Seahawks Instant Reaction: 710 ESPN Seattle on last-minute loss to Bears

The Seahawks were in control until the final moments of their meeting with the Bears on Sunday, ultimately losing 25-24 to Chicago at snowy Lumen Field thanks in part to a touchdown catch by former Hawks tight end Jimmy Graham.

Graham’s TD lifts Bears over Seahawks| 3 reasons Hawks lost

As we do after every Seahawks game, we have collected the instant reactions from the voices of 710 ESPN Seattle. See what they have to say below, and tune in Monday for full Seahawks coverage starting with The Mike Salk Show at 6 a.m. and The Pete Carroll Show at 9:30.

Bob Stelton – Wyman and Bob

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the Seahawks, it does.

What is there really left to say at this point? This is a bad team that was just beaten by what was presumed to be a worse team rolling out their third-string quarterback. And they did it on the Seahawks’ home field, no less.

Once again, this was a collective team effort. After a very promising first half on both sides of the ball, the offense went flat, scoring just seven total points in the second half. A brutal sack taken by Russell Wilson leads to yet another missed field goal by Jason Myers. The defense, which has been bend-but-don’t-break all season, was definitely broken in the second half and was picked apart by Nick Foles.

We can go through the stats and key plays of the game, but what’s the point? This offseason will be the most intriguing since Russell Wilson arrived here. This is a team set to make some major changes that I would assume involve not just the roster but the coaching staff, as well. A 5-10 team is far from a few tweaks away.

Mike Salk – The Mike Salk Show

No loss can be pinned on just one play, one decision or one player. So Russell Wilson had help losing a game that his team controlled almost from the start.

But make no mistake, he should take the lion’s share of the blame for this one.

The numbers will show he was 16 of 27 for 181 yards, two scores and no picks. And yet Russ’ career has never really been judged by numbers, and this game is no different. The reality is that for the second straight week, he had opportunities to win and couldn’t convert.

Yes, I understand that Jason Myers missed a 39-yard field goal that could have won the game. But no field goal should be assumed in a cold, snowy, windy, miserable day at Lumen Field. And for Wilson to take an unnecessary 13-yard sack on the previous play was the bigger factor. There was plenty of time to throw that ball away and give his kicker a better chance from 25 yards out.

But the bigger issue for me was the final drive. Getting the ball with 1:01 left and two timeouts needing only a field goal to win should be converted by quarterbacks of Russ’ magnitude. Period. Were there penalties that made it more challenging? Yes. But bouncing a throw to Tyler Lockett on second down didn’t help either.

The reality is that Russ does not have a single meaningful clutch drive this season. He’s been hurt and there have been challenges around him, but his career has shown us that we should expect him to convert in those big moments. And when he falls short, it is glaring.

There are two games left to gather as much information from this team to help make offseason decisions. This loss was an unfortunate data point for a quarterback (and his agent) that has spent the last year pointing his finger everywhere else.

The Groz – Host emeritus, 710 ESPN Seattle

You are what your record says you are. Seattle is 5-10 after losing at home to a 4-10 Bears team. Critical penalties, poor execution, special teams mistakes – all ingredients that add up to lousy results.

The fact that Jimmy Graham, Germain Ifedi and Bruce Irvin were factors for the Bears makes it sting all that much more. The Seahawks had an extremely short week to deal with, but that hardly feels like a legit excuse after this one.

It was a day when you felt like you may have found your starting running back going forward in Rashaad Penny, but also a day you have to wonder about your franchise quarterback because Russell Wilson doesn’t covert third downs this year. He doesn’t lead you to fourth quarter wins this year. In fact, this year can’t end soon enough for the Seahawks.

This is my final Seahawks instant reaction for 710Sports.com. It’s been fun. See you on Twitter @Thegroz.

Mike Lefko – Wyman and Bob

The Seahawks gave this game away in seemingly stunning fashion to a team playing with its third-string quarterback. It was also a game where it looked like they were in control late, but a sack on third down led to a longer field goal (which still should not have been missed). And then penalties pushed the Seahawks out of field goal range on the next drive, keeping the game at one possession and allowing the Bears to ultimately drive down the field and take the lead. In a game like that, it was baffling that the Seahawks were not able to put it away at some point in the second half.

Defense continues to be an issue, and it was most glaring in Chicago’s conversions on third down. The Bears entered the day ranked 31st in the league in that category, converting just 33.3% of its third downs, but the Seahawks allowed them to convert 50% of their 3rd downs (7 for 14) and the Bears dominated time of possession, which we know has been a concern all season for Seattle. Nick Foles threw for 250 yards, most of it on intermediate and short passes where yards after contact was the main source of the yards gained.

It’s a bitter loss, so it’s hard to look at any positives, but Rashaad Penny looks like a different running back when healthy. A 17-carry, 135-yard performance shows the potential for what he could be if he stays on the field, and I think it adds to an interesting question of whether to try and bring him back next season.

A strange year continues to get worse, and if this isn’t rock bottom then it is certainly close. A loss like this might be the impetus in making some major overhauls and finding a way to break free of the funk that has hung over this entire season.

Photos: Seahawks’ Lumen Field blanketed in snow for game with Bears