SB Nation Seattle - Seahawks Run Past Chargers, 27-20, Thanks To 2 Leon Washington Touchdowns

Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Says He Made College Mistakes In NFL Week 3 Win

2010-09-28T06:01:12Z

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll admitted after his team’s Week 3 win over the San Diego Chargers that the overly-aggressive execution at the end of the first half was his fault, writes Greg Johns of the Seattle PI.

“We didn’t handle the end of the half effectively and I was disappointed in that. I really didn’t do that well,” he said. "Honestly, I realized that after all those years at USC with our offenses being so dynamic and all, I got a little bold about our situations.

“We need to take care of business better. I need to do a better job and make sure we get our points when we get opportunities. They’re not always going to come back around again like it used to seem like it happened.

Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times sums up exactly what happened and how it went wrong.

To review, Seattle had the ball at the San Diego 2 with 19 seconds left in the second quarter. The Seahawks ran Matt Hasselbeck, who was tackled at the 1. Seattle tried to shuttle its field-goal unit onto the field to attempt a kick, only to have time expire before the ball was snapped.

It was aggressive. In hindsight, it was too aggressive.

“I like the thought … we stuff it at ’em and knock it in the end zone and get a touchdown right there,” Carroll said. “But we really, in that instance, we’d like to have had a fourth-down opportunity, too, and that eliminated it.”

That kind of execution is easy to laugh off after a victory. Had the Seahawks failed to get two Leon Washington returns? The joke, and the heat, would be on Carroll in a big way.

Recap: Seahawks Run Past Chargers, 27-20, Thanks To 2 Leon Washington Touchdowns

2010-09-27T00:43:20Z

Seattle, WA (Sports Network) – Leon Washington returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns, including the go-ahead 99-yard burst with 6:24 remaining in the fourth quarter, as the Seattle Seahawks held off San Diego, 27-20, at Qwest Field.

Washington, who was traded to Seattle from the New York Jets in April, rumbled a team-record 101 yards for a score in the third quarter for the Seahawks, who forced five turnovers. Two of those were interceptions by rookieEarl Thomas, including a pick of Philip Rivers inside the Seattle 10-yard line in the waning seconds.

Matt Hasselbeck completed 19-of-32 passes for 220 yards with a TD and an interception for Seattle (2-1), which upended the Chargers for the sixth time in the last seven meetings.

"It's important for us to show that we can play against a team like this," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "Leon was just magical today."

Rivers threw for a career-high 455 yards, going 29-of-53 with two scores and the two interceptions. Antonio Gates had seven receptions for 109 yards and a TD for the Chargers (1-2), who played a good portion of the game without star linebacker Shawne Merriman. He suffered a calf injury in the first quarter.

"Every team has issues, we have issues, we have to protect the football and cover kickoffs," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "We have some young guys who have not been as consistent as they should be. We need to make some personnel changes. If you turn the ball over you are underachieving, we cannot make that many turnovers."

Thomas' first interception of the day led to Olindo Mare's 23-yard field goal with 11:27 left in the fourth quarter, expanding the Seahawks' lead to 20-12.

The Chargers then overcame a pair of penalties to tie the game. Rivers engineered a nine-play, 65-yard march, finishing it with a 12-yard TD pass to Gates in the middle of the end zone. The catch came after Gates made an end zone reception from two yards out, as offensive tackle Brandyn Dombrowski was whistled for holding. On the two-point conversion try, Legedu Naanee made the end zone catch, but was ruled to go out of bounds first. On the next play though, Rivers hooked up with Naanee in the right side of the end zone to even the score with 6:39 remaining.

Washington, though received the ensuing kickoff and stayed on his feet despite being hit by Jacob Hester while running up the middle. Washington then raced past defenders for his sixth career kickoff return for a touchdown.

On the ensuing San Diego possession, Rivers led the Chargers to the Seattle 19, but a fourth down pass toPatrick Crayton was knocked away in the end zone by cornerback Roy Lewis with 2:28 left.

The Chargers, though, forced a punt and got the ball back with 1:38 left. Rivers moved his team from the San Diego 45 to the Seattle 17, but the drive stalled. On 4th-and-15, Rivers threw toward the end zone for Naanee, but Thomas came up with the ball at the five and was tackled at the Seattle 26 to seal the outcome.

Naanee fumbled the ball away on San Diego's first possession of the game and Seattle broke on top early in the second on Mare's 23-yard field goal.

