Published: Monday, November 30, 2009
Seahawks’ Wilson makes game-changing play
ST. LOUIS — A season full of low moments appeared to be headed for another for the Seattle Seahawks.
Late in the first half, the St. Louis Rams, they of the 1-9 record, were driving down the field with confidence and looked poised to take the lead.
But just when it looked like the Seahawks were going to find themselves trailing one of the league’s worst teams, Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson came up with a game-changing play that put the Seahawks on top for good.
Facing fourth-and-four in range of a long field goal, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo instead decided to go for it. Quarterback Kyle Boller tried to squeeze a pass into a tight spot, and Jennings, who said the play was one the team had emphasized during the week, dove in front of Rams receiver Donnie Avery to break up the pass. The ball popped straight up in the air, Wilson ran under it, and raced 65 yards with the interception for a touchdown.
“It was a 7-7 game, they’re driving, they’re on our side of the 50, it meant a lot,” Wilson said. “It meant a lot to go into halftime with the lead. If they get a field goal or anything, they have a lead. To get a 10-point swing, 14-point swing is big, anytime in this league, I don’t care who you’re playing. I was just happy that I could assist in any way to us going home happy.”
It was Wilson’s second interception return for a touchdown this year and the third of his career. He also ran back a pick for a game-clinching score against Detroit this year.
And instead of having a lead in the locker room, the Rams were instead down four points despite driving for a long field goal following the interception.
“Having been on the other side of that, it can be heartbreaking,” said defensive end Patrick Kerney. “It’s something you have to fight against as a team. Being on the other side of it is great, it gives you confidence, you know you’re taking a little wind out of the other team’s sails.”
‘Mike Vick moment’
Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck surprised a lot of people, perhaps even his coaches, when he faked a handoff to Justin Forsett then rolled left on a bootleg and took off for a 19-yard gain on second-and-1.
It was Hasselbeck’s longest run since the 2006 season, which was before he missed nine games last year with a back injury and before he suffered two broken ribs this season. In other words, it came out of nowhere.
Asked if the play was called that way or if he was improvising, the 34-year-old Hasselbeck, a player not exactly known for his running ability, smiled and said, “Whatever they said was true” a likely indicator that he was in fact going off script.
When told the coaches hadn’t talked about the play, Hasselbeck responded:
“There’s some gray area in this offense. (Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp) had told me once that on that play, Mike Vick used to just keep the ball. That was my moment right there, that was my Mike Vick moment. I got like 15 yards down the field and I didn’t know what to do.”
Finally, some pressure
After accumulating just four sacks in the last three games, the Seahawks matched that total Sunday while applying the most quarterback pressure they have since an early-season win over Jacksonville.
Linebacker David Hawthorne, defensive end Patrick Kerney, linebacker Leroy Hill and defensive end Cory Redding each had one sack, and Boller was hit 13 times.
“It felt like there was a little pressure,” Mora said. “Better, better, but we’ve got to continue to work on it.”
Enthusiasm for that performance should be tempered somewhat given what the Rams were working with on the offensive line. Tackle Jason Smith and guard Richie Incognito were both inactive because of injuries, and starting center Jason Brown left in the second quarter with a knee injury.
More struggles for Tru
Cornerback Marcus Trufant was flagged for two penalties Sunday, once for pass interference and another time for defensive holding. That makes seven penalties for Trufant in four games since returning from a back injury, including four flags for pass interference.
Bounce back for Curry
Rookie linebacker Aaron Curry’s production had slipped since the start of the season, prompting discussion last week that perhaps he had hit a “rookie wall.”
Curry responded with his best game since the Seahawks’ win over Jacksonville eight weeks ago, registering five solo tackles, including two for loss, and a hard hit on Boller.
Perhaps a second go-around with the Rams motivated Curry. He got under the skin of a number of Rams players in the season opener, and had an altercation with running back Steven Jackson that led to Jackson receiving a fine for striking Curry.
“I don’t think he likes me,” Curry said of Jackson. “I guess it’s like a battle for respect and being a rookie I just don’t see myself backing down. The first time I played him he verbally assaulted me, but he’s a good dude.”
Injury report
Redding suffered a concussion, which Mora said was the only significant injury from the game.
Mora offers condolences
Mora opened his postgame press conference not with talk about his team’s win, but rather a message about the murder of four Lakewood police officers Sunday morning.
“The Seattle Seahawks want to offer their condolences to the families of the slain officers,” he said. “My heart goes out to them. This truly puts what we do into perspective, when you lay your life on the line like that. Hearing that news certainly dampens anything that was accomplished today.”
