‘When we need him to make a big-time play, he’s always there.’ Seahawks rookie DK Metcalf has career day against Bucs
When the Seattle Seahawks flooded the field Sunday afternoon following their overtime thriller, Tampa Bay cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting stopped rookie wide receiver DK Metcalf for a moment.
“I had one of the Bucs DBs tell me that I’m lucky that I have a guy like Russ running the show back there,” Metcalf said. “He’s a great leader, especially when the game is on the line.”
This particular Sunday, though, Wilson — a sure MVP candidate who orchestrated another stunning game-winning drive — may have been just as lucky to have sure-handed rookie like Metcalf, who hauled in his share of meaningful catches in the fourth quarter and overtime, as the Seahawks outlasted Tampa Bay, 40-34.
“He was clutch,” Wilson said of his young receiver. “He was lights out. Told him, ‘Hey, be ready, you may help us to win the game.’ And sure enough, he did. … Just tough catches, great speed, great acceleration, just running away from guys.
“He’s been a star for us all year so far, and hopefully we get to keep it that way.”
Metcalf finished with career-highs in targets (nine), receptions (six) and yards (123), and scored his third touchdown in two weeks on a 53-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter that shook the stands at CenturyLink Field.
“It was his best game he’s had,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “You know when he catches the ball on the crossing route, he’s gone. That was really exciting to see that. He’s going to be a big factor down the stretch here.”
Metcalf’s size — he’s 6-foot-4, 230 pounds — and speed were noticeably elite when the Seahawks drafted him in the second round earlier this year. But, his coaches and teammates say the ability the 21-year-old has displayed through just nine career games is what sets him apart from other rookies.
“We’ve been around enough young guys, we know what they’re like when they come through the process,” Carroll said. “He’s not typical. He’s atypical. He’s well ahead of the curve, in his smarts and awareness and savvy. … He’s going to have a big year.”
Wilson even went as far to say Metcalf — who now has 29 catches for 525 yards and five touchdowns this season — has been “playing like a Pro Bowl player.”
“In terms of the rookies, he’s definitely leading the charge in the sense of his approach to the game,” Wilson said. “And that’s not something you just get. It’s something that you have, it’s something that you believe in, it’s something that you work at, it’s something you prepare for. And he’s been tremendous with that.”
Metcalf hauled in his first target for 11 yards on the first play of Seattle’s opening drive. He was targeted twice more in the first half, and ended it with just the one catch. But, in the second half, he caught five of six targets, and four of them were pivotal in the final five minutes of regulation and overtime.
The 53-yard touchdown grab, during which Wilson faked a handoff, and found Metcalf in space, gave the Seahawks a 34-27 edge with 4:34 to go in regulation. With Tampa Bay double-teaming Tyler Lockett — who finished with a team-high 152 yards on 13 catches and a pair of touchdowns — Metcalf crossed to the far sideline, beat Jamel Dean in coverage, and outran him to the goal line.
The Bucs tied the game for a fifth time with 46 seconds to play, but on Seattle’s final drive of the fourth quarter, Wilson went right back to Metcalf, who snagged passes of 18 and 6 yards on the series, helping set up Seattle’s try at a game-winning field goal.
“He’s trusting me,” Metcalf said of Wilson. “It starts in practice and it translates to the game.”
The field goal attempt sailed wide right, but Metcalf was targeted twice more when the Seahawks opened the overtime period with the ball. He drew an illegal contact penalty on Dean during the drive to give Seattle a fresh set of downs, and later capped his career day by hauling in a 29-yard pass on the sideline on third-and-6 that set the Seahawks up at the Bucs 6.
Metcalf said Seahawks Wilson and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer noticed Tampa Bay’s defense was playing off of him, giving him an opportunity to make a play.
“I just ran a double move,” Metcalf said. “Russ put it in the perfect spot. I made a play. Hats off to Schotty for seeing that.”
Moments later, Wilson connected with tight end Jacob Hollister for the game-winning touchdown, and Metcalf joined in the celebration.
Left tackle Duane Brown said this type of performance is absolutely what the Seahawks thought they would see out of Metcalf this season.
“When we got him, just the way this offense works, I knew the potential was there for games like this,” Brown said.
The skill set and poise Metcalf has displayed hasn’t looked like what a rookie usually produces, he said.
“As a rookie, you don’t know how they’re going to perform — if they’re going to be complacent or if they’re going to strive to be better,” Brown said. “But, his demeanor is like a veteran. He’s very, very calm in his demeanor. Very poised. He doesn’t get too high, he doesn’t get too low.
“He practices hard, he prepares and he makes big plays. That’s all you can ask for. I appreciate him and I’m looking forward to seeing more of what he can do.”
Lockett said he’s seen Metcalf grow in “every area” and is excited to see Metcalf have early success.
“The biggest thing is that he understands leverage,” Lockett said. “He understands who is guarding him. When we need him to make a big-time play, he’s always there.”
