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5 Key Moments That Led to Seahawks' Tight Win Over Washington

While Seattle decided to make things interesting in the fourth quarter, Pete Carroll's team punched another ticket to the playoffs with a hard-earned five-point win over the Washington Football Team in Week 15.

Nick Lee

The Seahawks beat the Washington Football Team 20-15 on Sunday at Fed Ex Field. It certainly wasn’t easy in the end, but the Seahawks came away with their 10th win and clinched a playoff spot for the ninth time in the Pete Carroll era.

Let’s review five key moments that allowed Seattle to have a happy flight back to the Pacific Northwest.

1. Shaquill Griffin interception

In the second quarter with the Seahawks nursing a slim 6-0 lead, Washington was driving down the field, looking to take the lead. Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins fired towards the end zone and Quandre Diggs tipped the pass, allowing Shaquill Griffin to display his athleticism and haul in the interception, his third of the season. It was effective in two parts, one because it prevented a score for Washington and second, it also directly led to the Seahawks scoring their first touchdown, extending their lead to 13-0. 

2. Russell Wilson 10-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Hollister

Speaking of that touchdown, Griffin’s interception gave Seattle the ball on their own three-yard line. The Seahawks then drove down the length of the field for a 97-yard, 10-play drive that ended with Russell Wilson connecting with Jacob Hollister for a 13-0 lead. Hollister has been relatively quiet this season but that marked his second touchdown for the year in a critical moment of the game. It was Wilson's lone touchdown pass of the game.

3. Carlos Hyde 50-yard touchdown run

Seattle took a 13-3 lead to halftime. They then came out with the ball to start the second half and Carlos Hyde broke a tackle before running for a 50-yard score, marking his longest run of the season. This turned out to be an enormous play as it gave Seattle a 20-3 lead. At the time, it seemed like the Seahawks were on their way to a blowout. However, this score ended up being critical to allow room for error, which the Seahawks desperately needed late in the game.

4. D.J. Reed interception

The two interceptions in this game really helped turn the tide in Seattle’s favor. With Washington in Seahawks territory, Haskins hurled a deep pass and Reed jumped in front of the route and picked it off. Once again, this prevented a possible scoring opportunity for the Washington Football Team in a game where every point mattered. Reed played possibly his best game as a Seahawk, with six combined tackles and a trio of passes defensed along with his pick.

5. Carlos Dunlap sack on third down

Washington was driving down the field late in the fourth quarter with Seattle up by only five. The Seahawks defense was on their heels, scrambling to make a stop before it was too late. Just as Washington looked to be unstoppable, with the ball on Seattle’s 23-yard line, defensive end Carlos Dunlap bulldozed tackle Morgan Moses onto his backside and got to Haskins, putting him at 4.5 sacks in six games as a Seahawk. This essentially sealed the game as it forced Washington into a desperate 4th and 24 scenario, needing a Hail Mary, which fell unsuccessful. Without Dunlap’s sack, Washington would’ve had more options and possibly driven down and scored to win the game. The Dunlap trade continues to be a revelation and Seattle may now have an extra win because of it. 

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Nick Lee
NICK LEE

Nick Lee grew in San Diego, California and graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho in 2017. He married a Washington native and moved to the Pacific Northwest after 2014. He began his writing career for Bolt Beat on Fansided in 2015 while also coaching high school football locally in Olympia, Washington. A husband and father of a two-year old son, he writes for East Village Times covering the San Diego Padres as well as Vanquish the Foe of SB Nation, covering the BYU Cougars. He joined Seahawk Maven in August 2018 and is a cohost of the Locked on Seahawks podcast. 

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