Seattle’s decision to give Carlos Dunlap more time to heal pays off vs. Washington
A decision made by Pete Carroll and Seahawks trainers and coaches last week may have helped Carlos Dunlap earn a win for Seattle this week against Washington.
When the Seahawks held Dunlap out of last week’s win over the Jets, Carroll explained that they felt Dunlap needed a full week off to try to get past a mid-foot sprain suffered Nov. 30 against the Eagles – or, at least, let it recover a bit more fully.
Dunlap had played 23 snaps the week after the injury against the Giants, but didn’t have a sack – one of just two times in six games he’s played with Seattle he didn’t at least share in one – and didn’t seem his usual disruptive self.
Sunday, Dunlap felt the rest helped him when he preserved a 20-15 win over the Washington Football Team with a sack on third down of Washington’s final drive – which forced WFT back nine yards, from the Seattle 28 to the 37 – and set up a final, futile, desperation pass into the end zone that was incomplete.It was his fifth sack in six games with Seattle.
“It definitely helped buy me more time because obviously this is a thing that, you know, once it gets fatigued, that’s when it flares up,’’ said Dunlap, who had been listed as questionable for the game but practiced Friday, indicating he had a good shot to play. “… Game’s on the line, I was healthy enough to go and do what I am here to do. Simple as that.’’
Seattle’s pass rush was ineffective until the final series – WFT quarterback Dwayne Haskins was sacked just once, by safety Jamal Adams, until then. But Seattle got three on the final drive – a strip sack by Alton Robinson, and then on back-to-back plays after WFT reached the Seattle 23, sacks by L.J. Collier and Dunlap.
“Guys rallied and nailed three sacks in the last drive and changed the football game from taking away their chance to win,’’ Carroll said.
It was the second time since coming to Seattle that Dunlap has had a sack on the final drive to help preserve a win, the other coming against Arizona when he dropped Kyler Murray on a fourth down.
“The Mamba mentality,’’ Dunlap said. “Game is on the line, I want to be in to take that shot. I want to be in. So, you know, I have that confidence.’’
Myers’ mark
Jason Myers was aware of his prodigious streak. He was trying not to think about it Sunday.
“You see the numbers and what’s going on,” the Seahawks kicker said. “It’s kind of cliché, but my mindset is ‘1 for 1.’ I write it on my wrist every day, so you just keep doing that kick after kick and you hope that in the long run, they all add up.”
They added up, all right. Myers went 2 for 2 on his field-goal attempts Sunday to set a new Seahawks record with 31 consecutive made field goals. He converted from 43 yards in the first quarter to tie Olindo Mare’s franchise record of 30 consecutive makes; Myers was true from 40 in the second quarter, breaking the record.
Myers gave credit to holder Michael Dickson, long snapper Tyler Ott and the rest of the line.
Penny eases back in, but Dallas is hurt
Rashaad Penny’s statistical line in his first game of the season didn’t look like much on the surface – two carries for six yards, each coming on consecutive plays in the third quarter.
But to Penny, a third-year pro who was seeing his first action since tearing his ACL in a game at Los Angeles last Dec. 8, those two carries were undoubtedly as meaningful as any he has had in his career.
“This was a long, long recovery and return,’’ Carroll said. “We just wanted to get him out there. He did it. He played in the game. And now next week we’ll be able to do more and use him more. That works out perfectly well for us today.’’
Penny’s return came on a day the Seahawks saw another running back – rookie DeeJay Dallas carted off after a kickoff in the second quarter.
“He sprained his ankle,’’ Carroll said. “He did not break anything, which we’re all thrilled about. I don’t know how severe the sprain is, but he did sprain his ankle and all the X-rays were negative, so that’s a really good report to pass along.’’Notes
• Safety Jamal Adams went into the locker room in the third quarter and quickly returned to the field with at least two fingers on his left hand wrapped in athletic tape. Adams later revealed he’s been playing with two broken fingers.
“Nothing to worry about, man,” he said. “I’ve been dealing with basically two broken fingers for the past couple of weeks, and it’s all good, man. We keep them wrapped; we keep it going. Whatever it takes. Doesn’t matter. It’s not going to slow me down, man.”
• The Seahawks, no doubt, breathed a sigh of relief in the first half after a brief injury scare for DK Metcalf. Metcalf jumped near the back of the end zone attempting to catch a pass, then landed awkwardly with his right leg buckling. He momentarily held the back of his right leg while on the ground, then got up and jogged gingerly off the field. He was spotted by a TV camera on the sideline telling a trainer: “I’m all right.” Metcalf finished with five catches for 53 yards.