Seahawks’ DK Metcalf does an ‘A.B. reference’ on his fourth-career two-touchdown day
For Halloween, DK Metcalf was a Koala bear. And Antonio Brown.
Metcalf made another physically dominant catch for another wowing touchdown Sunday. His leaped and plucked the ball over the head of former Seahawks teammate Shaquill Griffin. It came despite the cornerback’s tight coverage at the goal line, on a pass from Geno Smith in the second quarter of Seattle’s 31-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“Just give him a chance. Give that guy a chance,” Smith said. “He makes some amazing catches and amazing plays. He’s phenomenal, great player, and he’s going to be a great player for a long time.
“Any time you have a one on one with a guy like that, you have to give him a chance.”
Metcalf then did one of Brown’s antics, among many with the Steelers when Brown was an All-Pro wide receiver in Pittsburgh years ago.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Metcalf ran over to the center of the end zone, to the base of the goal post, leaped into the padding of it, and held on.
“A little A.B. reference,” Metcalf said.
Thing is, when Brown did his on a nationally televised night game to celebrate a punt return for a touchdown in 2015 — he flopped immediately off the padding onto his back, theatrically — Brown got penalized for it.
“I didn’t know that,” Metcalf said.
“Now, I do.”
Yes, he does. Officials did the same to Metcalf as they did to Brown. They flagged him, for unsportsmanlike conduct. Apparently the NFL doesn’t like Koala bears.
It was the seventh penalty committed by Metcalf in eight games. Three of those have been 15-yard fouls after plays. Two of those three have been for unsportsmanlike behavior after touchdowns.
He got one in the Seahawks’ opener at Indianapolis for woofing to a Colts player — about teammate Gerald Everett’s touchdown.
But he was more than flags Sunday.
In third quarter, two plays after trick play of running back DeeJay Dallas throwing back to Smith who threw to Tyler Lockett for a 28-yard gain, Metcalf went in motion from left to right across the formation from the 5-yard line. He ran a quick outside pattern to the goal-line pylon, too quick for Griffin to get outside with him. Smith’s throw was perfect, outside far away from Griffin for Metcalf to reach and grab. That put Seattle ahead 24-0.
It was his fifth two-touchdown game of Metcalf’s three-year career, and second this season. He had two touchdowns, one from Russell Wilson and one from Smith, Oct. 7 in Seattle’s loss to the Rams.
That was the night Wilson injured the middle finger on his throwing hand. The $140 million franchise quarterback had surgery the next day. Wilson hasn’t played since., and remains out indefinitely.
Metcalf wasn’t about to brag he’d gotten the better of Griffin. Metcalf spent his first two NFL seasons going at Griffin each day in practice before Griffin left Seattle to sign with home-state Jacksonville this spring. He got $40 million with $29 million guaranteed over three years from the Jaguars.
“I don’t think it was ‘the better.’ It was just a good battle out there,” Metcalf said. “I had two opportunities to score, and I had a ball just land in my hands.
“It is always great to go up against Shaq, a former teammate. He’s one of the best corners in the league.”
Metcalf was more willing to talk about Smith getting his first win as a starting quarterback in the NFL in seven years, since he was the main man with the New York Jets to begin his career. Smith mostly had time against Jacksonville to find Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, who had a season-high 12 catches.
“Geno has been great throughout this whole span while Russ has been gone. Just for him to get his first win, it’s great,” Metcalf said.
“It speaks volumes about his character and about how he carries himself throughout the whole week.”
Thanks largely to Metcalf and Smith, the Seahawks won for the first time in nearly a full month, since Oct. 3 at San Francisco. Then came Wilson’s injury, three straight losses — but, Metcalf said, not total frustration.
“This is the NFL. Everybody’s good. Everybody has good teams, good players,” Metcalf said. “Just for Geno to come in here while Russ is gone and get his feet wet, just to get his first win, because we’re all used to Russ, just gathering around Geno, supporting him through practice.
“If he makes a bad play, or we drop a ball, it’s all about coming back together. Just sticking together throughout this adverse time.”
This story was originally published November 1, 2021 at 7:02 AM.
