Published: Monday, December 8, 2008
Healthy Wallace shines in spot start
The backup QB throws for 212 yards and three touchdowns and rushes for 47 more in nearly pulling off an improbable upset over the Patriots.
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Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald
Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace gains 23 yards on a quarterback scramble late in the fourth quarter. Wallace would fumble two plays later, effectively ending Seattle's chances to win the game.
SEATTLE -- Being a backup quarterback with scant opportunities to play is bad enough. Being bothered by injuries when one of those limited chances comes along is even worse.
And that pretty much sums up the 2008 NFL season for Seattle Seahawks backup QB Seneca Wallace.
But on Sunday afternoon a healthy Wallace started in place of injured Matt Hasselbeck -- out with a nagging back injury -- and with his quick feet and precise throwing arm Wallace nearly delivered a victory against the playoff-contending New England Patriots.
On an often overcast and sometimes rainy day at Qwest Field, Wallace had the Seahawks on top for all but the game's final few minutes. And even then he was moving Seattle into position for a possible go-ahead touchdown or perhaps a game-tying field goal, until a blind-side sack by blitzing New England safety Brandon Meriweather caused a fumble and allowed the Patriots to hold on for a 24-21 victory.
"I thought (Wallace) played great," said Seahawks tight end John Carlson. "He led our offense. He had the presence in the huddle that we needed. He made plays with his legs and he made plays with his arm. He really did everything we needed him to do."
Wallace, who was making the ninth start in his six-season NFL career, completed 20 of 28 passing attempts for 212 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He was also the team's leading rusher with 47 yards on just three carries, including a terrific darting run of 23 yards on Seattle's last possession.
Unfortunately, Wallace fumbled two plays later and New England needed only three down-the-ball snaps to run out the game's remaining seconds.
The irony of the turnover play, Wallace said, was that speedy Seattle wide receiver Deion Branch had single coverage against backup New England cornerback Deltha O'Neal.
"If they hadn't hit me," Wallace said, "we would have had a big play down the field. When I dropped back, I saw (Branch) out of the corner of my eye and he beat (O'Neal) inside. So it probably would have been a good play for us.
"But (Meriweather) made a good play. I tried to hold onto the ball, but unfortunately I fumbled," he said.
Overall, Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said, Wallace "played well. He played within himself and he made special plays."
It was, Holmgren added, "the type of game you'd like to have a quarterback play."
This was Wallace's fifth start this season, and the first that he has felt himself completely healed of a troublesome calf muscle injury.
"I felt good today," he said. "There were some alleys there to make some plays, and to try to get some first downs and keep the chains moving. I didn't have any problems, body-wise. The calf thing is over with and all of the little strains are over with. So I felt good."
Certainly his teammates could see the difference.
"You can tell when he's healthy and when he's not healthy," said Seattle wide receiver Koren Robinson. "He played great today. He's got his legs back under him and he made some big plays. He kept us in the game."
"That calf injury kind of slowed him down (earlier in the season)," said Seahawks running back Mo Morris. "But now he looks (healthier) and he really showed it on the field. He was flying around, making plays with his arm as well as his legs."
Four of Wallace's completions and two of his touchdowns were to Branch, who has himself had to overcome knee and heal injuries this season. Both TD passes to Branch were threaded neatly by Wallace, as was his third scoring pass to Carlson.
"Seneca made some good throws, he moved around in the pocket, he scrambled outside the pocket, he did everything you could ask him to do," said Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram. "He did a tremendous job of just managing the game."
Unlike backups at other positions, who are often shuffled into every game, Wallace only plays when Hasselbeck is hurt or when the game is already decided. Yet he must prepare himself diligently every week and be ready to step on the field at any moment.
"I can kind of put myself in his shoes," Engram said. "You have to prepare like a starter does week in and week out, and then you don't get to play. So for him I'm sure it's gratifying (to play so well).
"And it's good for me to see him play as good as he did because you know he has the talent. And to play that way against a quality (New England) defense, you've got to give Seneca a lot of credit."
And that pretty much sums up the 2008 NFL season for Seattle Seahawks backup QB Seneca Wallace.
But on Sunday afternoon a healthy Wallace started in place of injured Matt Hasselbeck -- out with a nagging back injury -- and with his quick feet and precise throwing arm Wallace nearly delivered a victory against the playoff-contending New England Patriots.
On an often overcast and sometimes rainy day at Qwest Field, Wallace had the Seahawks on top for all but the game's final few minutes. And even then he was moving Seattle into position for a possible go-ahead touchdown or perhaps a game-tying field goal, until a blind-side sack by blitzing New England safety Brandon Meriweather caused a fumble and allowed the Patriots to hold on for a 24-21 victory.
"I thought (Wallace) played great," said Seahawks tight end John Carlson. "He led our offense. He had the presence in the huddle that we needed. He made plays with his legs and he made plays with his arm. He really did everything we needed him to do."
Wallace, who was making the ninth start in his six-season NFL career, completed 20 of 28 passing attempts for 212 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He was also the team's leading rusher with 47 yards on just three carries, including a terrific darting run of 23 yards on Seattle's last possession.
Unfortunately, Wallace fumbled two plays later and New England needed only three down-the-ball snaps to run out the game's remaining seconds.
The irony of the turnover play, Wallace said, was that speedy Seattle wide receiver Deion Branch had single coverage against backup New England cornerback Deltha O'Neal.
"If they hadn't hit me," Wallace said, "we would have had a big play down the field. When I dropped back, I saw (Branch) out of the corner of my eye and he beat (O'Neal) inside. So it probably would have been a good play for us.
"But (Meriweather) made a good play. I tried to hold onto the ball, but unfortunately I fumbled," he said.
Overall, Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said, Wallace "played well. He played within himself and he made special plays."
It was, Holmgren added, "the type of game you'd like to have a quarterback play."
This was Wallace's fifth start this season, and the first that he has felt himself completely healed of a troublesome calf muscle injury.
"I felt good today," he said. "There were some alleys there to make some plays, and to try to get some first downs and keep the chains moving. I didn't have any problems, body-wise. The calf thing is over with and all of the little strains are over with. So I felt good."
Certainly his teammates could see the difference.
"You can tell when he's healthy and when he's not healthy," said Seattle wide receiver Koren Robinson. "He played great today. He's got his legs back under him and he made some big plays. He kept us in the game."
"That calf injury kind of slowed him down (earlier in the season)," said Seahawks running back Mo Morris. "But now he looks (healthier) and he really showed it on the field. He was flying around, making plays with his arm as well as his legs."
Four of Wallace's completions and two of his touchdowns were to Branch, who has himself had to overcome knee and heal injuries this season. Both TD passes to Branch were threaded neatly by Wallace, as was his third scoring pass to Carlson.
"Seneca made some good throws, he moved around in the pocket, he scrambled outside the pocket, he did everything you could ask him to do," said Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram. "He did a tremendous job of just managing the game."
Unlike backups at other positions, who are often shuffled into every game, Wallace only plays when Hasselbeck is hurt or when the game is already decided. Yet he must prepare himself diligently every week and be ready to step on the field at any moment.
"I can kind of put myself in his shoes," Engram said. "You have to prepare like a starter does week in and week out, and then you don't get to play. So for him I'm sure it's gratifying (to play so well).
"And it's good for me to see him play as good as he did because you know he has the talent. And to play that way against a quality (New England) defense, you've got to give Seneca a lot of credit."
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