Seahawks’ locker room knows how Tyler Lockett beat the Patriots--on a 2-catch, 15-yard day
DK Metcalf was high-stepping to the end zone, then trying a failed re-enactment of George Washington crossing the Delaware River in his boat as his touchdown celebration.
You know, Patriots, and all.
“It was terrible. I was trying to take the guy’s musket,” Metcalf said. “Sixth-grade history class.”
Gellow wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was shining so much after his career game Sunday, he was wearing dark sunglasses in a dark room beneath Gillette Stadium.
Those Seahawks wide receivers got the targets (30 of them), the catches (22), the yards (246) and the lone passing touchdown on Geno Smith’s wondrous day in New England (a career-high 33 completions in 44 throws for 327 yards and the rally late).
Yet those in the Seahawks locker room who have been around the NFL for a minute or three were describing who came up largest in the biggest moments of the Seahawks’ 23-20 overtime win at New England.
Little Tyler Lockett.
In the end, at the end, the longest-tenured Seahawk won this game. With just two of Seattle’s 33 catches, for just 15 of its 358 total yards.
“I think the key there was Tyler Lockett,” ninth-year veteran defensive tackle Jarran Reed said just outside the door to the Seahawks’ locker room late Sunday afternoon. “Tyler Lockett came up huge in the end.
“That’s our guy. That’s the most clutch guy on the team. That’s our go-to guy. When his name is called, he answers.”
For 60 minutes of regulation, no one was calling.
Lockett had just one official target in the four quarters of regulation Sunday. That was on a catch in the first half. It lost a yard.
But he still got the Seahawks the lead for the first time, in the second quarter.
Lockett was one on one running a fade route on the left sideline into the end zone against Denver’s Marco Wilson. When he saw Smith’s third-down pass sailing 5 yards past him out of bounds, the 180-pound Lockett collapsed theatrically, like a broken table, under the weight of the 191-pound cornerback’s close coverage.
The sideline official flagged Wilson for defensive pass interference.
Talk about a re-enactment. The 10-year veteran’s was better than Metcalf’s of George Washington.
In overtime, with Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb having Smith dropping to pass nearly every play because of the broken running game, Locektt drew Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones’ body into his as Smith’s throw was sailing wide of them out of bounds. That resulted in a 20-yard penalty on New England, again for pass interference.
At that point, Lockett had more penalties drawn then catches or official targets. Yet his crafty play moved the ball from the Seahawks 31 to the Patriots 49.
Smith then converted a third and 6 on a screen pass to running back Zach Charbonnet, whose effort to get past the line to gain with a defender on his legs made the first down.
From the New England 38, Smith scrambled to his right, then to his left. Lockett had been running a backside in route on from the left side. Lockett saw Smith scramble his way and did what he does best. He improvised.
Lockett ran away from his defender back to the left sideline. Smith knew he was going to do that. His dart throw turned a dangerous, playground play into a 16-yard completion to the Patriots 22.
“Yeah, watching it, man, if you sprint right, usually you don’t cut and reverse field. In dire times you got to make a play,” Smith said, “and I felt like that was the situation where we needed it.
“I’m just happy it worked out the way that it did.”
Game over. Jason Myers, well inside his field-goal range, booted the winning field goal two plays later.
Lockett’s final stat line amid all Smith did with Smith-Njigba and Metcalf: two catches, 15 yards — and the three most influential plays of the Seahawks’ win and push into the early lead in the NFC West.
“Hats off to Mr. Reliable, Tyler Lockett,” safety Rayshawn Jenkins said over the music bumpin’ across the Seahawks’ visiting locker room at Gillette Stadium.
Smith was asked what it is about Lockett that he can go from spectator for four quarters to the difference maker at the end.
“Tyler is Tyler. He’s done that his entire career,” Smith said. “He’s a guy who is so selfless. To go the entire game and really not get many targets — it wasn’t based on, like, a lack of trying to, it was just reading the coverages and getting the ball to whoever is open — but to be a selfless guy the way that he is and to continue to stay focused throughout the game, I thought, ‘Man...’
“I only can say great things about Tyler,” Smith said. “He’s just an outstanding human being. A lot of receivers will start calling for the ball at times when they don’t feel like they’re getting it, but I can just see how mentally dialed in he was throughout the game and knowing that his time was going to come.
“As soon as we needed a big play, right, we’re going to find 16. And he always comes through.”
Right.
New coach Mike Macdonald, off to a 2-0 start of his head-coaching career, just smiled and shook his head after this game when asked about Lockett.
Sixty minutes of watching all but one of Smith’s 38 passes in regulation.
Then, a broken play, a sage move — bang! — Lockett wins the game.
“That’s him,” Macdonald said. “I mean, you knew it coming in. You knew his reputation. Learning who he is as a person, who we absolutely love, but there’s something special about him where he comes alive in those clutch moments, man.
“Again, we LOVE him.
“Just a great job by Tyler.”
This story was originally published September 15, 2024 at 5:04 PM.
