Seahawks Order A Win Seattle Closes In On .500 And Wild-Card Hopes
They might order some more room service because the road apparently agrees with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Seahawks completed their nine-day stay on the East Coast with a 27-20 victory over the Washington Redskins on Sunday to extend their winning streak to three games.
Coach Dennis Erickson’s decision to stay in Jacksonville for a week following the victory over the Jaguars last Sunday worked.
“We didn’t lose anything by staying on the East Coast,” said halfback Chris Warren, who carried the offense with 136 yards on 29 bruising carries. “We were strong at the end of the game. Our defense came up big and the end of the game.”
There were times in Jacksonville when those working at the hotel wondered if they were playing host to a senior citizen’s convention instead of a football team. As guests, the Seahawks were boring.
“It was a business trip,” said linebacker Terry Wooden, who led the Seahawks with 10 tackles. “Staying in Florida for a week and behaving shows you how serious and how committed these guys are and how we reacted in the different environment. Our practices wer crisp. Guys totally had this game on their mind. The Redskin game was a big game. We would be either 5-6 or 4-7.”
A victory over the New York Jets in the Kingdome next Sunday will put the Seahawks at .500 and, yes, if that happens, puts them in the hunt for a wild-card playoff spot.
Were the Seahawks perfect against the Redskins on Sunday? Absolutely not. Quarterback Rick Mirer threw two interceptions and cost the team a field-goal opportunity by running 24 yards to the Redskins’ 9 with no time left on the first-half clock. They had a first-quarter delay of game penalty on a fourth-and-1 that Warren looked as though he would have broken for a decent gain and maybe a touchdown. Misplays by cornerbacks allowed a 47-yard completion from the Seahawks’ 4 and an 18-yard touchdown pass.
Erickson didn’t mind the mistakes as much because he sensed a confidence within his players that they would find a way to win.
Leading the way was a secondary that forced five turnovers, including four interceptions. Warren refused to be tackled, particularly in the second half. The offensive line wore down a lighter Redskins defense. And Mirer made enough good plays to win.
In the meantime, the Redskins acted like the old Seahawks from earlier this season. Receivers dropped balls. Defenders missed tackles. Penalties were costly. And coach Norv Turner turned all the Redskins fans against him by benching quarterback Gus Frerotte in the fourth quarter with the Seahawks leading only 17-10.
Heath Shuler came in and was sacked, threw two interceptions and produced 19 yards in seven plays, and by the time he returned for a fourth series, the Seahawks were leading, 24-13.
“I feel for those guys,” said Mirer, who completed 18 of 32 for 185 yards and two touchdowns. “It’s tough to lose a game like this. I feel for all the quarterbacks who have to go through change, but better him than me. These are growing pains, and there are better days.”
Defensively, the Seahawks were vulnerable to Frerotte, who kept the Redskins’ offense on the field for 17 first-half minutes and on the field for 40 plays and 215 yards.
“We’re starting to put the pieces together,” defensive end Michael Sinclair said. “If the offense goes out and turns it over, the defense says don’t worry about it, we’ll stop them. We’ll hold them to at least a field goal. If the defense ain’t rolling, then throw deep to Joey Galloway, baby.”
Five times Mirer fired long passes to Galloway. Once, the ball slipped off Galloway’s hands as he dove into the end zone. Another time, cornerback Tom Carter intercepted. Two others were incompletions. But a perfectly thrown 59-yarder down the right sideline allowed Galloway to burn Carter for a touchdown that opened a 10-3 lead 40 seconds into the second quarter.
“We probably threw it long a little more than anticipated, but the coverages and field position and things like that made us think to take a shot,” Mirer said. “That opens things up a little beat. Then we started taking the underneath stuff from them in the second half.”
Galloway’s touchdown came four plays after defensive tackle Sam Adams stopped Redskins halfback Brian Mitchell at the Seahawks’ 1. The Redskins had to settle for a field goal.
Other big defensive plays included interceptions by linebacker Winston Moss, two by strong safety Robert Blackmon and another by cornerback Corey Harris. Wooden stripped a fumble from the hands of wide receiver Orlanda Truitt in the second quarter.
Then Warren, who grew up in nearby Silver Spring, Md., carried the offense on his 225-pound body. He rushed 18 times in the second half for 98 yards in finishing with his sixth 100-yard game of the season and a team-record third in a row.
Warren teamed with Mirer on a well-executed 87-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter, capped by a 10-yard scoring pass to tight end Carlester Crumpler. Warren’s hardest runs were when he used his powerful leg-drive near the end zone in setting up a 5-yard touchdown.
“Our game play was to wear them down and run the ball up and down the field,” left tackle Ray Roberts said. “Chris pounded them in the first half. We pounded them in the second half. Midway in the third quarter, we felt like we were pushing them around. They were getting soft when Chris runs it up in there.”
As a reward, Warren will stay back East for an extra day to visit family and friends. Why not, on the road, all the Seahawks are on a roll.
Seahawks 27, Redskins 20
Seattle 3 7 7 10 - 27
Washington 3 7 0 10 - 20
First quarter
Sea-FG Peterson 39, 4:08.
Was-FG Murray 18, 14:06.
Second quarter
Sea-Galloway 59 pass from Mirer (Peterson kick), :40.
Was-Truitt 18 pass from Frerotte (Murray kick), 5:02.
Third quarter
Sea-Crumpler 10 pass from Mirer (Peterson kick), 9:27.
Fourth quarter
Was-FG Murray 48, 2:41.
Sea-Warren 5 run (Peterson kick), 7:14.
Sea-FG Peterson 47, 11:44.
Was-Westbrook 5 pass from Shuler (Murray kick), 13:42.
A-51,298.
Sea Was First downs 21 20 Rushes-yards 39-167 22-67 Passing 173 281 Punt Returns 2-14 3-39 Kickoff Returns 4-81 6-101 Interceptions Ret. 4-28 2-6 Comp-Att-Int 18-32-2 24-44-4 Sacked-Yards Lost 2-12 2-17 Punts 5-42 5-38 Fumbles-Lost 2-0 1-1 Penalties-Yards 4-33 5-43 Time of Possession 31:54 28:06
Individual statistics
RUSHINGSeattle, Warren 29-136, Mirer 5-33, Broussard 4-14, Galloway 1-(minus 16). Washington, Allen 15-41, Logan 2-15, Mitchell 3-10, Frerotte 2-1.
PASSINGSeattle, Mirer 18-32-2-185. Washington, Frerotte 14-32-2-200, Shuler 10-12-2-98.
RECEIVINGSeattle, Blades 6-55, Galloway 4-90, Warren 3-(minus 24), Broussard 2-45, Proehl 2-9, Crumpler 1-10. Washington, Mitchell 7-68, Truitt 4-75, Ellard 4-64, Westbrook 3-45, Asher 3-19, Allen 2-10, Winans 1-17.
MISSED FIELD GOALSSeattle, Peterson 52.
Graphic: Hawks 27 Redskins 20