Final: Seahawks 41, Vikings 20
A third interception, this one by DT Clint McDonald gave the Seahawks a field goal, then the Vikings got a touchdown against Seattle’s backup D.
That’ll do it for now. I’ll check back this evening with news, notes and quotes.
Two quick scores and Seattle now leads 38-13
After dropping a sure interception, Bobby Wagner got one the next time the Vikings offense took the field, stepping in front of a poorly thrown pass to Adrian Peterson. Two plays later Russell Wilson scrambled then flipped a pass to Marshawn Lynch for the running back’s third score of the game.
Only two plays later, Christian Ponder threw another pick, which Walter Thurmond returned for a touchdown.
Seahawks still lead 24-13 after three
No scoring in the third quarter by either team, just four punts.
Bobby Wagner dropped an interception on third-and-long that looked like a touchdown if he held onto it.
And an update on Percy Harvin, he has played 15 snaps through three quarters, plus two kick returns. He lined up in the backfield on the final play of the third quarter, a Russell Wilson run that would have been a first down if not for a hold called on Kellen Davis.
Seahawks lead 24-13 at halftime
Following a Vikings field goal late in the half, and with Jermaine Kearse sidelined with a concussion, Pete Carroll went against what he had said was the plan this week, and let Percy Harvin go back to return a kickoff. And with less than a minute left in the half, Harvin gave the Seahawks the spark they were looking for, taking the kick out of his end zone and returning it 58-yards.
Five plays later, Russell Wilson his Doug Baldwin, who made a spectacular leaping catch in the back of the end zone, to give the Seahawks a 24-13 lead.
Some first-half stats:
The Seahawks have 201 total yards to 154 for the Vikings, and an 11-10 edge in first downs.
Russell Wilson was 9 for 12 for 173 yards and a score, while Christian Ponder was 9 for 13 for 114 yards and a touchdown.
Seattle’s defense is doing a good job with Adrian Peterson so far, holding the Vikings running back to 35 yards on 14 carries.
Lynch’s second TD makes it 17-10
More big plays for Seattle’s offense led to another Marshawn Lynch touchdown, giving the Seahawks a 17-10 lead. Lynch got things going with a 23-yard run, then three plays later, Percy Harvin made his first catch as a Seahawk a spectacular one, leaping to pull down a one-handed grab for a 17-yard gain. That was followed by a 34-yard pass to Zach Miller, and three plays later—all Lynch runs—the Seahawks were in the end zone.
Vikings tie it at 10
Well that’s something you don’t see every day. Richard Sherman, one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, was just badly beaten by Jarius Wright for a 38-yard touchdown. Wright used a double-move that momentarily got Sherman off balance, and that was all he needed to get free.
And a quick injury update, receiver Jermaine Kearse left the game after a hard hit on a kick return, and is being evaluated for a concussion. With Kearse out, Robert Turbin served as kick returner following Minnesota’s touchdown.
Seahawks lead 10-3 after one quarter
After netting negative two yards on their first two possessions, the Seahawks got their offense going in a big way to end the first quarter. After a 3-yard Marshawn Lynch run to open the drive, Russell Wilson hit Doug Baldwin down the sideline for a 44-yard gain. On the next play, Wilson eluded pressure, then hit Ricardo Lockette for 27 yards. One play later, Marshawn Lynch strolled in nearly untouched for a 4-yard touchdown, and just like that, Seattle had a four-play, 78 yard drive and a 10-3 lead.
Penalty leads to Vikings field goal
The Seahawks appeared to have Minnesota stopped just past midfield, which would have led to a punt, but on third and 19, Richard Sherman was flagged for pass interference. He and the rest of the Seahawks were pretty heated about the call, not because there wasn’t contact—there was—but because the ball was about 20 yards overthrown, and unless they’ve changed the rules without informing us, a ball has to be catchable to be pass interference.
Regardless, the call was made, and after Seattle’s defense came up with a stop, the Vikings tied the game 3-3 on a Blair Walsh field goal.
Seahawks get field goal after Vikings turnover
Cliff Avril, who seemingly has mastered the art of the strip sack, got another on Minnesota’s first drive, knocking the ball out of Christian Ponder’s hands on third down. The offense couldn’t do much with that chance, however, because a Marshawn Lynch fumble turned into a 12-yard loss.
That set up a 50-yard field goal by Steven Hauschka, whose only miss this season remains the kick he had blocked in Indy.
Pregame and inactives
As expected, Percy Harvin is active and will make his Seahawks debut, though fair warning, he may be limited in his snaps, so don’t expect too much today. Russell Okung and Breno Giacomini are also active, and if there was any doubt that Giacomini is ready to go, that was erased with Michael Bowie being inactive. Bowie had started the past seven games with Giacomini injured, but the Seahawks are keeping Alvin Bailey active over Bowie, likely because Bailey is more versatile with the ability to play both tackle and guard.
Of note for the Vikings, receiver Greg Jennings is inactive after being listed as probable on Friday. It’s a shame that Jennings and Seahawks CB Brandon Browner are both inactive, as it it would have been fun to see them face off.
And for that matter, it’s too bad Browner won’t be on the field to face off with Vikings receiver Jerome Simpson.
Seahawks inactives: CB Brandon Browner, FB Derrick Coleman, T Michael Bowie, T Caylin Hauptmann, DE O’Brien Schofield, DE Benson Mayowa, DT Jordan Hill.
Vikings inactives: QB Josh Freeman, WR Greg Jennings, CB Shaun Prater, RB Matt Asiata, G Jeff Baca, TE Kyle Rudolph, DT Letroy Guion.
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