5 Key Moments Leading to Seahawks' Brutal Loss 17-12 Loss to Giants
Looking unprepared and out of sorts, the Seahawks were upset 17-12 by the previously 4-7 New York Giants at home on Sunday. Nothing was clicking on offense for Russell Wilson and company and a few key plays and decisions swung the game in New York's favor after halftime.
Here's a look at five key plays that led to the final outcome at Lumen Field.
1. Opting to punt on 4th and 6 from the Giants 37-yard line.
One of the biggest critiques of the game came in the first half when Seattle faced a 4th and 6 in Giants territory. It would have been a 54-yard field goal try for Jason Myers, who has made two kicks from beyond 50 yards this year, including a franchise record 61-yarder. It is unknown at the moment if there was a question about Myers' health or the wind that led to the decision to not try a field goal. Instead of going for it, with your Pro Bowl quarterback in Wilson at the helm, Seattle took the delay of game penalty and gave Michael Dickson more room to punt. That gun shy decision gave the Giants confidence on defense and kept the Seahawks from extending their 3-0 lead.
2. Russell Wilson loses a botched snap at the Giants 47-yard line.
Another promising Seahawks drive was halted in Giants territory when center Ethan Pocic and Russell Wilson didn't exchange a clean snap, causing the ball to hit the turf, and the Giants recovered. New York didn't score on the turnover but once again, it prevented Seattle from scoring points despite having crossed midfield. This was a foreshadowing of what was to come for Seattle's offense... total ineptitude.
3. Wayne Gallman 60-yard run in the third quarter.
For the most part, Seattle's defense held up its end of the bargain. With the Seahawks holding on for dear life with a 5-0 lead in the second half, Giants running back Wayne Gallman broke free for a big 60-yard run down the left sideline, leaving multiple defenders in the dust. This play set up a touchdown for New York to take the lead, which they would never relinquish. This big run signified the dam breaking and the Giants gaining enough momentum on offense to out-score Seattle down the stretch.
4. Seattle turns the ball over on downs on 4th and 1.
Seattle faced a 4th and 1 from their own 48 yard-line, down by just three points with an 8-5 score in the third quarter. Instead of pounding the ball with Chris Carson, Seattle opted to throw and Wilson was snuffed out on a boot leg pass quickly, turning the ball over on downs on an incomplete pass. This is on a long list of questionable decisions by the Seahawks' coaching staff on Sunday. The turnover led to the Giants having a short field, of which they took advantage, scoring a touchdown to increase their lead to 14-5. With how the Seahawks' offense played, a two-score lead was too much to overcome on this day.
5. Russell Wilson throws a costly fourth quarter interception.
With the Seahawks needing to overcome an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter, Wilson took over at Seattle's own 30 with 11 minutes left in the ballgame. After double-clutching, he fired a dart over the middle to Carson, who could not get a handle on it, letting it bounce in the air long enough for Darnay Holmes to get under it for the interception. This killed a Seahawks drive before it got started and allowed the Giants to take over with yet another short field, which led to another short field goal to give the visitors an insurmountable 17-5 lead. This series of plays proved critical, as without the field goal, the Seahawks only would have needed three points themselves on the game's final drive.
