The Seattle Seahawks pulled off the most remarkable comeback in season history on Dec. 18 as they beat the Los Angeles Rams, 38-37, in overtime. The Seahawks were 0-172 when trailing by at least 15 points in the fourth quarter, and now they are 1-172.
Sammy Spirals can do it
When Seattle signed Sam Darnold as their quarterback back in March, there were definitely question marks. Is he an upgrade over Geno Smith? Was his year with the Minnesota Vikings all smoke and mirrors? Can he just keep an offense afloat and let the defense go to work? Can he win the game when the lights are the brightest?
On Thursday night, in overtime against a team that has probably caused him nightmares since the playoff loss a season ago, Darnold proved to himself, his city and the nation that he indeed can be the difference maker. Darnold in overtime was terrific, and his touch, his feel and timing were impeccable. In a game where he wasn’t his best by any stretch of the imagination, he knuckled down and had the best drive of his career. He capped it off by tossing the winning two-point conversion to Eric Saubert, who is on his seventh NFL team, in the front of the end zone to give Seattle a front row seat to the No. 1 seed in the NFC with two weeks to play.
Courageous Schneider does it again
Seahawks general manager John Schneider is no stranger to big moves. He’s made his fair share of moves that have not worked out and a fair share that have, from the lows of the Jimmy Graham and Jamaal Adams trades, to the highs of the trade for Leonard Williams and, most recently, the trade for Rashid Shaheed.
Shaheed is known around the league as a game breaker, but it’s hard to put into words how much of a helping hand he has been for the Seahawks. With an injury to Tory Horton, an already inexperienced and shallow receiver room needed help. In stepped Schneider, who sent a fourth and fifth round pick to New Orleans for the speedster. Schneider identified a need and found the answer. Shaheed now has two returns for touchdowns, one kick return and a punt return that sent a jolt through Lumen Field and got Seattle back into the game, which they eventually won. Shaheed also made two crucial catches five days prior against Indianapolis to get Seattle into field goal range to win that game too.
Seattle Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert is lifted up by his teammates after scoring the game-winning 2-point conversion against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, Dec. 18, at Lumen Field in Seattle. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Kenneth Walker can be a difference maker
Few running back rooms have fans and NFL talking heads confused like the Seahawks do, and sometimes it feels like the Seahawks are scratching their heads too at the running game. But against the Rams in the biggest game of the year, Kenneth Walker III showed he has the get-up and make-up to be a star in this league as Seahawks fans and coaches expect him to be. Walker had 11 carries for 100 yards, coupled with three receptions for 64 yards. His burst of speed was on another level on Thursday night, and it ignited the discussion of how he can continue to have this type of impact on any given game. Walker’s 55-yard touchdown may have looked like he just used his speed to hit the B-gap and outrun the Rams secondary. But in reality it was Walker’s patience and feel to know when to stick his foot in the ground and go upfield. It was the longest run the Rams have allowed all season.
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