3 Up, 3 Down: Winners, Losers from Seahawks Blowout Week 14 Victory Against Jets
Coming off a disappointing loss against the Giants, the Seahawks were focused on returning to the win column and taking care of business against a winless Jets squad.
Rebounding from their woes from last week, the offense came out firing in the first half, scoring 16 unanswered points before halftime. Maintaining their outstanding performance through the final 30 minutes of regulation, they added a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter to build an insurmountable 34-point advantage.
On the defensive side of the football, Seattle didn't have any issues containing Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, as they limited him to just 132 passing yards and sacked him three different times. In addition, the defense also forced a fumble and induced five punts, which played a major factor in a 40-3 victory.
Let's dive into our three big winners and three losers from the Seahawks’ second consecutive win against the Jets dating back to the 2016 campaign.
Three Up
Russell Wilson
Without question, things definitely weren’t running smoothly for Wilson coming into this matchup, as he couldn’t protect the ball and regularly made uncharacteristic type plays in the passing game. Luckily, facing off against the rebuilding Jets was exactly what he needed to turn things around, as the six-time Pro Bowler completed 21 of his 27 pass attempts (77.8 percent completion percentage) for 206 yards along with four touchdowns.
Despite forcing a throw to receiver DK Metcalf that was picked off by free safety Marcus Maye during the offense’s second drive of the game, the 5-foot-11 signal caller didn’t appear to be affected by his error, as he rebounded and found the end zone just four and a half minutes later. Carrying his strong showing into the second half, he threw a pair of touchdowns to Will Dissly and David Moore to extend the lead, putting the score firmly out of reach through the remainder of regulation.
Chris Carson
Playing through a foot injury over the last two games, the Seahawks didn’t want to place too much stress on Carson’s body against the Eagles and Giants, but the explosive ball carrier’s health status certainly didn’t hold him back in this blowout victory. Though he didn’t take the field in the fourth quarter, the 26-year old still produced 76 yards (team-high) on 12 carries and forced his way into the end zone for the third straight contest.
Provided with exceptional running lanes throughout the majority of the game, the 5-foot-11 running back didn’t have any issues exploding up the middle of the field, especially during his 28-yard run that ultimately setup Dissly’s touchdown. Serving as a reliable check down option for Wilson, the fourth-year pro caught three of his five targets for 22 yards, averaging 7.3 yards per reception.
Will Dissly
While the Seahawks haven’t made the tight end position a priority in the passing game so far this season, that group has been able to make an impact in the running game and it certainly didn’t go unnoticed against the Jets. Along with catching his second touchdown of the season, Dissly also proved to be a very productive run blocker, as he helped set up the offense’s first two touchdowns in the first half.
Thanks to his exceptional blocking on the outside, receivers David Moore and Penny Hart were able to rush for 28 yards on just two plays, which ultimately led to teammate Freddie Swain’s 19-yard touchdown catch. Making another crucial block late in the first quarter, the third year tight end helped create a massive running lane for running back Carlos Hyde – who gained 18 yards on the play – allowing Metcalf to add another touchdown to his resume just two plays later.
Three Down
David Moore
Despite enjoying a strong first-half performance – producing 13 catches, 227 yards, and two touchdowns through the first six games of the season – Moore has witnessed a significant drop in production since Week 8, as he’s created at least 20 receiving yards just once over the last six games. Even though the 25-year old was able to end that streak, he could’ve added to his receiving total even further if not for an inexcusable drop.
While he caught three passes for 20 yards, the 6-foot receiver had a fantastic opportunity to catch a deep pass down the right sideline for 20-plus yards but had the ball bounce off his hands, forcing the Seahawks to punt midway through the second quarter. He somewhat redeemed himself later with a touchdown to extend Seattle's lead to 37-3, but he has to be kicking himself over the missed opportunity on the deep ball.
Nick Bellore
Primarily limited to special teams’ duties this season, Bellore has quietly been performing extremely well during kickoffs and punts, which certainly has caught plenty of attention among the coaching staff. But despite his respectable performance up to this point, the 31-year old committed a pair of miscues in this contest, although the Jets failed to capitalize on both of them.
Starting in the second quarter, Bellore slipped at the point of attack on a kickoff, allowing cornerback Corey Ballentine to return the ball to Seattle’s 30-yard line only to have his team ultimately miss to the right on a 37-yard field goal attempt. Then after the defense forced New York’s offense to punt early in the fourth quarter, the undrafted free agent was charged with a holding penalty during the ensuing return, which pushed the offense back to their own 35-yard line.
Benson Mayowa
With starter Carlos Dunlap sidelined with a foot injury, the Seahawks were counting on Mayowa to step up in a larger role and help the pass rush make Darnold feel uncomfortable in the pocket all game long. But despite a strong first quarter performance where he generated a pair of quarterback hits, the 29-year old didn't make an impact as a rusher for the rest of the game.
In addition to his struggles in the pass rush department, Mayowa also failed to produce a single tackle for the first time since Week 16 of last season. Considering there’s a chance Dunlap won’t be able to play next week against Washington, Seattle will need the Idaho product to bounce back and contribute more to the defensive effort when he takes the field in Week 15.
