It was a game both teams needed to win in order to keep their slim playoff hopes alive with the winner living to fight another day and the loser knocked out of the playoff hunt and sure to face an inquest. The Seahawks (9-6) were able to pull off the gritty 24-12 road victory over the Dallas Cowboys (8-7) using their proven franchise script of playing pressure, turnover-creating defense to overcome a struggling offense.
In Sunday’s win over the Cowboys, the Seattle offense struggled mightily and some might say quarterback Russell Wilson and company were downright inept. Put this win, in the win , is a win category. The Seahawks had more penalty yards( 142) than offensive yards (136). While inept the Seahawks offense executed when needed.
The Seahawks defense caused three turnovers and the Hawks offense cashed in on two of the three turnovers. The Seahawks offense made the plays it needed to make for the Seahawks to go into next Sundays home game against Arizona with a chance to back door into the NFC playoffs as a wild card team
Seahawks linebacker J.K. Wright back from missing last weeks humiliating home loss to the LA Rams due to a concussion recovered a Dez Bryant fumble that was caused by cornerback Byron Maxwell. Quarterback Russell Wilson hit Tight End Jimmy Graham on a three-yard pass play to give the Seahawks their first lead of the game at 7-6 with 1:42 to go in the first half. Dan Baileys 51 yard field goal with eight seconds left in the half gave the Cowboys the 9-7 lead.
The Seahawks received the ball to start the second half and managed just one first down in the six play offensive series and punted the ball to the Cowboys who looked to have gained some confidence during the halftime break.
The momentum was shortlived as Justin Coleman intercepted a Dak Prescott pass intended for Ezekiel Elliot and returned it 36 yards for a TD to give the Seahawks a 14-9 lead. Bailey booted a 39 yard field goal to narrow Seattles lead to 14-12 with 8:41 left in the third quarter.
Wright produced his second turnover of the game when he intercepted another Prescott pass this one intended for Bryant and the offense answered the call to action one more time and drove 79 yards on 13 plays to expand the lead to 21-12 on a Wilson to Doug Baldwin six-yard touchdown pass play.
The Seahawks defense held its ground was able to shut down the Cowboys offense the rest of the way enabling the Seahawks to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. A win over Arizona and a Carolina Panthers win over the Atlanta Falcons would put the Seahawks in the playoffs.
| Total First Downs | 15 | Total First Downs | 21 | |
| By Rushing | 5 | By Rushing | 7 | |
| By Passing | 7 | By Passing | 10 | |
| By Penalty | 3 | By Penalty | 4 | |
| Third Down Efficiency | 4/11 – 36% | Third Down Efficiency | 6/13 – 46% | |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 0/0 – 0% | Fourth Down Efficiency | 1/1 – 100% | |
| Total Net Yards | 136 | Total Net Yards | 283 | |
| Total Rushing/Passing Plays (includes Sacks) | 54 | Total Rushing/Passing Plays (includes Sacks) | 68 | |
| Average Gain per Offensive Play | 2.5 | Average Gain per Offensive Play | 4.2 | |
| Net Yards Rushing | 76 | Net Yards Rushing | 128 | |
| Total Rushing Plays | 30 | Total Rushing Plays | 30 | |
| Average Gain per Rushing Play | 2.5 | Average Gain per Rushing Play | 4.3 | |
| Tackled for a Loss (Number-Yards) | 6–17 | Tackled for a Loss (Number-Yards) | 1–2 | |
| Net Yards Passing | 60 | Net Yards Passing | 155 | |
| Times Sacked (Number-Yards) | 3 – 33 | Times Sacked (Number-Yards) | 4 – 27 | |
| Gross Yards Passing | 93 | Gross Yards Passing | 182 | |
| Pass Comp-Att-Int | 14 – 21 – 0 | Pass Comp-Att-Int | 21 – 34 – 2 | |
| Average Gain per Passing Play (includes Sacks) | 2.5 | Average Gain per Passing Play (includes Sacks) | 4.1 | |
| Kickoffs (Number-In End Zone-Touchbacks) | 4 – 3 – 2 | Kickoffs (Number-In End Zone-Touchbacks) | 5 – 5 – 5 | |
| Punts (Number-Average) | 7 – 46.1 | Punts (Number-Average) | 2 – 50.0 | |
| Blocked | 0 | Blocked | 0 | |
| Net Punting Average | 41.6 | Net Punting Average | 45.5 | |
| FGs Blocked – PATs Blocked | 0 – 0 | FGs Blocked – PATs Blocked | 0 – 0 | |
| Total Return Yardage (excludes Kickoffs) | 40 | Total Return Yardage (excludes Kickoffs) | 32 | |
| Punt Returns (Number-Yards) | 1 – 9 | Punt Returns (Number-Yards) | 5 – 32 | |
| Kickoff Returns (Number-Yards) | 0 – 0 | Kickoff Returns (Number-Yards) | 2 – 45 | |
| Interception Returns (Number-Yards) | 2 – 31 | Interception Returns (Number-Yards) | 0 – 0 | |
| Penalties (Number-Yards) | 11 – 142 | Penalties (Number-Yards) | 7 – 75 | |
| Fumbles (Number-Lost) | 1 – 0 | Fumbles (Number-Lost) | 1 – 1 | |
| Touchdowns | 3 | Touchdowns | 0 | |
| Rushing | 0 | Rushing | 0 | |
| Passing | 2 | Passing | 0 | |
| Interceptions | 1 | Interceptions | 0 | |
| Kickoff Returns | 0 | Kickoff Returns | 0 | |
| Fumble Returns | 0 | Fumble Returns | 0 | |
| Punt Returns | 0 | Punt Returns | 0 | |
| Extra Points (Made-Attempted) | 3 – 3 | Extra Points (Made-Attempted) | 0 – 0 | |
| Kicking (Made-Attempted) | 3 – 3 | Kicking (Made-Attempted) | 0 – 0 | |
| Two Point Conversions (Made-Attempted) | 0 – 0 | Two Point Conversions (Made-Attempted) | 0 – 0 | |
| Field Goals (Made-Attempted) | 0 – 0 | Field Goals (Made-Attempted) | 4 – 6 | |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 2/2 – 100% | Red Zone Efficiency | 0/2 – 0% | |
| Goal To Go Efficiency | 2/2 – 100% | Goal To Go Efficiency | 0/1 – 0% | |
| Safeties | 0 | Safeties | 0 | |
| Final Score | 21 | Final Score | 12 | |
| Time of Possession | 27:10 | Time of Possession | 32:50 |
