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It’s over.
The Seattle Seahawks (10-7) weren’t expected to make the playoffs, but they did, and unfortunately they couldn’t follow it up with a playoff win, as the Dallas Cowboys (11-6) held serve at home and beat them 24-22 in the NFC wild card round. It was a bad night of offense for much of the game and with the running game held in check, Seattle seemed lost yet still committed to running it. Russell Wilson only threw 27 passes but for 233 yards, and he had a touchdown pass and touchdown run in a losing effort. Tyler Lockett and Doug Baldwin both had amazing catches, but it wasn’t enough.
On defense, they waned in the 4th quarter and couldn’t make the big stops outside of an incredible KJ Wright interception. Dak Prescott was scarcely pressured and Ezekiel Elliott ran for over 100 yards and a touchdown.
1st Half
The Cowboys got the ball first and used a balanced run and pass attack to get inside of Seattle’s 25, but Tedric Thompson helped stuff an Amari Cooper screen pass to hold Dallas to a field goal attempt, which Brett Maher converted from 39 yards out. 3-0 Cowboys.
Tedric Thompson made a great play on the screen to Amari Cooper. Watch how quickly he came down from the deep safety spot to help stop it. Meanwhile Tre Flowers helped close the outside run lane. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/e2iae9mKSJ
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) January 6, 2019
Dallas got the ball back after a three-and-out by the Seahawks, and Allen Hurns was able to prevent a three-and-out with a conversion for 14 yards, but Bradley McDougald landed awkwardly on the receiver’s left ankle, and it snapped. A gruesome, unfortunate injury that prompted a long delay as Hurns was carted off. Dallas would punt on this drive.
Three-and-outs were exchanged by both teams, with Dak Prescott fortunate not to throw a pick-6 to Shaquill Griffin along the way. Russell Wilson was sacked on third-down and should’ve been a face mask, but they didn’t call it.
The refs missed a pretty bad face mask penalty here. Literally rips down Russell Wilson by his helmet... #SEAvsDAL pic.twitter.com/Oin7W48cgG
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) January 6, 2019
A punt return touchdown by Tavon Austin was called back due to a clear Cowboys holding penalty on CJ Goodwin. Dallas got a couple of first downs and uh... punted again.
Ed Dickson got Seattle’s first first-down of the game with a 27-yard catch deep down the field. Tyler Lockett then got free for 40 yards off of play-action on the next play to get to Dallas’ 12. Two failed runs by Carson and an incomplete pass to Dickson led to a chipshot field goal for Sebastian Janikowski. 3-3.
Tyler Lockett versus a safety is unfair. Watch this break. Stems his route vertically and then breaks at a sharp angle back inside. Just beautiful. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/UB8COxgeqJ
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) January 6, 2019
The Cowboys got into gear and into Seahawks territory, but Frank Clark demolished Dak Prescott for a huge sack to put them at midfield. Ezekiel Elliott clawed the offense to Brett Maher’s field goal range, but he went wide right from 58 yards.
Missing that FG meant great field position for the Seahawks, and Wilson was able to hit Tyler Lockett for a remarkable 25-yard diving catch along the sidelines to get Seattle into Dallas’ half of the field.
Tyler Lockett is coming up HUGE for the #Seahawks. Great diving catch. Wowzers!! pic.twitter.com/jDQV7VAi6M
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) January 6, 2019
They didn’t get another first-down out of that drive, but Seabass converted from 42 yards out. 6-3 Seahawks.
Ezekiel Elliott busted free for a 41-yard run on 3rd and 1 to get into scoring range for Dallas. Two Blake Jarwin completions got Dallas to the 11. Dak Prescott found Michael Gallup in the end zone as he beat Shaquill Griffin. 10-6 Cowboys.