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
Late in the first half, the St. Louis Rams, they of the 1-9 record, were driving down the field with confidence and looked poised to take the lead.
But just when it looked like the Seahawks were going to find themselves trailing one of the league’s worst teams, Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson came up with a game-changing play that put the Seahawks on top for good.
Facing fourth-and-four in range of a long field goal, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo instead decided to go for it. Quarterback Kyle Boller tried to squeeze a pass into a tight spot, and Jennings, who said the play was one the team had emphasized during the week, dove in front of Rams receiver Donnie Avery to break up the pass. The ball popped straight up in the air, Wilson ran under it, and raced 65 yards with the interception for a touchdown.
“It was a 7-7 game, they’re driving, they’re on our side of the 50, it meant a lot,” Wilson said. “It meant a lot to go into halftime with the lead. If they get a field goal or anything, they have a lead. To get a 10-point swing, 14-point swing is big, anytime in this league, I don’t care who you’re playing. I was just happy that I could assist in any way to us going home happy.”
It was Wilson’s second interception return for a touchdown this year and the third of his career. He also ran back a pick for a game-clinching score against Detroit this year.
And instead of having a lead in the locker room, the Rams were instead down four points despite driving for a long field goal following the interception.
“Having been on the other side of that, it can be heartbreaking,” said defensive end Patrick Kerney. “It’s something you have to fight against as a team. Being on the other side of it is great, it gives you confidence, you know you’re taking a little wind out of the other team’s sails.”
‘Mike Vick moment’
Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck surprised a lot of people, perhaps even his coaches, when he faked a handoff to Justin Forsett then rolled left on a bootleg and took off for a 19-yard gain on second-and-1.
It was Hasselbeck’s longest run since the 2006 season, which was before he missed nine games last year with a back injury and before he suffered two broken ribs this season. In other words, it came out of nowhere.
Asked if the play was called that way or if he was improvising, the 34-year-old Hasselbeck, a player not exactly known for his running ability, smiled and said, “Whatever they said was true” a likely indicator that he was in fact going off script.
When told the coaches hadn’t talked about the play, Hasselbeck responded:
“There’s some gray area in this offense. (Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp) had told me once that on that play, Mike Vick used to just keep the ball. That was my moment right there, that was my Mike Vick moment. I got like 15 yards down the field and I didn’t know what to do.”
Finally, some pressure
After accumulating just four sacks in the last three games, the Seahawks matched that total Sunday while applying the most quarterback pressure they have since an early-season win over Jacksonville.
Linebacker David Hawthorne, defensive end Patrick Kerney, linebacker Leroy Hill and defensive end Cory Redding each had one sack, and Boller was hit 13 times.
“It felt like there was a little pressure,” Mora said. “Better, better, but we’ve got to continue to work on it.”
Enthusiasm for that performance should be tempered somewhat given what the Rams were working with on the offensive line. Tackle Jason Smith and guard Richie Incognito were both inactive because of injuries, and starting center Jason Brown left in the second quarter with a knee injury.
More struggles for Tru
Cornerback Marcus Trufant was flagged for two penalties Sunday, once for pass interference and another time for defensive holding. That makes seven penalties for Trufant in four games since returning from a back injury, including four flags for pass interference.
Bounce back for Curry
Rookie linebacker Aaron Curry’s production had slipped since the start of the season, prompting discussion last week that perhaps he had hit a “rookie wall.”
Curry responded with his best game since the Seahawks’ win over Jacksonville eight weeks ago, registering five solo tackles, including two for loss, and a hard hit on Boller.
Perhaps a second go-around with the Rams motivated Curry. He got under the skin of a number of Rams players in the season opener, and had an altercation with running back Steven Jackson that led to Jackson receiving a fine for striking Curry.
“I don’t think he likes me,” Curry said of Jackson. “I guess it’s like a battle for respect and being a rookie I just don’t see myself backing down. The first time I played him he verbally assaulted me, but he’s a good dude.”
Injury report
Redding suffered a concussion, which Mora said was the only significant injury from the game.
Mora offers condolences
Mora opened his postgame press conference not with talk about his team’s win, but rather a message about the murder of four Lakewood police officers Sunday morning.
“The Seattle Seahawks want to offer their condolences to the families of the slain officers,” he said. “My heart goes out to them. This truly puts what we do into perspective, when you lay your life on the line like that. Hearing that news certainly dampens anything that was accomplished today.”
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
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