Takeaway
What looked like another developing miracle when QB Russell Wilson tossed a 30-yard TD to WR Doug Baldwin with 1:34 remaining to give the Seahawks a 14-10 lead, instead turned into a nightmare 29 seconds later. Following two humongous completions by QB Kirk Cousins, RB Rob Kelley scored from the 1 to give Washington a 17-14 upset of the Seahawks Sunday at CenturyLink Field (box).
Despite 16 penalties (10 offensive), three missed field goals by Blair Walsh, two turnovers, and one of Wilson’s worst games until the fourth quarter, the Seahawks, a seven-point favorite, seemed poised to notch their sixth win when Wilson hit Baldwin.
On Washington’s final drive, Cousins found TE Brian Quick for 31 yards and then WR Josh Doctson for 38 to the Seattle 1. Cousins orchestrated the 70-yard drive in four plays and 35 seconds, victimizing rookie Shaq Griffin on the 38-yard pass to Docston.
The Seahawks had less than a minute for Wilson to pull off another miracle, as he did last week against the Houston Texans. He couldn’t, his final Hail Mary escaping TE Jimmy Graham’s grasp in the end zone.
The Seahawks (5-3) fell into second place in the NFC West behind the Los Angeles Rams (6-2), an easy 51-17 winner over the New York Giants.
The loss snapped Seattle’s four-game winning streak and came against a Washington team that was missing its top four offensive linemen and two most productive tight ends, but which showed up well prepared to make certain Wilson wouldn’t beat them.
Offense
A week after Wilson won NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors with 452 passing yards and four TD passes, including the game-winner to Graham in the final minute, he struggled against the Redskins, who brought immense pressure not only up the middle but on the edges against Seattle’s ill-equipped line. Wilson was on the run early and often.
The Redskins hounded Wilson into two interceptions and less than 50 percent completions through three quarters before he recovered in the fourth with touchdown passes to TE Luke Willson and Baldwin. Wilson was 24 for 45 and 297 yards, two picks, two TDs and a rating of 70.3.
The Seahawks tried to make Eddie Lacy their featured back, but he finished with 20 yards on six carries before leaving with a groin injury. Wilson led Seattle in rushing with 77 yards. RB Thomas Rawls had 39.
Baldwin, with seven catches for 108 yards, led Seattle receivers. Graham had five catches for 69 on eight targets, but couldn’t hang on to a two-point conversion try in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
Seattle ran 75 plays to Washington’s 60 and amassed 437 yards to Washington’s 244, but couldn’t overcome 10 offensive penalties and Walsh’s three wide lefts.
Defense
The Seahawks took a 2-0 lead when LB Bobby Wagner sacked Cousins for a safety in the first quarter, the Seahawks’ second safety of the season. Wagner led Seattle with 12 tackles, 10 solo.
Operating without FS Earl Thomas (hamstring), LB K.J. Wright and CB Justin Coleman each had seven tackles while CB Richard Sherman had six and FS Bradley McDougald five.
Newcomer DT Dwight Freeney had two sacks, two tackles for loss and swatted down a pass. The Seahawks had six sacks against Cousins.
Noteworthy
Washington increased its lead in the all-time series to 12-5 . . . The Seahawks have lost seven of their past eight with the Redskins . . . Had the Seahawks won, Wilson would have tied Joe Flacco for most wins (62) in the first six seasons of a career, and would have recorded his 23th fourth-quarter comeback win . . . Seattle is 83-36 at home since 2002, the best mark in the NFL.
Next
The Seahawks have a short week, traveling Wednesday to Glendale, AZ., for a Thursday night match against the Cardinals Arizona Cardinals at 5:30 p.m. (NBC).
