Clayton: Seahawks’ pass rush turns a corner and Russell Wilson wins the shooutout
Sep 28, 2020, 2:38 PM | Updated: 2:42 pm
The Seahawks had two sacks and 10 quarterback pressures in Week 3. (Getty)
(Getty)
The Seattle Seahawks-Dallas Cowboys game lived up to its billing. It was a shootout.
Carroll Show: DK Metcalf’s mistake, ups and downs of Seahawks’ defense
Russell Wilson outdueled Dak Prescott in a 38-31 Seahawks victory. As great as Prescott did completing 37 of 57 passes for 472 yards and three touchdowns, Wilson was better. His numbers didn’t match Prescott for completions and attempts, but he remains on a historic pace at quarterback.
As expected, Wilson was going to attack a thin Dallas defensive backfield that was missing two starting cornerbacks. The over-under was supposed to be 55.5 points. The two teams combined for 69 points. The Seahawks attacked mostly in a three-receiver offense. No surprise. The Cowboys couldn’t cover, particularly in the middle of the field. Tyler Lockett burned Cowboys cornerbacks with a lot of crossing routes. He caught nine passes for 100 yards and three touchdowns.
Wilson completed 27 of his 40 passes for 315 yards and five touchdowns. He should have had six touchdown passes, but DK Metcalf made the fatal mistake of slowing down before getting into the end zone and having the ball knocked out of his right hand. The ball went to the back of the end zone.
DK Metcalf fumbles the score away after TOASTING Trevon Diggs
— PFF (@PFF) September 27, 2020
What should have been a touchdown turned into a touchback that turned the ball over to the Cowboys. That touchdown should have given the Seahawks a 16-9 lead. It could have given Wilson six touchdown passes for the game and 15 for the season. Still, his 14 touchdown passes in the first three weeks is an NFL record.
NextGen Stats came up with an incredible stat. Wilson scrambled around enough that he had 3.41 seconds to throw on average on his pass plays.
Clearly, Wilson has the early edge in the MVP race. Aaron Rodgers is averaging 40.6 points a game. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are in the mix, but Wilson is carrying this team. He topped the day off by giving Metcalf the chance to atone for his blunder. Metcalf caught a 29-yard touchdown pass with 1:47 left in regulation to win the game. He had eight catches for 110 yards.
.@DangeRussWilson and @dkm14 connect for six!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/Xi4eQDzdYw
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 27, 2020
You sense that everything seemed to be right when the defense – which is struggling mightily – held the Cowboys to a field goal with 3:59 left. The Seahawks trailed 31-30, but how many times have you seen Russell Wilson make the game-winning drive? He had an eight-play, 75-yard drive to take the lead, then converted the two-point conversion.
For the third straight game, the Seahawks had to sweat out the victory with the defense. Prescott drove the Cowboys to be in position to win the game, but he threw an interception to Ryan Neal that ended the game.
Pete Carroll wasn’t happy with the pass defense, and rightfully so. Tre Flowers had to fill in at cornerback for Quinton Dunbar, who had swelling in his knee and had to miss the game. Safety Jamal Adams came out of the game with a first-degree groin strain. Backup safety Lano Hill sat out the game because he woke up with a sore back. Flowers had a bad game. Carroll stressed on Monday that improvements have to be made with the coverage.
One thing that did improve was the pass rush. Fifth-round pick Alton Robinson had a sack, a quarterback hurry and two tackles for loss.
In the final seconds of the game, rookie Alton Robinson records his first NFL sack! 👏
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/4y2IQoveWP
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 28, 2020
Defensive end Benson Mayowa fought through a groin injury and got some pressure on the quarterback. Overall, the Seahawks had two sacks and 10 quarterback pressures.
Back to coverage for a second, Ugo Amadi had a good game as the nickel corner.
This will be a tough week of prep for the Seahawks because they have so many injuries. They had at least six players suffer injuries against the Cowboys. Linebacker Jordan Brooks suffered an MCL injury that could sideline him more than a week, but that was the most serious.
Expect a long list of missed practices on Wednesday, but at least the Seahawks know they are 3-0 and have a one-game lead in the NFC West.
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