Seahawks' strong finish sets them up for season's home stretch
They were in danger of dropping yet another close game Sunday when Russell Wilson found David Moore for a 35-yard, game-tying touchdown. Seattle's defense then stiffened just in time on the Carolina Panthers' ensuing drive (which ended with Graham Gano's missed 52-yard field goal attempt), before a long pass from Wilson to Tyler Lockett set up Sebastian Janikowski's 31-yard game winner as time expired.
Seattle's defense allowed Carolina to march all the way to the 5-yard line on the opening possession before forcing a turnover on downs when linebackers Bobby Wagner and Austin Calitro stopped Cam Newton just short of the line to gain. It would be that kind of day for Seattle's defense -- long drives that ended with key stops.cheap nike nfl jerseys wholesale
They got another in the third quarter from safety Bradley McDougald, who had talked recently about his belief that there's a difference for a defense between a turnover and a takeaway. A turnover, in McDougald's view, is something that happens -- like a loose ball bouncing right to a defender or an overthrown pass landing in his lap. A takeaway, on the other hand, is something a defense makes happen.
The loose balls did not bounce Seattle's way Sunday as the Panthers recovered all five of their fumbles.
But McDougald left nothing to chance when he tipped a Newton throw up the seam and came down with the interception near the goal line, thwarting another Carolina scoring chance. It was Seattle's first takeaway in three-and-a-half games.
"Oh my gosh, what a play," Pete Carroll said. "To be plus-one [in turnover differential] on this day was huge. We needed it."
Seattle's last defensive stop came just before Gano's miss when cornerback Tre Flowers, credited with two of the five forced fumbles, made a tackle in space that kept DJ Moore from a first down. Flowers had another open-field tackle on third down to force a Panthers field-field-goal attempt just before halftime.nike nfl jerseys cheap china
Though it rankled Carroll that his defense gave up 220 yards on the ground and a season-high 476 yards in all, he appreciated the way the group finished.