San Diego had another miscue, this time costing the Chargers points in the second quarter. David Hawthornestripped Mike Tolbert of the ball at the Seattle five and Red Bryant recovered for the Seahawks.

Deion Branch then scored on a 42-yard pass play from Hasselbeck with 1:38 left in the half, but the Chargers challenged the call as free safety Paul Oliver punched the ball away just as Branch was crossing the goal line. San Diego won the challenge and got the ball at the 20, as it went out of the back of the end zone.

After a punt, though, Seattle did expand its lead to 10-0 on Hasselbeck's nine-yard TD connection to tight endJohn Carlson with 53 seconds left in the half.

The Seahawks forced another fumble on the ensuing kickoff, but ran out of time for a field goal try while at the San Diego two.

After Washington ran back the second-half kickoff for a score, Rivers got the Chargers within 17-7 on a three-yard TD pass to Malcolm Floyd. It came one play after a Buster Davis 49-yard catch.

Brandon Siler sacked Hasselbeck in the end zone for a safety with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third and Nate Kaeding split the uprights from 29 yards away to get the Chargers within five points going to the fourth.

Mare extended his team record with his 24th straight made field goal...Seahawks cornerback Marcus Trufantleft the game with an ankle injury, while Chargers guard Louis Vasquez departed with a knee injury...Floyd had six catches for 97 yards...Tolbert rushed 17 times for 73 yards, while Justin Forsett led the Seattle ground game with 63 yards on 17 attempts...San Diego had 518 yards of offense...The two kickoff returns for TDs ties an NFL record.

John Carlson Scores, Hawks Miss An Opportunity But Lead 10-0 At Half

2010-09-26T21:53:02Z

Matt Hasselbeck found John Carlson in the back of the end zone late in the second quarter to finally break the dry spell for the Seahawks.

The Chargers fumbled the ensuing kickoff, setting up the Seahawks deep in San Diego territory. In another moment of ineptitude, the Seahawks ran a quarterback draw on third down near the goal line with under 10 seconds left. The field goal unit rushed onto the field, but couldn’t get a kick off before the half.

It’s halftime in Seattle and the Seahawks lead the Chargers 10-0.

Deion Branch Fumbles Out Of The End Zone, Hawks Still Lead 3-0

2010-09-26T21:31:25Z

Deion Branch made a nice catch, turned the ball upfield and was headed in for the score just before the half. Instead, his careless ball security led to a fumble out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a touchback.

Huge swing in momentum for the Chargers as they were poised to go down two scores to end the half. It’s ugly in Seattle, with turnovers marring the play.

With just over a minute left in the half, it’s 3-0 Seahawks.

NFL Week 3 In-Game Injury Updates: Mike Williams and Aaron Curry

2010-09-26T21:16:36Z

Mike Williams is back in the game after injuring his shoulder. Immediately after his return, Matt Hasselbeck woefully under-threw a jump ball to Williams, leading to a San Diego Chargers interception.

Aaron Curry is on the sidelines with an apparent leg injury. His status for the rest of the game is unknown.

NFL Week 3 In-Game Injury Updates: Shawne Merriman And Mike Williams

2010-09-26T20:53:04Z

According to the CBS broadcast, San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman left Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks with a calf injury during the first quarter and will not return.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Mike Williams is listed as questionable to return with a shoulder injury.

San Diego Chargers Week Three Inactives

2010-09-26T18:57:20Z

ESPN's Mike Sando also reported the San Diego Chargers' inactive list ahead of today's game at Qwest Field.

Chargers inactives: Ryan Matthews, Larry English, Stephen Cooper, Cam Thomas, Adam Terry, Vaughn Martin, Jyles Tucker. JT O'Sullivan 3rd QB.less than a minute ago via EchofonMike Sando, ESPN.com
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Matthews is still nursing an ankle injury suffered in the Chargers' win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Without Matthews, the Chargers will rely on backup Matthew Tolbert to shoulder the load in the run-game.

Seattle Seahawks Week Three Inactives

2010-09-26T18:52:48Z

ESPN's NFC West blogger Mike Sando released the Seahawks inactives for their week three matchup against the San Diego Chargers.

Seahawks inactives: Nate Ness, Quinton Ganther, Leroy Hill, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Chester Pitts, Russell Okung, Anthony McCoy, EJ Wilson.less than a minute ago via EchofonMike Sando, ESPN.com
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Leroy Hill is nursing an Achilles injury while facing another suspension from the NFL. Okung is making progress in his recovery from a high-ankle sprain suffered in training camp. Okung was on the field doing individual work ahead of today's game.