Seahawks overcome penalties and miscues improve to 5-2

In the end, all that matters is that the Seahawks beat the Houston Texans 27-19 and improved their season record to 5-2.

“Great, great win. Just talk about how we played. We pick each other up all the time. I thought our defense played outstanding. Their defense is a dang good defense. Averaging 12 points a game. I don’t even know what the score was. We outperformed that, said Mike McDonald. “We obviously got to take care of the football. But the guys played hard. We responded to all the adversity. Affected the quarterback. Took the run away. There’s a couple plays there at the end I probably could have called better plays to put us in better situations. But our guys fought. It’s great to win at home. Definitely a point of emphasis. I’ll tell you what, the 12s were on fire. Great atmosphere. Our guys are fired up.”

The Seahawks offense scored two first-quarter touchdowns, and it looked like it would be another banner day for  San Darnold. Looks can be deceiving, and in front of a National audience, they were.

FAST START

Zach Charbonnet’s one-yard up the belly of the Texans’ defense  gave the Seahawks a 7-0 lead on their second possession of the game. The Seahawks defense caused a second Texans three-and-out, and the Seahawks offense was back in business. Sam Darnold doubled the Seahawks’ lead with a nifty 11-yard touchdown pass to  Jaxson Smith-Njigba.

 After  catching the dart from  Darnold, Smith-Njigba dunked the ball over the upright and was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty, which was the last play of the first quarter, with the Seahawks looking comfortable with the 14-0 lead

A Bizarre second  quarter

The Seahawks defense continued to put the clamps on Texans quarterback CJ Stroud with pressure from the defensive line.  Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, and Jarran Reed all took turns hunting Stroud and stifling the Texans’ run game. The Seahawks’ defense nearly scored on the Texans’ second possession of the second quarter. when

Ernest  Jones sacked  Stroud, causing a fumble that was recovered by Drake Thomas, who looked to have crossed the goal line before losing the football. Woody  Marks recovered the loose ball in the endzone. A replay review ruled Thomas never had possession of the ball, and the play was ruled a touchback.   The Seahawks once again rose to the occasion and forced a punt.

TRICK PLAY GONE WRONG

Tory Horton’s 15-yard punt return put the Seahawks’ offense in a prime position, with the ball at their 43-yard line. With the ball at Houston’s 21-yard line, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak decided to cut.  He called for a Darnold pitch to Cooper, who then threw the ball to the waiting hands of Calen Bullock. The  Texans converted the mixcue into a 36-yard field goal. Some poor clock management saw the Seahawks give the ball back to the Texans with 13 seconds left in the half.  Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 46-yard field goal ended the half with the Seahawks holding on to a 14-6 lead

Texans looking to build on momentum.

The Texans went into the second half with momentum, having scored on two consecutive drives and set to receive the second-half kickoff. Houston received the kickoff and had momentum on their side for just a split second.

 A Earnest Jones interception shifted the momentum back to the Seahawks. Jones  had slipped, and when he rose up, and grabbed Stroud’s pass intended for Nico Collins. The Seahawks extended their lead to 17-6 after an 8-play 31 31-yard drive resulted in a Jason Myers Field goal.

Seahawks defense stays  dominant

The Seahawks defense continued to bring the heat and forced a three-and-out after resilient and sticky  pass coverage by  Nick Emmanwori and  Drake Thomas on second and third down.  The offense gifted the Texans six points when Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair forced a Sam Darnold strip sack and recovered the ball in the end zone for a Texans touchdown, narrowing the Seahawks’ lead to 17-12. The defense continued its dominance, stopping Texas on the ensuing two-point try.  

Seahawks offense finds its rhythm.

A 34-yard kickoff return by George Holani gave the Seahawks’ offense a spark.

The spark turned into a flame when Darnold hit Smith-Njigba on 26 26-yard pass play that put the ball at the Texans 36 36-yard line. Three unsuccessful plays saw the Seahawks settle for 47 47-yard field goal, which extended the lead to 20-12. The defense’s best stand of the day came on the Texans’ next offensive drive. On fourth and one, DerMacus Lawrence tackled Woody Marks for a two-yard loss. The Seahawks offense extended the lead to 27 to 12 on a Zach Charbonnet two-yard run.

Seahawks’ offensive losses spark.  

The Seahawks offense went back to its shell and turnover-prone ways. Elijah Arroyo fumbled a seven-yard reception that the Texans recovered. Another fourth-down stop by the Seahawks defense kept the Texans out of the end zone.  Stroud’s fourth and fifteen pass at the Seattle 45-yard line went incomplete. A Darnold interception on the Seahawks’ next offensive possession gave the ball back to the Texans. Darnold’s pass to  Smith-Njigba was intercepted by  Derek Stingley Jr., who was flagged for unnecessary roughness when he showed Smith-Njigba in the face mask during the return. Smith-Njigba ended up on the Texans bench with several players surrounding him.

Another defensive stand

Another defiant stand by the Seahawks defense stopped the Texans on   4^th and five from the five-yard line .A  Darnold sack on third and 9 forced another Seahawks punt. Stroud marched the Texans downfield for a touchdown with a four-yard pass to Marks. The Seahawks offense ran out the clock and secured the 27-19 victory.