/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/22407661/186736390.0.jpg)
The Seahawks came back from a 21-0 first half deficit to win in overtime 27-24 over the Tampa Buccaneers, moving to 8-1 on the year. The 21-point lead they erased represents the biggest comeback in the team's history.
Seattle started very slowly, and thanks to some really excellent improvisational out-of-pocket plays by apparently-very-elusive Tampa QB Mike Glennon, quickly found themselves in what felt like an insurmountable hole going into the half. However, Seattle settled down on offense, ran the ball, made a few big plays, and started making some stops on defense to climb back into the game and eventually force overtime. Obviously, tons of details therein, but let's just quickly look at some of the stats:
----
- Seattle won despite losing the turnover battle 0-3. Russell Wilson threw two picks and Jermaine Kearse fumbled on a kick return. As Kenny pointed out on twitter (seriously, follow that man if you're not yet doing so), teams that have turned the ball over three+ times while forcing none are 1-12 this season. Seattle moves that to 2-12.
- The Hawks went 8-of-12 on third down. This is probably the most important statistic for this team, after the turnover ratio.
- Seattle won today because they got their run game back on track. Marshawn Lynch rushed for 125 yards on 21 carries, a 6.0 yards per carry average. I cannot wait to watch what the line did differently in this one - and it's worth noting that there was some shuffling going on. Alvin Bailey played at LT for a spell, meaning that Paul McQuistan replaced James Carpenter at LG (which annoys the shit out of me but that's neither here nor there), and Max Unger left with a concussion and was replaced by Lemuel Jeanpierre. Despite all this, the run game flourished.
- The pass protection, however, wasn't as good. Russell Wilson was hammered on several occasions, and at one point it appeared that he was favoring his left arm. Wilson battled through despite taking 6 QB hits (per that scorecard, though it felt like more). It did feel as though pass protection was better than last week, so even a little bit of progress is a good thing.
- Russell Wilson finished 19 of 26 for 217 yards passing, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran the ball in for a score. To my eyes, on the first viewing, despite the two interceptions, he played very well and hit on some really big time throws, including two on third downs in the fourth quarter as the Hawks tried to come back. Gusty performance.
- Doug Baldwin led the team with 6 catches for 75 yards and the tying score late in the fourth. Jermaine Kearse redeemed himself somewhat for the fumble earlier in the game by scoring a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. Golden Tate had himself a few huge plays, including a timely 71-yard punt return at the end of the third quarter.
- I'm not sure what to make of the defensive performance, to be honest. The first half was atrocious, but the 2nd half was another story. The run defense was again a problem, so it will be interesting to go back and try and figure out what's going on there.
Anyway. Big comeback win. You could feel it early in the 3rd quarter that the Hawks believed they'd win this game. The momentum swung, the defense made some stops, and, well, they got it done. Still a lot to clean up, but I'll take the win again this week.
Overall, despite the ugly first half, this game felt totally different to me this week as compared to the St. Louis game. Seattle put up 415 yards of total offense, 6.8 yards per offensive play, had 26 first downs, and really dominated in the trenches in the second half. Despite some issues with run fits and big gaps on defense in the run game, they did only give up 3 points in the 2nd half.