Detroit entered the game with the NFL’s lowest opponent passer rating in blitz situations, and yet here were the Lions, rushing six and failing to communicate their coverage assignments as both Graham and Kearse were inexplicably turned loose.
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Instead, Wright did as he has been instructed, to make sure the ball did not end up back in the hands of the Detroit Lions. The common arguments are that the referees are pathetic and should do better, that Johnson shouldn’t have fumbled the ball in the first place, that somehow Jim Caldwell is at fault because he wasn’t angrier or that the rule is stupid and obscure and doesn’t matter.
The play was ruled a touchback and Seattle was given the ball at their own 20-yard line. Detroit’s defense forced two fumbles, had four sacks and scored on a 27-yard fumble return by defensive tackle Caraun Reid. Seattle RB Fred Jackson (ankle), DE Michael Bennett, CB Marcus Burley (thumb) and WR Ricardo Lockette (shortness of breath) left the game, as did Detroit TE Eric Ebron (knee) and DT Haloti Ngata (calf). Seattle could have won anyway. At the time, Chicago was struggling at 0-2. In other words, the Lions would have had first-and-goal at the half-yard line with about 90 seconds to play.
But just as Johnson was reaching for the go-ahead touchdown, Chancellor knocked the ball away.
The controversy occurred in the final 1:45 when Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor punched the ball from Lions wideout Calvin Johnson before he crossed goal line.
K.J. Wright didn’t know the rule.
According to the rules found on SB Nation, Wilson made the wrong call.
“Now that you look it at, we’re fortunate in that one”, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. He did that. It’s unfortunate that the officials didn’t know how to do it, for their sake. “That’s just the way it goes sometimes”. Till now, they have played against the San Deigo Chargers, Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos. And the Seahawks avoid 1-3 in the always tough NFC West. This one is inexcusable, NFL. The schedule doesn’t get any easier. The Seahawks hope Lynch will beavailable to play against the Bengals.
As a player, I would never want to win a game this way. Then they must play a desperate Cowboys squad on the road.
The San Francisco 49ers acquired linebacker Gerald Hodges in a Tuesday trade with Minnesota for rookie center Nick Easton and a sixth-round draft pick. Maybe Russell Wilson will stuff the ball up his jersey and pretend he’s pregnant while running for a touchdown.
Now, I’m not advocating for holding calls to be reviewed, offsides to be reviewed, pass interference calls to be reviewed. Wilson made a few yards on unplanned scrambles, but it’s not like that’s a sustainable long-term offensive strategy. The Seahawks have him listed as day-to-day because of a hamstring injury. Nobody does this anymore but the Packers used to when they split their home schedule between Green Bay and Milwaukee until they abandoned the old County Stadium 20 years ago.
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“We will address it more”. The Seahawks are tied for third worst in the league for touchdowns per red zone appearance.
