Seahawks vs. Jets: Seahawks stay alive in playoff hunt, eliminate Jets with 23-6 win

The Seattle Seahawks (8-8) are still in the playoff hunt. They’ll still need help, but on a day when they could’ve been eliminated they kept their season alive with a 23-6 win over the New York Jets (7-9), who are now mathematically out of the AFC playoff picture.

Geno Smith completed his hat trick of wins against his former teams by throwing for two touchdown passes, while Kenneth Walker III rushed for over 100 yards for a second week in a row and Seattle’s defense forced three turnovers. Mike White was picked twice and lost a fumble and was generally inept in a must-win situation.

One down note is that linebacker Jordyn Brooks’ season appears to be over after suffering a right knee injury in the 2nd quarter. That is such an unfortunate moment for Brooks and it further impacts Seattle’s defense in the long-term.

With the Washington Commanders losing but the Green Bay Packers winning, the Seahawks will need a win against the Los Angeles Rams and a Detroit Lions win or tie against the Packers in Week 18 to qualify for the playoffs.

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1st Quarter

The Seahawks started the game with the ball. Kenneth Walker III on the very first play nearly took it the distance! A beautiful cutback and he was brought down at the Jets’ 12 for a 60-yard run. Two players later, Geno Smith’s first pass of the day was a touchdown to Colby Parkinson in the corner of the end zone! Colby Parkinson beat Lamarcus Joyner in the corner. 7-0 Seahawks.

The Jets’ first drive reached Seattle territory, but Mike White was pressured by Jordyn Brooks and he made an ill-advised downfield throw that was picked off by Quandre Diggs! Jonathan Abram also there to help shield off the receiver.

Another good run by Ken Walker, followed by a deep shot from Geno Smith to Noah Fant put the Seahawks in the red zone. The drive did stall out eventually but Jason Myers booted a chipshot through the uprights. 10-0 Seahawks.

Chunk plays on the ground and a 3rd down catch by Elijah Moore kept the chains moving for Gang Green. White badly missed an open C.J. Uzomah on a potential touchdown play (or at least a big play down the sideline), and his 3rd down throw to Moore was well short of the line to gain. Greg Zuerlein got the Jets on the board from 44. 10-3 Seahawks.

You wanted Geno magic? You got some. With the quarter winding down, Smith escaped the pocket and improvised a forward flip to DeeJay Dallas, who raced off in the open field for a 42-yard gain to the Jets’ 6-yard line!

2nd Quarter

Tyler Mabry’s first NFL catch! First NFL touchdown! How about that? He was activated in Will Dissly’s absence and he found the soft spot to score. 17-3 Seahawks.

It took the Jets only one play to get into Seattle territory after Braxton Berrios took a short pass into a 24-yard gain. Mike White drove them into the red zone, but a false start on Duane Brown, followed by a blown up screen by Cody Barton put them behind the sticks. Mike White was sacked by Darrell Taylor and that led to another Zuerlein field goal. 17-6 Seahawks.

Seattle’s hot start on offense fizzled in the form of a quick three-and-out. Geno was sacked twice and the Seahawks punted the ball back to the Jets, who got the ball back near midfield. Things got worse when Jordyn Brooks suffered a right leg injury making a tackle on Jets TE C.J. Uzomah. He couldn’t put any pressure on his leg and was down for some time on the Seahawks sideline before being helped into the medical tent.

The Jets went for it on 4th and 4 at Seattle’s 39 instead of kick a long field goal, and Garrett Wilson couldn’t bring in the pass intended for him. He had a step on Tariq Woolen but the ball fell incomplete.

Seattle got into field goal range, only for Geno to be sacked right out of it. The Jets tried for points even after they were pinned at their 1, but it ended with time expiring on a Taylor strip-sack of White. Uchenna Nwosu recovered but couldn’t keep his footing to have a chance to score.

3rd Quarter

The Jets got off to a good start to their opening 2nd half drive with a 30-yard catch-and-run by Tyler Conklin to convert 3rd and 10. They wouldn’t get another first down after that and settled for a Greg Zuerlein 57-yarder... wide left!

Seattle took six minutes off the clock on a 13-play, 40-yard drive that saw Kenneth Walker III eclipse the 100-yard mark and Geno Smith convert a 4th and inches sneak. An end zone shot to DK Metcalf went off his fingertips and incomplete. Field goal time for Jason Myers and he converted from 31. 20-6 Seahawks.

The Jets went three-and-out with a series of inaccurate Mike White passes. Xavier Crawford then rushed punter Braden Mann and he hurried off a terrible 24-yard punt that was so bad that it looked like it was blocked. Seattle wasted the great field position by going three-and-out and punting on 4th and 1 from the Jets’ 40. The defense got the ball back thanks to a quick three-and-out by the Jets offense.

4th Quarter

DeeJay Dallas was running angrily out there and rushed for 33 yards on Seattle’s next drive. But Jason Myers picked a hell of a time to miss from 41 yards, wide right. The Jets kept themselves alive by stopping the Seahawks from getting a dagger TD or even a likely dagger FG. No worries, as they punted quickly, Seattle punted it back, and then Mike White graciously handed the ball to Michael Jackson for another interception.

Jason Myers made amends by making another 31-yard field goal. 23-6 Seahawks.

Mike White got harassed some more in the backfield and was sacked again, threw more incomplete passes that had no chance of being caught, and Seattle got the ball back inside the Jets’ 35 with the chance to run more clock and maybe even score again. They ran most of the clock out but didn’t add any more points. Didn’t need to! 23-6 Seahawks FINAL.

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Scoring Summary

1st Quarter: Colby Parkinson 12-yard touchdown from Geno Smith - SEA 7, NYJ 0

1st Quarter: Jason Myers 25-yard field goal - SEA 10, NYJ 0

1st Quarter: Greg Zuerlein 44-yard field goal - SEA 10, NYJ 3

2nd Quarter: Tyler Mabry 7-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith - SEA 17, NYJ 3

2nd Quarter: Greg Zuerlein 44-yard field goal - SEA 17, NYJ 6

3rd Quarter: Jason Myers 31-yard field goal - SEA 20, NYJ 6

4th Quarter: Jason Myers 31-yard field goal - SEA 23, NYJ 6

Boxscore

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Seahawks Injury Report

LB Jordyn Brooks was ruled out with a knee injury in the 2nd quarter.

OG Phil Haynes left the game in the 4th quarter with an ankle injury and did not return.

WR Tyler Lockett had an unspecified leg injury but came back in the 4th quarter.

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Next Week’s Opponent

The Seahawks will end their regular season with a home game against the Los Angeles Rams (5-11). We will update this post with the kickoff time and date when it’s confirmed by the NFL.