Game Recap: Seahawks Nearly Complete Comeback, Fall to Red-Hot Vikings

After erasing a 10-point deficit, the Seattle Seahawks' inconsistencies were their demise in a 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Connor Benintendi | 4 Hours Ago

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

Despite erasing a 10-point deficit and seizing a fourth-quarter lead, the Seattle Seahawks surrendered a late touchdown and missed a game-tying field goal in a 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at Lumen Field.

Seattle (8-7) will finish the season with a 3-6 record at home and no longer control their destiny in the playoff race. Minnesota (13-2) kept pace with the Detroit Lions in pursuit of the NFC’s top seed.

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith put together his first three-touchdown game of the season through the air but also had his fourth multi-interception contest in 15 games — the second pick coming on the final drive of the game where Seattle could have tied or won the game.

Penalties on Seattle’s defense led directly to a pair of Minnesota touchdowns, and the offense was hindered by pre-snap operation penalties. By the game’s end, the Seahawks were assessed 11 flags for 77 yards.

Despite outgaining Minnesota by 63 yards (361-298), Seattle’s pair of turnovers and overall self-inflicted wounds were the difference.

"Against a team like this, the unforced errors have to get cleaned up. It starts with me," Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said postgame. "We'll look at it just like we do every week. We'll look at it and make adjustments and move forward. But we have to clean up the procedural stuff."

On the other side, a resurgent Sam Darnold completed 22 of 35 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns against Seattle’s defense — two of which were caught by superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Seattle’s defense continued its trend of starting slow, allowing an opening drive touchdown for the third straight game. Minnesota drove 70 yards in 12 plays and capped off the possession with a short touchdown pass from Darnold to wide receiver Jordan Addison.

The Seahawks’ offense only picked up a first down on one of their first five drives. Their second drive, however, was effective, with Smith taking a shot to DK Metcalf in the end zone on second down from Minnesota’s 25-yard line.

Metcalf shook free from former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore for an explosive touchdown reception to tie the game and cap a 7-play, 87-yard drive.

Resisting the Vikings’ offense in spurts, Seattle’s defense did what it could but also was sparingly off the field. The Seahawks went three-and-out on two of their next three drives, and Smith threw a head-scratching interception on the other while targeting tight end Noah Fant.

That allowed Minnesota to build up a 17-7 lead, aided by defensive penalties on Seattle. The Vikings were nearly forced to kick a short field goal on their second touchdown drive, but an offsides penalty by Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown gave Minnesota another chance.

On the next play, Jefferson burned Brown for a 14-yard touchdown catch in the Seattle corner’s first appearance on defense since Week 6.

Seattle kept it close heading into the locker room. Getting the ball back with 1:25 left in the second quarter, Smith completed passes of 20, 12, 13 and 25 yards to get the offense inside the Vikings’ 30-yard line.

An ensuing 18-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba (8 catches, 95 yards, TD) pushed the second-year receiver past 1,000 yards in a season for the first time in his career. Minnesota led 17-14 at halftime.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) carries the ball after a catch against the Minnesota Vikings.

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) carries the ball after a catch against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at Lumen Field. / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Seattle received the ball to start the second half and turned that opportunity into three points. A promising drive fizzled out via negative plays and incomplete passes from Smith, but the offense did enough to tie the game early in the third quarter.

Minnesota recaptured a three-point lead on its next drive before both teams traded punts. Fruitless, clock-chewing drives by each team pushed the next score to late in the fourth quarter.

Smith and the Seahawks mounted a drive lasting 11 plays and more than six minutes. With just over four minutes remaining, Smith found rookie tight end AJ Barner in the back of the end zone for a circus touchdown reception to give Seattle its first lead.

Now leading 24-20, Seattle’s defense negated solid play by committing more self-inflicted wounds.

Sacking Darnold for an 8-yard loss on 2nd and 10, rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II was flagged for a clear facemask penalty to give the Vikings a fresh set of downs.

Minnesota, once again, capitalized on the defensive mistake. Darnold found Jefferson wide open downfield for a 39-yard touchdown on the next play — splitting Seahawks defenders Riq Woolen and Julian Love, who busted the coverage.

"That's what we're talking about. I mean, the guy's fighting his tail off to get to the quarterback. You know, you got to be careful where your hands are. There's a lot of stuff going on in that moment, too," Macdonald said. "So, I mean, those are the instances we're talking about. You know, we could have had a 3rd and 18 with two downs to go to try to seal it, and all of a sudden, two plays later, now we're down three. So, that's how close we are."

The score came just 30 seconds after Seattle’s previous touchdown, giving the Seahawks’ offense plenty of time to operate. Their next drive stalled, forcing Jason Myers to attempt a 60-yard field goal with two minutes left. It fell short, thinning Seattle’s chances of a comeback.

With two timeouts, Seattle’s defense forced a three-and-out, shutting down Vikings running back Aaron Jones and sacking Darnold to put Minnesota’s punt unit on the field. The Seahawks got the ball back at their own 17-yard line with 55 seconds remaining to try and tie or win the game.

A false start on right tackle Abraham Lucas moved that back another five yards, and Smith threw his second interception of the game on the first play of the drive to put the contest to bed. Smith was targeting Metcalf, who took the route deeper than Smith appeared to anticipate. Vikings safety Theo Jackson secured an easy pick to hammer the final nail.

"It was an interception, man," Smith said when asked about the play. "Anything you see that goes wrong, put it on me. Anything that don't look right, put it on me."

Playoff Perimeter

Seattle’s chances of making the postseason are growing slim. Two weeks ago, the Seahawks were firmly in control of their own destiny at 8-5. The Los Angeles Rams were 7-6 at the time, sitting one game behind Seattle in the quest for an NFC West title.

Now the Rams are on a four-game win streak and the Seahawks have dropped two in a row after their own stretch of four consecutive wins. The San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16.

The only way the Seahawks can stay in the playoff race after Week 17 is if the Rams lose to the Cardinals and Seattle defeats the Chicago Bears. Los Angeles will wrap up the division next week if they beat Arizona.

"Our destiny is not in our hands right now, which is tough," Macdonald added. "But we have still a ton of football to play for. I mean, a break here or there, we're right back in it and we're rolling. So, you know, we'll dust ourselves off, chin up, chest out, and move forward and onward we go."

With the Washington Commanders pulling off an upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16, there is no scenario for Seattle to earn a Wild Card berth with the Commanders’ three-game lead in conference record. Thus, nothing matters if the Rams win next week.

Inconsistent Offense

Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (97) stops Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9).

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (97) stops Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) during the third quarter at Lumen Field. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

With 15 games complete this season, the Seahawks’ offense remains a dangerous mess. When they’re firing on all cylinders, the explosive plays are present and all of Seattle’s playmakers are involved. It shows up at times during games — like the 25-yard touchdown to Metcalf — and then evaporates.

The majority of the season is behind them, and the Seahawks had five pre-snap penalties on offense alone via false starts or illegal shifts. Those procedural issues, especially at home, should be ironed out long before the playoffs draw near.

Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb called 12 run plays, logging the second straight week with less than 15 rush attempts. Seattle is now 6-1 this season when running the ball 20 or more times, and 3-6 when handing the ball off less than that.

Up Next

The Seahawks are traveling to face the Chicago Bears (4-11) at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26. Los Angeles doesn’t face the Cardinals until Saturday, Dec. 28. Seattle will have to beat the Bears and wait for their fate to be determined.