Big plays save Seahawks

Published 11:22 pm Sunday, December 2, 2007

PHILADELPHIA — While Lofa Tatupu finished off the Philadelphia Eagles’ last drive in impressive fashion with his third interception Sunday, he wasn’t the only Seattle Seahawks player to save the day.

Defensive tackle Rocky Bernard and cornerback Kelly Jennings stopped the Eagles on two key fourth-down plays, while special teamer Kevin Bentley made what could have been a game-saving tackle.

“If it weren’t for that,” linebacker Julian Peterson said of Bentley’s tackle on a long Brian Westbrook punt return, “we lose the game.”

Bentley was the last man between Westbrook and the end zone on a long punt return in the final minute of the game. Bentley said he purposely engaged a Philadelphia blocker “so I would know where he was” before pushing Westbrook out of bounds at the Seattle 14.

“You can look at it like: Wow, that tackle saved the game. But we never should have been in that situation,” Bentley said of Westbrook’s 64-yard return. “We’re too good on special teams to have the kind of performance we had (Sunday).”

Coach Mike Holmgren blamed himself for even allowing the ball to be kicked to Westbrook in that situation.

“I should be a little more aware of him in that situation,” Holmgren said. “He is a great football player.”

On Philadelphia’s previous drive, the Eagles went for it on fourth-and-6 but came up empty when Jennings knocked down a pass to receiver Kevin Curtis. Jennings got his arm between Curtis’ hands and poked the ball away.

“It was me and him, and then everybody else was on the other side,” Jennings said. “I was like: They’re probably going to come to the back side.

“But that’s what I get paid to do, to step up and make a play.”

Bernard led a goal-line stand by tripping up Westbrook for a one-yard loss at the Seattle 2-yard line on Philadelphia’s final play of the first half Sunday.

“Those are big things for the team,” Bernard said. “It builds momentum, and it turns the game around, especially when it happens right before halftime.”

Franchise player struggling: While Seahawks kicker Josh Brown has shown a habit of delivering in the clutch, he’s struggled to make the kicks that don’t matter as much.

Brown has missed at least one field goal in four consecutive games and is 5 of 10 in that span. He was 14 of his first 15 to start the season, with his only failed attempt being blocked.

“It’s been a long time,” Brown said of a slump that includes three misses in his past four attempts. “I can never remember a time when I’ve missed consecutive kicks like this. It’s tough. “It’s a struggle, but the defense is saving us right now. The offense is also playing well, and we’re not helping the team right now. We’ve got to get back on track.”

The usually-reliable Brown has developed a hook on his kicks, causing many to sail wide left — as was the case on his missed 40-yarder Sunday. He said he has been working on his mechanics as of late but has not been able to correct the problem.

“I need to be able to swing properly, get through the ball properly and have good timing,” he said. “Right now, I don’t have any timing.”

Snaps were part of the problem in recent weeks, but long snapper Boone Stutz had one of his more steady games on Sunday. Brown had no way of explaining his latest miss.

“Anything within 40 to 45, we should make automatically — any day of the week,” he said. “Unless we’re kicking in a hailstorm, there’s really no excuse for it.”

Who needs an oblique?: With tongue planted firmly in cheek, Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney brought up an interesting theory to explain Tatupu’s three-interception, 11-tackle performance.

“The old oblique strain has been a good launching point for us,” Kerney said.

Tatupu missed two days of practice last week due to a strained oblique muscle, which is on the side of the abdomen. Two weeks earlier, Kerney missed practices with a similar injury and had three sacks in a win over Chicago.

Three weeks before that, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck strained his oblique but came back to throw for 318 yards and two touchdowns in his next game.

That might mean a big future for Seahawks center Chris Spencer, who strained his oblique late in Sunday’s game and did not return.

Injury update: Spencer was one of several Seahawks injured Sunday, when the Seahawks’ offensive line was in such a state of flux that backup Floyd Womack played three different positions.

Womack saw action on two plays at left tackle during the first half while starter Walter Jones was temporarily sidelined with a leg injury. As part of a pre-arranged rotation, Womack also saw action at left guard while Rob Sims tries to play his way out of a funk.

On Seattle’s final two series, Womack went in at right guard because Chris Gray had to move to center in place of Spencer.

Also injured in Sunday’s game was cornerback/returner Josh Wilson, who strained a quad muscle.

More information on the injuries will likely be available today.

Holmgren ties record: With Sunday’s victory, Holmgren matched Chuck Knox’s franchise-best totals of 80 regular-season wins and 83 total wins.

Holmgren’s next victory would make him the winningest coach in Seahawks history. He is in his ninth year as Seattle’s head coach.

During a 16-year career that extends back to his days as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, Holmgren has won 155 regular-season games. He needs one victory to tie Minnesota’s Bud Grant for 11th on the all-time list and is tied with Washington’s Joe Gibbs for the most among current coaches.

Quick slants: The Seahawks continue to struggle in short-yardage situations, failing to convert their only third-and-1 play when Maurice Morris was stopped behind the line of scrimmage Sunday. … Seattle defensive end Patrick Kerney was held without a sack for the first time in four games. In his previous three games, Kerney had seven total sacks. … Wide receiver Nate Burleson has scored a touchdown in four of the past six games. … Eagles wide receiver Kevin Curtis, a former St. Louis Ram, had six receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown Sunday.