Missed opportunities, penalties hurt Seahawks in 25-20 loss to Saints
Oct 30, 2016, 1:23 PM | Updated: 1:36 pm
(AP)
The Seahawks needed 10 yards for the game-winning touchdown on the final play Sunday.
They came up two feet short.
Specifically, Jermaine Kearse’s two feet, neither of which came down in the end zone after he caught a throw from Russell Wilson on Seattle’s final play.
And that was it: New Orleans 25, Seattle 20, a game that will be best remembered for a number of things from the 11 penalties called against Seattle compared to just one against New Orleans to the fact an official kept the clock running after a New Orleans play in the final 3 minutes in which a Saints player was tackled out of bounds by Kelcie McCray.
The Seahawks will be kicking themselves over this one. Kicking themselves over the two field goals they settled for in the second half when they were unable to get the ball in the end zone. They had the ball as close as the New Orleans 2 in the fourth quarter, facing fourth down and trailing 22-17, but chose to kick a field goal rather than try and take the lead. They’ll be kicking themselves over the 54-yard field goal they never got a chance to attempt at the end of the second quarter because of a bobbled snap.
The Seahawks ran into a road block on Sunday in New Orleans.
Actually, a couple of blocks from Saints’ receiver Willie Snead in the fourth quarter. The first one opened the door for New Orleans’ go-ahead touchdown as Snead blocked Jeremy Lane into the end zone, opening up a path for Brandin Cooks to slide through for a 2-yard touchdown catch that put New Orleans ahead 22-17.
Snead ran into Lane again on New Orleans’ next possession, again keeping Lane from covering Cooks. That resulted in a 20-yard gain on third down that put New Orleans in position for its fourth field goal of the game with 1:57 left.
Seattle had one more chance, getting the ball at its own 32 with 1:50 to play. The Seahawks ran seven plays and got as far as the New Orleans 10 with 2 seconds left only to miss a game-winning touchdown by a matter only two feet.
Seattle is now 4-2-1.
FIRST QUARTER
Sea – Earl Thomas 34 fumble return (Stephen Hauschka kick) at 8:04. Score: Seattle 7, New Orleans 0.
Does the Seahawks defense have to do everything? Well, they showed they were capable of doing anything. After failing to score a touchdown in last week’s five-quarter tie in Arizona, the Seahawks’ defense found the end zone first. Cliff Avril and DeShawn Shead combined to pull the ball loose from Saints running back Mark Ingram midway through the first quarter. Earl Thomas caught the ball in the air and returned it untouched for the second fumble return touchdown of his NFL career. Thomas hugged the ref, which seemed funny and all, but resulted in a 15-yard personal foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.
SECOND QUARTER
NO – Will Lutz 22 field goal at 11:33 (Drive: 15 plays, 83 yards, 7:00.) Score: Seattle 7, New Orleans 3.
Sea – Christine Michael 2 run (Hauschka kick) at 9:53 (Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:40.) Score: Seattle 14, New Orleans 3.
NO – Lutz 53 field goal at 5:15 (Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 4:38.) Seattle 14, New Orleans 6.
NO – Drew Brees 1 run (Lutz kick) at 0:50 (Drive: 9 plays, 37 yards, 4:13.) Seattle 14, New Orleans 13.
The Seahawks gained 41 yards – total – on their first two possessions. They gained 43 yards on the third play of their third drive when the Seattle receiver who used to be a quarterback (Tanner McEvoy) threw a pass to the running back who used to be a receiver (C.J. Prosise). Here’s how the play went. After a 23-yard throw to Paul Richardson, the Seahawks had a first down at the New Orleans 45. Quarterback Russell Wilson threw a backward pass to McEvoy, who remained behind the line of scrimmage. McEvoy – who played quarterback at Wisconsin – threw downfield to Prosise, who was active in a game for just the third time this season.
It took a lot for New Orleans to finally reach the end zone. Start with 179 yards of total offense in a first half. They also needed an interception from Wilson, the first time he had been picked off since the first half of the first game this season. Then, New Orleans needed to run five straight plays inside the Seattle 10 before Drew Brees scored on a 1-yard dive. It was the first touchdown the Seahawks had allowed since the third quarter of their Week 6 victory over Atlanta, a span of 119 minutes, 28 seconds.
THIRD QUARTER
Sea – Hauschka 44 field goal at 8:56 (Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 6:04.) Score: Seattle 17, New Orleans 13.
NO – Lutz 21 field goal at 3:14 (Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 5:42.) Score: Seattle 17, New Orleans 16.
The Seahawks had 3 yards rushing in the first half and had 8:38 time of possession. No doubt about Seattle’s priority in the second half. The Seahawks ran the ball on eight straight plays on the opening possession of the third quarter. The first five of those plays gained 7 yards or more as Seattle tried to kick-start its ground game. That certainly helped the Seahawks gain traction, but they didn’t find the end zone, settling for a field goal.
FOURTH QUARTER
NO – Brandin Cooks 2 pass from Brees (pass failed) at 12:30. (Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 4:27.) Score: New Orleans 22, Seattle 17.
Sea – Hauschka 21 field goal at 6:41 (Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 5:46.) Score: New Orleans 22, Seattle 20.
NO – Lutz 41 field goal at 1:57 (Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 4:41.) Score: New Orleans 25, Seattle 20.