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The Washington Football Team faced a slumping Seattle team coming off an embarrassing loss to the Colt McCoy led Arizona Cardinals. Yes, that Colt McCoy who ended up shredding the Seattle defense for 328 passing yards and two touchdowns. It was extremely important for the Football Team to start fast tonight and get up on the Seahawks. That didn’t happen.
The offense went three straight plays and punted. The next drive featured a mix of runs and passes remarkably like what we had seen the past two games which ultimately led to a field goal. That made it a 3 – 0 score. A blown defensive assignment by FS Bobby McCain allowed Russell Wilson to find a wide-open Tyler Lockett for a big play down into the redzone. That big play led to a Seattle touchdown making it 7 – 3. After a couple of stalled drives that featured more passing and minimal running Washington finally started to find the balance that it so desperately needed. Behind the running of Gibson and McKissic Washington marched down the field eating upboth yards and clock on its march towards the endzone. Taylor Heinicke sealed the deal with a 10-yard pass to JD McKissic who flashed his now famous burst of speed into the endzone for a touchdown making it 9 – 7.
That is when things got a little weird. The extra point try for Washington gets blocked but not only is it blocked, it is picked up by Seattle and run all the way into the endzone for two points. So even though Washington scored a TD to take the lead the returned extra point made it a 9 – 9 game heading into halftime. To make matters worse kicker Joey Slye, pulled his hamstring trying to chase down the defender. That injury took him out for the rest of the game which meantwe would have to go for two-point conversions or use P Tress Way for extra points. A Seahawks team that was down prior to this game now had life heading into halftime. Washington who just scored before the end of the half had seen momentum all but evaporate.
Seattle getting the ball to start the second half went a short three plays and punted. Washington as if sensing the opportunity to take momentum back from Seattle put together another long drive which featured solid runs and big catches from Terry McLaurin. The drive ended with a 10-yard run from JD McKissic who showed off his exceptional quickness enroute to paydirt. The score now was 17 – 9.
Both team’s defenses played well for the remainder of the third quarter and into the fourth resulting in several punts. Then late in the fourth quarter eerily like the Tampa Bay game Washington proceeded to go on a long game defining drive. A drive filled with big runs, big plays, and injuries (JD McKissic left w/ head-neck injury). The drive seemingly was going to end with a Logan Thomas TD catch on fourth down, but the Refs had other ideas. The Refs after reviewing the catch overturned the touchdown sighting that the receiver did not have control of the ball even though Thomas had his hands under the ball. Thatwould lead to the Seahawks and Russell Wilson getting a chance to drive the field to tie the game.
Seattle almost succeeded in doing exactly that. Russell marched his team all the way the way down the field and threw a touchdown pass over the recently inserted Deshazor Everette who came in for Landon Collins after he had suffered a leg injury. In Deshazor’s defense he has notplayed a snap all season and he was put into a situationwhere the game was on the line. With that touchdown, it left Seattle no choice but to go for the two-pointconversion to tie it up. Russell dropped back to pass and threw it to his receiver in the back of the endzone. Fortunately for us Kendall Fuller was also in the back of the endzone lurking, waiting. Kendall after reading the QB’s eyes broke off coverage of his initial assignment and stepped in front of Wilson’s intended target and intercepted the two-point conversion sealing the victory.
Even an almost onside kick recovery and penalty by Seattle could not change the result which was the Good Guys win 17 – 15. This game revealed a level of toughness and resilience by the Washington Football Team that previously we could only guess or assume they had. This is the type of game the organization would typically lose but they didn’t tonight. Tonight they found a way to win. That is three wins in a row. Who’s next?
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