Cutting tape off his ankles after a 23-17 loss to Washington at CenturyLink Field, Seattle Seahawks tackle Russell Okung understood his team let the Redskins wiggle off the hook.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed,” Okung said. “This is a game we felt we should’ve won. But for the Redskins, hat’s off to them. They played a lot harder than we did in the end. They finished.”
The Seahawks appeared comfortably in control, leading 17-7 early in the final quarter.
But Washington – loser of its previous six – proved the more effective team down the stretch.
The Redskins (4-7) reeled off 16 straight points in disposing of the Seahawks, who were vying for their first three-game winning streak since 2007.
Seattle’s strength – its defense – allowed journeyman quarterback Rex Grossman to throw for a season-high 314 yards and two touchdowns, just the second quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards against the Seahawks this season.
Seattle (4-7) also had trouble corralling Washington running back Roy Helu, who finished with 108 yards on 23 carries, becoming the second to rush for more than 100 yards this season against Seattle’s stout run defense. Helu also had seven receptions for 54 yards
Seattle cajoled two interceptions out of Grossman, but when it mattered most he connected with speedster Anthony Armstrong on a 50-yard strike over Brandon Browner to give his team the lead for good, 20-17, with a little more than six minutes left to play. It was Armstrong’s first catch since Oct. 23.
The play was a curious one because Seattle’s defense should have been deep in coverage on third-and-19 from midfield, not allowing anyone to get behind the secondary.
“Brandon just kind of lost track of the guy,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “When he stepped way up into the pocket, I think he was watching in the backfield and lost connection with (Armstrong). And when the ball was flying, he turned to find him and all hell broke loose.”
Said Grossman: “I saw that they didn’t have help over top of Anthony Armstrong, one of the fastest guys in the NFL. So I tried to buy enough time for him to eat up the cushion of the defender, and then eventually blow by him.”
Armstrong did, making a spectacular catch with Browner draped over him.
From there, a Seattle offense that had been effective running the ball for most of the game sputtered, gaining 11 total yards in its final four possessions.
Seattle once again effectively ran the ball, with Marshawn Lynch totaling 111 yards on the ground.
The Seahawks don’t have much time to put this one in the rearview mirror with Philadelphia, 38-20 losers to New England on Sunday, traveling to Seattle for a Thursday night game.
“Regardless of what anybody’s record is, if you give a team enough chances they can come away with a win,” Seattle receiver Mike Williams said. “So it just sucks, man. We really practiced and prepared hard to come in here and get our third win in a row. But with a short week, we’ve got to try and swallow this one and go get ready for Philly.”
Eric D. Williams: 253-597-8437
eric.williams@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/seahawks
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