Seattle, WA- With many struggles that the Seattle Seahawks organization had to overcome this season, their last breathe for a wild card position had to start with a win against the Arizona Cardinals and a Falcons’ loss.
In the first half, the Seahawks got a burst of confidence when Tyler Lockett ran back a 99- yard kick return, which tied the game up 7-7, but the Cardinals kept pushing forward trying to spoil the Seahawks’ playoff hopes. The Cardinals scored 2 touchdowns, and 2 field goals to go up 20-7 on Seattle before the half, but the story of the first half is the lack of pressure that Seattle was putting on Drew Stanton. Santon was throwing crisp passes to his receivers and with the lack of pressure from the defensive front, play-action passes started to exposed Seattle’s secondary.
On the defensive side of the ball, Seattle’s run defense has been getting exposed. The Cardinals were averaging around 4.1 yards a carry on first down attempts running the ball, which led to manageable second and third down opportunities in the first half, however, in the second half, the Seahawks wanted to be more of the aggressor.
Russell Wilson got Jimmy Graham in the mix and converted a crucial 4th and 6 to him to put the Seahawks in the red-zone. They scored and momentum seemed to shift to the Seahawks’ sidelined after the Seahawk’s defense got an interception.
After a couple of field goals, Seattle started to get Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett back in the mix. After a couple three and outs, Wilson started to utilize his feet to run the ball down the throat of the Cardinals. After a 30 yard scamper from Wilson, the Seahawks scored a touchdown after Wilson threaded the ball to Baldwin for a toe-touch touchdown to go up 24-23.
The Cardinals would settle for a field goal with five minutes left in regulation. As the time ticked down and the fans rooting for a Seattle win, reality just settled in as the Falcons got a victory over the Panthers to secure their playoff spot.
With only seconds left and Blair Walsh’s to attempt a field goal try, the smack of reality finally hit Seattle, as Walsh missed another field goal opportunity. The season of the miracles ended in dramatic fashion to close out the year for the Seahawks.
