Frustrated Seahawks Sound Off After Loss Wind Continues To Blow After Buffalo Holds Off Seattle, 27-21

For three hours Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks struggled with gusting winds at Rich Stadium. For the rest of this week, coach Dennis Erickson will have to deal with the winds of frustration swirling through the locker room.

Strong safety Robert Blackmon is upset about being benched after being beaten for a third-quarter touchdown. Halfback Chris Warren doesn’t know why he was a spectator during a furious comeback attempt in the final 69 seconds. Coaches, meanwhile, grow more frustrated by critical mistakes.

Figuring out what went wrong with the Seahawks during their 27-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Rich Stadium is as puzzling as the winds of Orchard Park. Gusts between 29 and 38 mph Sunday baffled quarterback Rick Mirer and kick-returner Steve Broussard. The Seahawks compounded the problems by committing too many mistakes.

“We’re playing so inconsistently right now on both sides of the football it’s very difficult for us to win,” Erickson said. “You can’t turn it over when you’re on the road against a team like that.”

Three of the Seahawks’ four turnovers handed the Bills 17 of their 27 points, but the timing was particularly uncanny. The Seahawks led 7-0 with 11 minutes left in the second quarter. Mirer had a second-and-8 from the Bills’ 46 yard-line. That’s when the coaching staff figured it was time to get tricky.

From a two tight-end set that caused eight Bills defenders to hang near the line of scrimmage for a run, the Seahawks sent rookie receiver Joey Galloway into the middle of the field for a long pass. Despite having the wind at his back, Mirer underthrew Galloway, who drew double coverage.

Free safety Kurt Schultz, a former Eastern Washington University defensive back, intercepted and returned the ball to the Bills 15. What could have been a Seahawks touchdown or field goal drive turned into a quick 10 points for the Bills that left the Seahawks’ chances of winning flapping in the Lake Erie breezes.

“I should have put a little more air under it and let Joey go get it,” said Mirer, whose three interceptions increased his season total to nine. “That’s one I would like to have back. We took our shot and it didn’t work.”

All season the Seahawks have learned that little mistakes against good teams kill them. They were playing the AFC East leading Bills (5-1) at home. With a defense that bends and breaks, little mistakes on offense ignited long drives against their defense.

Defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy almost beat fullback Darick Holmes to the ball at a handoff near the Bills’ goal line. Nine plays later, quarterback Jim Kelly hit Bill Brooks for a 28-yard touchdown pass.

Broussard then misjudged Steve Christie’s kickoff and fumbled. The Bills recovered at the Seahawks’ 17, setting up an easy 43-yard Christie field goal. The Seahawks suddenly trailed 10-7 with 4:12 left in the first half.

Kelly completed 21 of 36 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns. Though the NFL’s worst defense limited halfback Thurman Thomas to 51 yards on 24 carries, Kelly killed the Seahawks on little things and left the Seahawks locker room buzzing with uncertainly after the game.

Blackmon, back after missing close to two games with a hamstring injury, reacted to a fake Kelly handoff and let tight end Lonnie Johnson roam free for a 2-yard touchdown that opened a 17-7 lead in the third quarter. Backup strong safety Rafael Robinson replaced him the remainder of the game.

“I was very surprised,” said Blackmon, a Pro Bowl alternate last season. “I’m not unhappy that it happened, it’s the way that he (one of the Seahawks coaches) went about doing it.”

Blackmon accepted blame for the mistake that allowed Johnson’s touchdown. In fact, most of the Seahawks’ defenders ‘fessed up to their blunders. Cornerback Corey Harris admitted he shouldn’t have looked at Kelly and let Brooks slip past him for the 28-yard second-quarter touchdown. Cornerback Carlton Gray thought he and Rafael Robinson had Brooks covered on a one-handed 30-yard touchdown pass with 5:51 left in the third quarter that gave the Bills a 24-7 lead.

The problem with the Seahawks is not that they admit their mistakes, but that the blunders keep happening.

“We have a lot of character on this team, so when we were down in the second half, we talked on the field,” free safety Eugene Robinson said. “We said, ‘Look, we ain’t going nowhere. We could climb back in this game.’ “

They did, but at the end the Seahawks fell short.

Strong safety Henry Jones threw Mirer to the ground after a third-down incompletion. Given a first down, Mirer hit Galloway at Bills’ 36 and he trotted the rest of the way for a 54-yard touchdown. The Seahawks trailed, 24-14. Christie added a 26-yard field goal, but Mirer later followed with a touchdown drive capped by Warren’s 3-yard touchdown run with 4:17 left.

It was his second touchdown of the day.

Mirer, trailing 27-21, had 1:09 to drive 80 yards for the game-winner. He had no timeouts, but two completions and a Bills’ offside penalty put the Seahawks at the Bills’ 40 with 20 seconds to play. The game ended with Mirer’s third interception and Warren wondering why he wasn’t used in that drive.

“Watching that last series was tough because there is nothing that you can do about it,” said Warren, who was replaced by Broussard. “I have no idea why they did it, but I’ve been doing it (the pass-receiving back) all year.”

Bills 27, Seahawks 21

Seattle 0 7 7 7 - 21

Buffalo 0 10 14 3 - 27

Sea-Warren 3 run (Peterson kick)

Buf-Brooks 28 pass from Kelly (Christie kick)

Buf-FG Christie 43

Buf-Johnson 2 pass from Kelly (Christie kick)

Buf-Brooks 30 pass from Kelly (Christie kick)

Sea-Galloway 54 pass from Mirer (Peterson kick)

Buf-FG Christie 26

Sea-Warren 4 run (Peterson kick)

A-74,362

Sea Buf First downs 16 23 Rushes-yards 30-78 38-115 Passing 190 259 Punt Returns 1-11 1-10 Kickoff Returns 6-97 3-38 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 3-29 Comp-Att-Int 15-34-3 21-36-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 4-28 2-16 Punts 6-53 7-40 Fumbles-Lost 2-1 1-0 Penalties-Yards 5-35 6-50 Time of Possession 28:08 31:52

Individual statistics RUSHINGSea, Warren 23-64, Galloway 2-9, Mirer 1-3, Broussard 4-2. Buf, Thomas 24-51, Holmes 12-50, Gardner 1-17, Brooks 1-(minus 3). PASSINGSea, Mirer 15-34-3-218. Buf, Kelly 21-36-0-275. RECEIVINGSea, Galloway 5-102, Blades 3-32, R.Thomas 2-28, Warren 2-13, McKnight 1-17, S.Smith 1-15, Fauria 1-11. Buf, Johnson 7-74, Brooks 6-109, Copeland 5-67, T.Thomas 2-10, Armour 1-15. MISSED FIELD GOALSBuf, Christie 50.