Seahawks QB Russell Wilson's Top 5 Plays of 2020
As offseason workouts and meetings continue around the NFL, focus has completely shifted to the 2021 season. With that, the 2020 campaign is far and away in the rearview mirror, though it won't be easy to forget one of the most challenging and unusual years in sports and the world as a whole.
For the Seahawks, 2020 was a year full of ups and downs. Getting off to the hottest start in franchise history, several players broke team records on the way to their first NFC West title since 2016. But once the playoffs rolled around, disaster struck and Seattle was shockingly eliminated by the Rams in the wild-card round.
Disappointing conclusion aside, there were still plenty of moments for Seahawks fans to fondly look back on. Leading up to the start of training camp in July, we'll be ranking the five best plays of several Seahawks players - both new, old and in between - from the 2020 season.
The subject of today's list is none other than star quarterback Russell Wilson. Earning MVP consideration early in the season, Wilson cooled off a bit in the second half as Seattle's offense began to spin its tires. Still, he managed to put up 4,212 passing yards and a franchise-record 40 touchdowns in the regular season, many of which coming in typical highlight reel fashion for him.
5. Wilson hits David Moore for toe-tapping touchdown versus Patriots
Score: Patriots 17, Seahawks 14
Situation: 2nd and 3, ball on Patriots' 38-yard line (7:04 - 3Q)
What a classic this was, featuring Wilson and Patriots quarterback Cam Newton going blow-for-blow all night long. Ironically, it would be the Seahawks' defense who would get the last laugh in the team's 35-30 victory, though Wilson provided the firepower to get them to the finish line. His best play of the night came in the third quarter when Seattle was trailing by three points following a Nick Folk field goal. On the sixth play of the offense's first drive of the second half, Wilson had Patriots defensive lineman Lawrence Guy rumbling towards his facemask. Just getting the throw off before the big hit, Wilson's ball perfectly landed in the bread basket of receiver David Moore as he fell backwards into the end zone. Making the play all the more impressive was Moore's footwork, swinging his right foot inside the left sideline while kicking the pylon to stay inbounds and retake the lead on the 38-yard touchdown.
4. Needing a spark, Wilson rolls out and connects with Metcalf for much-needed score versus Rams
Score: Rams 13, Seahawks 3
Situation: 2nd and 14, ball on Seahawks' 49-yard line (3:43 - 2Q)
There weren't many highlights to take from Wilson and the Seahawks' offensive performance in their wild-card loss to the Rams this past January. It was a deflating afternoon for an offense that appeared virtually unstoppable in the first half of the season, only to wind up in a severely dysfunctional state by the end. One of their few positive moments in the game came fairly late in the second quarter, with Los Angeles up by a score of 13-3. Seattle's struggling offensive line was exploited once more, with cornerback Troy Hill breaking free on a blitz and edge rusher Samson Ebukam coming off his block to apply further pressure on a scrambling Wilson. Running to his left, Wilson floated a ball 43 yards in the air to an open Metcalf, who sprinted to the end zone for the 51-yard score.
3. Wilson extends game-winning drive with clutch fourth-down completion to DK Metcalf
Score: Vikings 26, Seahawks 21
Situation: 4th and 10, ball on Seahawks' 23-yard line (1:21 - 4Q)
Getting the ball back with a little over a minute-and-a-half on the clock, Wilson embarked on one of the greatest late-game drives of his career. Down by five points, it was end zone or bust for the Seahawks. It had been tough sledding for them against the Vikings' defense, which held them scoreless for the entire first half. Seeing a repeat of those struggles after Wilson started the drive with a 17-yard run, they were faced with a daunting 4th and 10 from their own 23. Standing confidently in the heat of a six-man pressure, Wilson heaved one last hope to his most athletically-gifted receiver: DK Metcalf. Shedding rookie cornerback Cameron Dantzler to make the clutch 39-yard grab, Metcalf kept the drive alive and put Seattle into Minnesota territory—perhaps a sign of what was to come.
2. Down big, Wilson finds a wide-open Moore deep downfield against Bills
Score: Bills 41, Seahawks 20
Situation: 1st and 10, ball on Seahawks' 45-yard line (8:50 - 4Q)
Gashed by the potent Bills' offense in this Week 9 matchup, the Seahawks were forced to play catch-up the entire day. That proved to be a recipe for disaster, leading to four Wilson turnovers as the team scrambled to remain competitive. However, with Seattle's fate all but sealed, the quarterback put forth one of the best throws of his career which, unfortunately, will go relatively unnoticed given the circumstances. Down by 21 well into the fourth quarter, Wilson evaded a Buffalo blitz, escaping the pocket to his right side. Off-balance and on the run, he put his elite arm strength on full display with a moonshot let go from his own 40-yard line and into the arms of his receiver, Moore, who got behind the defense and planted himself three yards deep in the end zone. Though all it did was put a minor dent in the Bills' eventual 44-34 win, Wilson's throw was absurd. Had this play occurred in a more high leverage situation, it's probably No. 1 on this list.
1. Faced with another fourth down, Wilson topples Vikings with game-winning strike to Metcalf
Score: Vikings 26, Seahawks 21
Situation: 4th and goal, ball on Vikings' six-yard line (0:20 - 4Q)
Following the 39-yard, game-saving hookup between Wilson and Metcalf, the Seahawks worked their way down to the red zone for an encore. After a potential go-ahead score was knocked out of the hands of Metcalf on second down, the game's fate hung in the balance of yet another winner-take-all fourth down scenario. With 20 ticks left on the game clock, Wilson surveyed his options in the face of pressure. As Ifeadi Odenigbo came free off the edge, Wilson's internal clock went off, prompting him to fire a rocket through the sea of bodies to a diving Metcalf. Draped by safety Anthony Harris, Metcalf cleanly hauled in the catch to give the Seahawks a 27-26 advantage and clinch the team's first 5-0 start in franchise history.
