SEATTLE — There was a celebration at Qwest Field, just like Chad Johnson had promised.
But it was Seattle’s Nate Burleson, not Cincinnati’s Johnson, who was the one capping off a touchdown with theatrics. And no choreography was involved.
After catching the game-winning touchdown pass to help the Seahawks beat the Bengals and their high-powered offense 24-21, Burleson simply blew a kiss before handing the ball to his wife, Atoya, who was behind the north end zone in a field-level suite.
“I’ve turned over a new leaf,” Burleson said of his tempered celebration following a 22-yard touchdown reception with 1:00 remaining. “Too much celebrating. You’ve got to play humble.”
While Burleson was toning things down because of two earlier passes that had slipped through his fingers, his late touchdown helped outshine Johnson and the Bengals in a game that had plenty of drama and lots of offense but fewer points than expected.
Two of the NFL’s most high-powered offenses did combine for 752 yards, including 566 in the air, but Sunday’s game featured just five touchdowns. Four of them were scored by wide receivers, although the verbose and theatrical Johnson — he scored three touchdowns in the Bengals’ first two games — was not among those who had opportunities to get into the end zone.
Along the way, the lead changed seven times while neither team ever led by more than seven points.
“Every game unfolds just the way it unfolds,” Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said after a seesaw contest that was within four points or less for the final 51 minutes. “Every single one is unique, so I try not to think about it too much until the end.”
The Seahawks (2-1) outlasted Cincinnati despite less-than-perfect play on both sides of the ball. Seattle’s offense had two interceptions and six dropped passes, and the defense gave up a season-high 328 passing yards, yet the Seahawks found a way to win.
Burleson’s touchdown reception, and a Deon Grant fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff after Lance Laury knocked the ball free, prevented Seattle from falling below .500 for the first time since they started 0-1 in 2005.
“Nothing to it, huh?” Holmgren joked after Sunday’s victory. “My goodness gracious. Wonderful win.”
Rookie return man Josh Wilson gave the Seahawks a spark when he rambled 72 yards on the opening kickoff to put Seattle’s offense at the Cincinnati 24-yard line. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck completed three consecutive passes, the last of which was an 18-yard touchdown to Bobby Engram.
Seattle’s 7-0 lead would be the biggest margin, by either team, all afternoon.
Cincinnati (1-2) responded with a 14-play, 83-yard drive and tied the score on Carson Palmer’s 35-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
After the teams traded turnovers, the Bengals added a field goal to go ahead 10-7 early in the second quarter. Cincinnati’s second turnover of the game — an interception by the Seahawks’ Grant — led to a second Hasselbeck touchdown pass. His perfect throw to Deion Branch resulted in a 42-yard touchdown pass late in the first half, and Seattle went into halftime leading 14-10.
The Bengals would cut the deficit to 14-12 with a safety early in the second half, but dropped passes and turnovers kept both offenses off the scoreboard for the entire third quarter.
Scoring was not a problem for either team over the final 15 minutes. After Hasselbeck threw an interception on the first play of the final quarter, the two teams traded scoring drives on four straight possessions. Cincinnati’s Kenny Watson scored on an 8-yard run to put the Bengals ahead 21-17 with 2:42 remaining before the Seahawks’ offense got one final shot.
The kickoff went out of bounds, giving Seattle good field position at its own 40-yard line. Two pass completions moved the ball to the Cincinnati 36-yard line with 1:41 remaining, but the Seahawks were staring at a fourth-and-1.
Holmgren called a running play to the right, and the Seahawks took advantage of a Cincinnati defense that was designed to plug up the left side. Running back Shaun Alexander rambled 14 yards through a huge hole to put the ball at the Bengals’ 22-yard line.
On the next play, the Seahawks had similar pass routes called to either side of the field. Hasselbeck opted to throw to Burleson, even though the receiver had dropped a pass in the end zone on the previous drive. His throw between cornerback Johnathan Joseph and safety Madieu Williams was right on target, giving Burleson the eventual game-winner.
“It’s rare that you get a chance to have a game-winner, so I never thought I’d be in this position,” Burleson said afterward. “When you think of the Seahawks, if somebody’s going to score the game-winning touchdown, it’s usually Shaun Alexander or maybe Deion Branch.”
After Laury popped Cincinnati return man Glenn Holt on the ensuing kickoff, and Grant fell on the loose ball, the Seahawks anointed another offensive hero.
“It’s an amazing feeling to catch a ball on the final drive, knowing that it heavily weighed on the outcome of a game,” Burleson said. “I’m just glad that I’m a part of this team.”
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