Grading the Seahawks’ 28-14 win over the Detroit Lions

Published 1:30 am Sunday, October 28, 2018

Here’s how the Seattle Seahawks grade out in their 28-14 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Ford Field:

OFFENSE

For 50 minutes Seattle’s offense was a picture of efficiency. The key was an offensive line that played well both in run and pass blocking. That allowed the Seahawks to find the perfect balance between running and throwing, with quarterback Russell Wilson going 14-for-17 for 248 yards and three touchdowns for a perfect 158.3 quarterback passer rating. Seattle ran 42 times for 176 yards. There were small hiccups — being denied three times on the goal line, going three-and-out on consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter with a chance to put the game away — but those were far outweighed by the positives.

Grade: A-

DEFENSE

Seattle’s defense was good during the middle of the game when it mattered most, allowing the Seahawks to build a 28-7 lead. Seattle shut down the Lions’ running game, which was resurgent in recent weeks, and also came up with timely turnovers in the fourth quarter when Detroit threatened to make a game of it — none bigger than Justin Coleman’s interception at the 1-yard line as the Lions were about to make it a one-score game. But Seattle’s D got off to a slow start, allowing a long TD drive to open the game, and made mistakes late kept Detroit’s hopes alive.

Grade: B

SPECIAL TEAMS

Special teams gave Seattle a spark in the game, and special teams clinched it at the end. After the Seahawks tied the score 7-7 early in the second quarter, Tedric Thompson forced a fumble from Ameer Abdullah on the ensuing kickoff that was recovered by Barkevious Mingo, setting up the go-ahead score and giving Seattle control of the game. Then when the Lions had a hint of hope by forcing a Seahawks punt from their own goal line, Seattle punter Michael Dickson improvised a fake punt from the end zone, running for the first down to effectively end the game.

Grade: A

COACHING

For the most part the coaching was spot on, particularly on offense as Seattle remained committed to the run, then effectively deployed play-action passes off that running game. The Seahawks made a questionable decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the third quarter when a field goal would have made it a three-score game, and the play calling became complacent after going up 28-7. But give Pete Carroll credit for his knowledge of rule changes as he successfully challenged an incompletion that looked like the right call.

Grade: B+

OVERALL

This was a chance for the Seahawks to prove that their recent revival, which saw Seattle win three of its previous four against suspect opposition, was for real. By going on the road and beating a team that had also won three of four, the Seahawks indicated their turnaround is legit. This was the ideal way for Seattle to enter the toughest stretch of its season, as the Seahawks now run a four-game gauntlet that includes the Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers.

Grade: A-