Photo credit Dean Rutz/ seattle times
First off, congratulations to Ryan Neal the replacement for an injured Jamal Adams who was called up from the practice squad this week and grabbed the game winning interception. The former undrafted free agent Salukis out of Southern Illinois who had bounced around the league from Philadelphia to Atlanta and now Seattle made the biggest play in the biggest game of his life. With 6 seconds left on the clock, Dallas’ Dak Prescott evaded Seahawks rush and threw a prayer to the end zone and Neal found the ball in his arms to close out the game.
“I know it’s terrible for the fans,’’ Pete Carroll said. “They are tearing their hair out and all that. But that’s the way we do it. And it is going to sound sick, but I kind of like it like that.’’
The Seahawks did a lot right. They also did a lot wrong. Russell Wilson threw for his NFL leading (and NFL record) 14th touchdown in his 3rd game of the season. Also, both Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf eclipsed the 100 yard mark on the way to a 3-0 record. That was the good part.
The problem is that the NFL’s worst pass defense allowed 450+ yards in the air and injuries keep piling up. This time, starters like Chris Carson (knee) and Jamal Adams (groin) may miss future games.
Lazy play by DK Metcalf lost an assured touchdown as he beat Dallas’ Trevon Diggs by 5 yards on a long bomb play. Metcalf somehow lost focus and let Diggs catch him as he inexplicably slowed down to the end zone.
“A terrible play for us to have to endure,” Carroll said of Metcalf’s gaffe, adding that Metcalf was “pissed, just like everyone else.”
What is important though is that the Seahawks won, and keeping in mind that close games are nothing new for the Pete Carroll Seahawks. The new normal is that as they let “Russ cook” is shootouts rather than staunch defense and a solid running game. Is that what is best? Doesn’t matter that is the new normal and it will, as usual for a Pete Carroll team, be exciting.
