By Jawann Bennett
The Seattle Medium
After two tough, close losses to the teams from Los Angeles, the Seattle Seahawks returned home where they’ll be for the holidays and most of their remaining regular season schedule, as they’ll host five of their final seven games of the regular season at CenturyLink Field.
The problem is the Seahawks have lost two of three at home in the 2018 season, and five of seven dating back to the 2017 season. This time 69,007 watched under the prime time Thursday night lights as Seattle would have to relocate their home magic hosting the Green Bay Packers for the first time since 2014 in a series that has seen it’s share of magical moments. Both teams are among six teams that are within a game and a half of the final playoff spot in the NFC.
It would be a rough start for the Seahawks as running back Chris Carson, returning from a hip injury that kept him out of the last game and a half, would fumble on the first play from scrimmage. The ball was recovered by Green Bay defensive back Tramon Williams at the Seattle 29-yard line. Three plays later, Green Bay would punch it in with an 8 yard touchdown run by running back Aaron Jones putting the Packers ahead 7-0 after the extra point by kicker Mason Crosby with 13:46 left in the first quarter.
Following three plays and a Seattle punt, Green Bay would go five plays and 48 yards only to have Crosby miss a 47 yard field goal attempt giving the Seahawks an early breather.
Seattle would take the ensuing possession quickly down the field aided by a spectacular sideline-to-sideline 30-yard run by rookie running back Rashaad Penny. Quarterback Russell Wilson would, later in the drive, miss a wide open receiver Doug Baldwin and miscommunicate with receiver David Moore before the Seahawks settled for a Sebastian Janikowski 39 yard field goal shrinking the Green Bay lead to 7-3 with 6:04 to go in the quarter.
However, nine plays later Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers would not miss and take the Seahawks’ breath away as he would extend a second down play on a rollout to find tight end Robert Tonyan deep down the field for an amazing 54-yard bomb putting the Packers up 14-3.
After Seattle caught their breath again following an exchange of punts, they would answer in the second quarter with a 14 play, 77 yard drive taking 7:31 as Wilson would find Baldwin on a 6-yard touchdown pass to cut the Green Bay lead to 14-10.
Following an ensuing Green Bay punt, Seattle would take the lead 17-14 on a drive aided by a 48-yard pass interference penalty and capped off with a 1-yard touchdown run up the middle by Carson.
Green Bay would quickly answer with 5 straight Rodgers pass plays capping another 75-yard drive with a 24-yard touchdown strike to Jones giving the Packers the lead back at 21-17 they would take to halftime.
The battle would continue into the third quarter as both teams’ defenses would tighten up, forcing five consecutive drives ending in a punt. It wasn’t until a Seahawks 27-yard incomplete pass from Wilson to Moore down the left sideline was challenged by head coach Pete Carroll with 2:47 to go in the quarter that things would loosen up. On the play, it appeared under review that Moore caught the ball with his left hand and took three steps before fumbling it out of bounds, and the play was overturned by the officials after review. However, the Packers defense would step up and halt Seattle’s momentum forcing the Seahawks to settle for a 43-yard Janikowski field goal and cut the lead to 21-20 in the fourth quarter after a 13-play drive that took 6:30.
Rodgers would show off his golden arm again on the ensuing Green Bay drive hooking up on a 57-yard bomb to receiver Davante Adams, but the Seahawks defense would flex again to force a 36-yard Crosby field goal giving the Packers a 24-20 lead with 8:27 to go in regulation.
Wilson apparently wanted to throw a party of his own for Seattle as he would hook up on a couple rockets to receiver Tyler Lockett of 18 and 34 yards during a 7 play, 75 yard drive that would end with a 15-yard strike from Wilson to tight end Ed Dickson giving the Seahawks a 27-24 lead with 5:08 to go.
The Seahawks defense would prove determined to finish the stall job on the Packers offense and force the Packers’ fourth punt of the half after three plays. Leading the Seahawks defense was the stellar play of All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner who finished with 9 total tackles, and flanked by defensive end Frank Clark, who finished with 4 tackles of his own including 2 of the Seahawks 5 sacks on the night.
“You’ve got to step up when you think it’s enough,” said Clark after the game. When you think its enough, its not enough and you think you did great you know you could do greater…”
Seattle would resume possession and use their running game to run out the clock. Running back Mike Davis would pick up a critical first down and from there the Seahawks would run out the clock as Green Bay had no timeouts remaining.
Seattle, now 5-5 after grabbing the 27-24 victory from the jaws of defeat in incredible comeback fashion, move ahead of Green Bay, now 4-5-1, in the 2018 Playoff race.
Wilson finished the game completing 21 of 30 passes for 225 yards passing in his 21st comeback victory since entering the league in 2012, the second most in the NFL behind Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford during that time span.
“We talked about this week to the guys about how you’ve got to believe big things are gonna happen,” said Wilson after the game. “We’ve got a young team and got a team that has great faith in what we’re doing and we’re trying to just stay the course.”
Seattle now will enjoy a couple of extra days of rest as they prepare to take on another team ahead of them in the playoff race, as they go on the road to take on the Carolina Panthers Sunday, November 25.
Pictorial Highlights of Seattle Seahawks vs Green Bay Packers
