Wilson, Baldwin, Carson, defense lead Seahawks to upset of KC, into playoffs
Doug Baldwin is back, punctuated by a celebration, thank-you hug from coach Pete Carroll.
“Doug, to come back from being hurt, just valor,” Carroll said.
Russell Wilson is doing what he’s usually done in December.
Chris Carson keeps plowing on the ground. The defense is being opportunistic, including against the very best quarterbacks.
And the Seahawks are back in the playoffs, for the sixth time in seven seasons.
Wilson threw for three more touchdown passes, including Baldwin’s third scoring catch in two games. Carson ran for 116 of Seattle’s 210 rushing yards, his fifth 100-yard game this season, with two touchdowns including the clinching one with 2:29 remaining. And Frank Clark, Dion Jordan, Quinton Jefferson and Shaquill Griffin led Seattle’s befuddling of likely NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes in the remade Seahawks’ 38-31 on Sunday night at roaring, shaking CenturyLink Field.
“The preseason predictions? Weren’t too many people seeing it coming to this, us in the playoffs,” linebacker K.J. Wright said after his return to playing after five games out. “But the guys in this room believed...
“You here it. You hear the noise. You hear the 4-12 predictions, the 5-11s. And that stuff motivates you. We kept believing.
“We’re just getting started, man. ... We have all the tools.”
And, yes, the Seahawks’ locker room was off the hook yet again following their latest, electrifying win.
Baldwin had seven catches for 126 yards and his third touchdown in two games. He had two scores in the season’s first three months, fighting through knee and groin injuries.
Wilson completed 18 of 29 passes for 271 yards and those three scores in another brilliantly efficient game for the Seahawks (9-6), who ransacked Kansas City’s defense with 464 total yards and won for the fifth time in six games.
Seattle will play on Jan. 5 or 6 at Dallas or Chicago in the opening round of the NFC playoffs.
“This is a really big accomplishment, a special accomplishment,” the 67-year-old Carroll said, reiterating how fun this season has been for him because of the bond of his players and rediscovering their physical identity amid changing eight starters on defense, both coordinators and eight assistant coaches.
“Really gratifying,” Carroll said.
Wilson has 34 touchdowns this season, tying his franchise record, even though no full-time quarterback in the league throws less. Wilson’s 34th touchdown pass, to Ed Dickson who used all hands to keep the ball off the ground in the end zone, came after the second Chiefs pass-interference penalty against Baldwin in the end zone. Seattle led 31-20 with 7:36 left.
But Mahomes and the Chiefs responded. Demarcus Robinson deftly kept toes inbounds along the right sideline in the end zone behind Griffin for an 11-yard score with 4:36 left. Mahomes ran in after dropping to pass on the two-point conversion to close Seattle’s lead to 31-28.
On third and 7 on the ensuing possession, Seahawks receiver David Moore fought through Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson grabbing him short of the line to gain after a catch. Moore reached across the sticks for the first down that forced the Chiefs to start using time outs on defense.
Wilson and Carroll called that perhaps the most important, unsung play of the many huge ones Sunday night.
“We’re savages,” Baldwin said of Seattle’s wide receivers.
On the next play, Tyler Lockett made like Willie Mays, waiting patiently for Wilson’s rainbow pass to fall then making an exquisite, over-the-shoulder catch along the sideline with cornerback Charvarius Ward all over him. The 45-yard gain set up Baldwin’s equally stunning and exquisite grab, with his one, outstretched right hand tapped to himself, down to the 1-yard line. Carson scored on the next play to put Seattle ahead 38-28.
Wilson is now 22-9 in December and 43-17 in the regular season in November, December and January, the best such record in the league late in season.
The Seahawks held Mahomes to his fewest completions and yards passing in a first half this season, and the Chiefs offense that was averaging 36 points per game coming in to 17 deep into the fourth quarter. How? They kept Chiefs receivers in front of them most of the game, with the exception of Travis Kelce running free by 20 yards in the first quarter. But Mahomes missed Kelce with a pass 5 yards too far over his head toward the goal line. And they pressured him into more poor throws.
Clark, Jordan and Jefferson blasted into the Kansas City backfield and chased Mahomes for much of the night. Seattle had more pressure than its one sack and four hits on Mahomes showed.
Baldwin continued his re-emergence at the perfect time for the Seahawks. With the score tied at 17 late in the third quarter, Wilson spotted his favorite receiver for the last seven seasons alone in one-on-one coverage with Kansas City’s Steven Nelson. Wilson’s throw was high. So was Baldwin’s leap. He twisted for the ball and then for the goal-line pylon, getting both for the touchdown.
The Seahawks held Mahomes to six completions, his fewest in any first half this season, and to 82 yards passing. Twenty came on the Chiefs’ final offensive play of the half on which the Seahawks recovered a fumble. The Seahawks forced two turnovers and ran for 145 yards in the half despite having to shuffle its injured offensive line.
Yet they led only 14-10. And they were somewhat fortunate to be leading.
The Seahawks converted two key penalties on Kansas City, on third and fourth downs, into 10 points to turn a 10-7 deficit in the second quarter into a 17-10 early in the third. Sebastian Janikowski was no good wide from 47 yards on what would have ended Seattle’s opening drive of the second half. But Kansas City’s Jordan Lucas dived into Janikowski’s plant leg trying to block the kick. The resulting personal foul gave Seattle a first down at the Chiefs 14 instead of Kansas Ball at the Seattle 37.
The 40-year-old Janikowski was grimacing and holding his already-sore back but returned four plays later to make a 28-yard field goal when the Seahawks’ renewed drive stalled.
“I didn’t know if was going to get up,” Carroll said of Janikowski getting hit.
It was all smiles—and satisfaction—in the Seahawks doing what most said they would not in 2018.
“There weren’t many people that thought we could do this,” Carroll said, “and we did it before the season is over.
“It’s a magnificent feeling that we can go play anybody anywhere.”
Even Wilson, who habitually preaches to “ignore the noise,” acknowledged the haters who said the Seahawks wouldn’t be where they are now.
“Everybody was counting us out early on,” Wilson said.
“This year has been special, because I think we really came together.
“That didn’t just happen. It happened because of belief. It happened because of love...nothing is going to stop us. We have great leaders.”
This story was originally published December 23, 2018 at 8:50 PM.
