No hard feelings.
Playing against the team that cut him during the middle of his second season two years ago, Seattle Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka took some solace in striping five field goals through the uprights for his new team in a 22-17 Seattle win.
The Ravens cut Hauschka in October of 2009 after he struggled with consistency, and Hauschka bounced around the league with stops in Atlanta, Detroit, the Las Vegas Locomotives of the UFL and Denver before finally landing a starting job with Seattle this season.
Hauschka finished with five field goals in the swirling wind at CenturyLink Field, making kicks from 22, 30, 35, 38 and 39 yards, and in the process tied a franchise record for field goals in a game set twice by Norm Johnson and Olindo Mare, and once by Todd Peterson.
“I’ve been in this position before, and you’re only as good as your last kick,” Hauschka said. “I’m just going to keep focusing on making my next kick.”
Replacing Mare this season, Hauschka hasn’t been as consistent putting the ball in the end zone for touchbacks, but he’s 15 of 17 on field goals with a long of 52 yards. Hauschka’s only misses are the 61-yard attempt to win a game against Atlanta earlier this year, and a 41-yarder blocked against Dallas.
“You notice a lot of kickers come in here and there’s been some missed kicks,” he said. “There also hasn’t been as many touchbacks. It’s a tough place to kick I think. It’s a lot easier to kick inside or in warm weather.”
RAVENS’ OFFENSE CHOOSES TO PASS
With Baltimore getting down early, the Ravens went away from their traditional running attack with Ray Rice, with quarterback Joe Flacco throwing a career-high 52 times.
Rice ran the ball just five times for 27 yards, and the Ravens finished with just 75 yards on the ground.
Baltimore came in averaging 102 yards rushing a game.
“There’s been games where they have gone like this,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “I was kind of hoping that it would go like this, where they wouldn’t feature (the run) as much so they wouldn’t be balanced out.
“We got up enough, and at halftime they decided they were going to throw the football, so we didn’t see much of a running game at all.”
TATE GETS CHANCE AT WIDE RECEIVER
With Seattle’s top two receiving threats – Sidney Rice and Doug Baldwin – out with concussions in the second half, second-year pro Golden Tate got an opportunity to show what he could do.
The former Notre Dame player caught a 24-yard pass from Tarvaris Jackson for a first down on the final drive to help Seattle secure the victory, and finished with three catches for 46 yards.
“It’s good for him,” Jackson said. “He’s been practicing well for the last two months and he’s been doing a pretty good job. Whenever he’s got a chance to make plays he always makes plays, and we know that.”
EXTRA POINTS
Carroll said offensive guard John Moffitt has to get an MRI on his knee after leaving the game in the first half. Lemuel Jeanpierre replaced Moffitt at right guard. Doug Baldwin, Sidney Rice and Kam Chancellor all suffered concussions and will need to be further evaluated today. And defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove and safety Atari Bigby suffered hamstring injuries. ... The Seahawks finished with a 35:01 to 24:59 advantage in time of possession. ... Earl Thomas and Leroy Hill tied for the team lead with eight combined tackles. ... The Seahawks finished with 10 pass deflections but just one sack. ... Seattle inactive players for the Baltimore game were quarterback Josh Portis, receiver Deon Butler, safety Jeron Johnson, cornerback Ron Parker, linebacker David Vobora, offensive tackle Jarriel King and tight end Cameron Morrah.
Eric D. Williams: 253-597-8437 eric.williams@thenewstribune.com
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