Eric Williams
NFC West Writer
In a game with no punts and 257 combined penalty yards, the Seattle Seahawks finally clicked on offense.
Until the fourth quarter.
That’s when the Dallas Cowboys stopped Seattle on fourth down on three straight drives, winning a tight game 41-35 at AT&T Stadium.
For the first time in Seahawks history, a Pete Carroll-led team scored at least 35 points and lost. The Seahawks are now 36-1 in those situations.
If you’re looking for moral victories and glass half-full analysis, Seattle’s offense awakened from a two-game slumber.
Entering Sunday’s contest, the Seahawks had scored just one touchdown in two games and went 20 possessions without reaching the end zone. But against Dallas, Seattle scored touchdowns on four of the team’s first five drives.
Geno Smith had one of his best games of the season. He finished 23-of-41 for 334 passing yards, with three touchdown passes and one interception. Smith was sacked only once despite persistent pressure and posted a 97.1 passer rating.
It’s no coincidence Smith’s ascension coincided with the return of right tackle Abe Lucas from a knee injury that sidelined the Washington State product for 10 games. The Seahawks had four of five starters along the offensive line available for the first time since the start of the regular season.
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Smith’s favorite target was DK Metcalf. The Ole Miss product had his best game of the season, finishing with six catches for 134 yards and three scores. Rookie Jackson Smith-Njigba added seven catches for 62 yards.
The Seahawks went after second-year cornerback Daron Bland, with mostly good results. According to Next Gen Stats, Bland allowed 10 receptions for 184 yards and three touchdowns as the nearest defender. However, Bland did haul in his league-leading eighth interception when he undercut an out route intended for Tyler Lockett late in the third quarter.
While Seattle’s offense clicked for three…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/seahawks-doomed-by-defensive-miscues-fourth-quarter-heartache-in-loss-to-cowboys
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Publish date : 2023-12-01 17:34:53
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