'Bittersweet!' Seahawks Fight Conflicting Emotions After Odd End to Season

The Seattle Seahawks won't be playing playoff football but head coach Pete Carroll admired the way his team fought to the end in trying circumstances.

The playoff dream is over for the Seattle Seahawks despite a 21-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Needing a win and other results to go their way, the Seahawks left too much to chance as the Green Bay Packers' win over the Chicago Bears meant their season was over before the final buzzer went off at State Farm Stadium.

Geno Smith would orchestrate a five-play, 67-yard drive that ended with a Tyler Lockett touchdown to give the Seahawks the lead late in the fourth quarter thanks to a two-point conversion.

The Cardinals would then get into field goal range and had a shot to win it at the death, but Matt Prater's attempt went wide. 

What would normally be a thrilling road win ended up resulting in some odd feelings for the Seahawks, who were feeling every bit of excited as they were disappointed with the season being officially over.

© Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY

“We really had one thing we could get done today, that was come out here and win this football game, regardless of what happened any place else,” Carroll said. “I’m so proud of the way this [the win] happened, you know me, I like it when they finish like this and as hard as it could possibly get. It took another two-minute drive and another stop to get it done.

“I thought it was a really impressive finish for us under the circumstances that we had.”

“The best way to describe it is bittersweet,” Smith said. “Obviously it's good to get a win. First thing's first. A road win, in the fashion we did today, it took everybody and came down to the wire.”

The win sees the Seahawks' year finish with a 9-8 record and it will no doubt be seen as a failed season. 

At one stage, the Seahawks were sitting at 6-3 and seemingly had their destiny in their hands, but four straight losses put a spanner in the works. Additionally, last week's 30-23 loss to the Steelers meant that they no longer controlled their playoff hopes.

Seahawks Beat Cardinals in Season Finale, But Are Eliminated From Playoffs

The year has a "what if" feel to it as the Seahawks had all the pieces to make the playoffs, yet failed down the stretch.

Carroll might be proud of his team, but that means little for the fanbase who had hopes of another playoff run, and now must come to terms with a failed season.