCHKA) at the 8:49 mark of the quarter.
Baldwin jumped in front of a Detroit (9-8-1) defensive back and his own teammate to snare a 13-yard scoring pass in the end zone that really put this game away 26-6 at the 3:36 mark of the fourth quarter
