Doug Baldwin catches 3 TDs, Seahawks hang on to beat Patriots
Nov 13, 2016, 8:57 PM | Updated: Nov 14, 2016, 12:51 am
Doug Baldwin caught all three of Russell Wilson's touchdown passes, including the game-winner. (AP)
(AP)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Three feet.
That’s all that separated Seattle from a victory the last time the Seahawks played the Patriots.
Three feet. That’s what saved the Seahawks’ victory in New England, because in a game where Russell Wilson threw for a career-high 348 yards, the Seahawks’ 31-24 victory was decided by Seattle’s goal-line stand.
The Patriots had the ball, first-and-goal at the Seattle 2 with less than a minute remaining. They ran four plays, getting the benefit of one penalty. And on fourth down from the Seattle 1, Tom Brady lobbed a pass to the corner of the end zone where Kam Chancellor was defending tight end Rob Gronkowski.
The two were tangled after it appeared Gronkowski initiated contact. Chancellor fell on his back; the ball fell incomplete. The official didn’t throw a flag. Patriots running back LeGarette Blount – who scored all three of New England’s touchdowns – jumped up and down in protest. The Seahawks celebrated.
It was a heck of a game. One that included seven lead changes, a rejuvenated Seattle running game and one incredible performance by Wilson. He was 25 for 37 passing for 348 yards and threw three touchdown passes, all to Doug Baldwin.
The last of those scoring passes was thrown with 4:24 left in the game. The Seahawks’ surprisingly went for the two-point conversion to try and make it a two-possession game. Wilson’s pass to Baldwin fell incomplete, though, giving the Patriots the ball needing only a touchdown and point-after to tie the game.
The Patriots came close. They were three feet away when Seattle dug in its heels.
FIRST QUARTER
The Patriots drove 75 yards to open the game, facing only one third down during the drive. Tight end Rob Gronkowski caught one pass for 22 yards to convert that third down and then drew a pass-interference penalty on Kam Chancellor to set up first-and-goal. LeGarrette Blount scored on a 1-yard run, and it looked like the rout might be on. But a funny thing happened after that: Seattle’s defense stiffened. It forced one punt. Then another, and while that might not sound like all that big of a deal, it was the first time in three weeks that Seattle forced an opponent to punt on back-to-back possessions.
NE – LeGarrette Blount 1 run (Stephen Gostkowski kick) at 10:19 (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:41). Score: Patriots 7, Seahawks 0
Sea – Steven Hauschka 27 field goal at 7:10 (Drive: 8 plays, 52 yards, 3:09). Score: Patriots 7, Seahawks 3
Sea – Hauschka 31 field goal at 1:33 (Drive: 10 plays, 66 yards, 4:13). Score: Patriots 7, Seahawks 6
SECOND QUARTER
The Seahawks had tremendous success this quarter in a play where quarterback Russell Wilson takes the snap and then takes several steps back before giving the ball to a player commonly referred to as a running back. This “running back” then takes the ball and runs ahead while his larger teammates try to push opponents out of the way. These “running plays” have become increasingly scarce in Seattle. In fact, the Seahawks ran just 10 of them last week against Buffalo, and they only rushed four times for 14 yards in the first quarter.
Well, the Seahawks doubled the number of rushes in the second quarter, handing off eight times for 47 yards. Five of those carries went to rookie C.J. Prosise – who started the game – and he gained 38 yards, but Christine Michael was also effective. The ground game helped Seattle grab the lead for the first time.
The two teams traded touchdowns in the final 2 minutes of the first half, and as good as Tom Brady was on New England’s final drive of the first half when he completed four of five passes for 34 yards, Wilson was even better in guiding Seattle 75 yards in the last minute. Wilson was 5 of 6 passing on the drive for 69 yards and also had a 6-yard scramble.
Sea – Doug Baldwin 6 pass from Russell Wilson (kick blocked) at 10:52 (Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 4:10). Score: Seahawks 12, Patriots 7
NE – Blount 1 run (Gostkowski kick) at 1:05 (Drive: 11 plays, 81 yards, 4:59). Score: Patriots 14, Seahawks 12
Sea – Baldwin 18 pass from Wilson (Hauschka kick) at 0:06 (Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, :59). Score: Seahawks 19, Patriots 14
THIRD QUARTER
The Patriots gained 147 yards of total offense in the first half. They had 157 in the third quarter, scoring on a 91-yard touchdown drive and then doing the heavy lifting on a drive that resulted in a 30-yard field goal in the third quarter.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks had a drive stall out in the red zone for the third time this game, going from first-and-goal to settling for a 41-yard field goal after Wilson was penalized for intentional grounding.
NE – Blount 13 run (Gostkowski kick) at 7:52 (Drive: 10 plays, 91 yards, 5:34). Score: Patriots 21, Seahawks 19
Sea – Hauschka 41 field goal at 2:52 (Drive: 9 plays 52 yards, 5:00). Score: Seahawks 22, Patriots 21
FOURTH QUARTER
NE – Gostkowski 30 field goal at 13:00 (Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 4:52). Score: Patriots 24, Seahawks 22
Sea – Hauschka 23 field goal at 8:56 (Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 4:04). Score: Seahawks 25, Patriots 24
Sea – Baldwin 15 pass from Wilson (Hauschka kick) at 4:24 (Drive: 8 plays, 48 yards, 4:05). Score: Seahawks 31, Patriots 24