Second time's the charm... Dak Prescott's first fade to Michael Gallup was terribly overthrown, but he placed it perfectly on this one. Good throw. Touchdown, #Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/FlHATKHEqg
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) January 6, 2019
Tyler Lockett got a huge kick return into Dallas territory with :16 to go, providing the Seahawks a chance to score again before halftime. Sebastian Janikowski was brought on for a 57-yard attempt... wide right. And he hurt his hamstring.
2nd Half
Seattle started out with another three-and-out featuring run-run-pass. Dallas went run-pass-run and had their own three-and-out courtesy of Bobby Wagner’s brilliance. Rashaad Penny came into the game and provided a spark, including a 28-yard run into Dallas territory. However, a loss of 7 on the next play killed the drive. Michael Dickson and Neiko Thorpe combined to pin Dallas at the 2. Dallas gained only one yard and punted. A short kick by Chris Jones put Seattle at Dallas’ 44.
Seattle ran three times for four yards and decided to go for it, and Wilson threw a ridiculous pass to Doug Baldwin, who made a ridiculous catch to the 18.
DOUG BALDWIN CAUGHT THIS.
— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2019
: #SEAvsDAL on FOX #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/mGgFIK7zec
TOUCHDOWN, RUSSELL WILSON!!!
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) January 6, 2019
- Zone-read option
- Wilson fakes the handoff to Chris Carson
- The read is Demarcus Lawrence and he collapsed on the run
- Good pull, wide open running lane for the touchdown!#Seahawks #GoHawks pic.twitter.com/OIqJiwNr3O
Russell Wilson kept on a read-option on 3rd down to set up 1st and goal. He kept it again two plays after and scored his first rushing TD of the season. They went for two due to Janikowski’s injury and Mike Davis converted. 14-10 Seahawks.
A 34-yard catch-and-run by Amari Cooper was Dallas’ biggest play on the ensuing drive, and Prescott nearly answered Wilson’s TD run with one of his own, but his 10-yard touchdown was overturned due to his knee being down before he crossed the goal line. Two plays later, Ezekiel Elliott atoned for his first-down stumble by scoring over right guard on 2nd and goal. 17-14 Cowboys with 12:28 to go.
This one counts
— SB Nation NFL (@SBNationNFL) January 6, 2019
: @NFL pic.twitter.com/L0mpN4O7eY
A three-and-out was conjured up by the Seahawks offense, and Tavon Austin got loose for a 53-yard punt return into Seattle territory. Amari Cooper got open for a 27-yard gain to the 11 as he broke free from Justin Coleman. K.J. Wright made an incredible interception at the goal line to keep Seattle’s season alive.
K.J. WRIGHT.
— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2019
ARE YOU KIDDING?!
: #SEAvsDAL on FOX #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/AbSGChmOM3
Seattle, of course, didn’t take advantage. Two penalties on the o-line led to another punt. The Seahawks thought they had a three-and-out on defense, but KJ Wright committed pass interference on Michael Gallup. Another DPI was then called on Justin Coleman for grabbing Cole Beasley on third down. Dallas’ rushing attack kept beating down Seattle’s tiring defense and draining clock. On 3rd and 14, Prescott scrambled up the middle for 16 yards and a back-breaking conversion.
OH MY @DAK!
— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2019
: #SEAvsDAL on FOX #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/qXUyUoNMdx
Prescott plunged in on the next play. 24-14 Cowboys.
This is of course Seahawks football, and they don’t do double-digit losses. Tyler Lockett was wide open for 53 yards and they were in business in the two-minute drill. They bogged down and were forced to go for it on 4th and 4, and JD McKissic made the catch for the touchdown. They went for 2 and got it. 24-22 Cowboys with 1:18 left.
The onside kick... what the hell was that? Game over, season over. 24-22 Cowboys final.
Seahawks injury report
CB Neiko Thorpe was listed as doubtful to return with a shoulder injury. He returned to the game in the 2nd quarter.
CB Tre Flowers missed a couple of 1st quarter plays with an ankle injury.
K Sebastian Janikowski pulled his hamstring on that missed FG before halftime and missed the rest of the night.
Next opponent
The offseason.