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The Seattle Seahawks clinched a playoff berth with a 38-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.
Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes at CenturyLink Field, while Chris Carson added 116 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. This was enough for the Seahawks to move to 9-6 on the season, clinching a spot in the postseason for the sixth time in the last seven years.
Patrick Mahomes had three touchdowns but left some points on the table with missed throws against a tough defense.
The Chiefs had a chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win but will now go into Week 17 without even the division wrapped up.
Seahawks Finding Success While Bucking NFL Trends
Any casual fan can tell that the NFL has become a pass-friendly league. Over 20 quarterbacks already have over 3,000 passing yards on the season, and nearly every team looks to pass the ball first and possibly go to the run only with a lead.
However, the Seahawks have gone in the other direction and run the ball more than anyone in the NFL besides the Baltimore Ravens.
Carson has been a big part of the team’s success and showed why Sunday with a big-time effort.
His first touchdown run also showed that he can do plenty of work on his own:
NFL @NFL
An 11-play drive is capped off with a @ccarson_32 TD!
#Seahawks lead 7-0.
: #KCvsSEA on NBC https://t.co/LW6dbAp7n6
The running back also topped 1,000 yards for the season during the game, becoming the first Seahawks player to reach this mark since Marshawn Lynch in 2014, per John Boyle of the team’s official site.
Mike Davis and Rashaad Penny have also stepped up at times this season, each having over 400 rushing yards on the year.
This has helped the Seahawks move the football consistently while also opening things up in the play-action game for Wilson.
The quarterback more than took advantage, finding his receivers in single coverage while delivering perfect throws time and again:
NFL @NFL
The @DangeRussWilson
What a grab! #Seahawks
Wilson made key throws when they were needed the most and came through with arguably his best game of the season.
Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman summed it up:
Still, the offense is successful thanks to the play of the run game.
A year ago, not a single Seattle running back rushed for more than 300 yards, and the team ranked just 23rd in the NFL in rushing. Unsurprisingly, the squad also missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
Even with other teams around the league abandoning the run, the Seahawks know how to use it to help their offense. Against opponents more built to stop the pass, with often smaller and faster players, this could give them a significant advantage going forward.
After an impressive win over the Chiefs, they showed they can match up against the best the NFL has to offer. This makes Seattle a team no one will want to face in the postseason.
Recent Ball-Control Issues Could Sink Chiefs in Postseason
Kansas City has had the most exciting offense in the NFL this season. However, the unit can’t do any damage when it isn’t on the field.
Seattle controlled the action of the game Sunday, holding the ball for 35 minutes and two seconds compared to just under 25 minutes for the Chiefs.
The Seahawks ran the ball well, converted third downs and kept their offense on the field to limit the opportunities Mahomes had to beat them. Kansas City also allowed five first downs through penalties, including two end-zone penalty calls that turned into touchdowns.
Patrick Allen @RPatrickAllen
The Chiefs defense is so infuriating to watch. They don’t rush to the ball carrier. They stop at the damn line to gain and wait for the runner to come to them. Jesus. Play with some guts.
This wouldn’t be too much of a concern if this were just a bad game, but the lack of ball control has become a significant problem as of late.
The Los Angeles Chargers held the ball for over six more minutes than the Chiefs in the Week 15 upset, with the difference being especially big late in the game. The Chargers ran 19 of the final 22 plays during the last 8:15 of regulation, helping them overcome the 14-point deficit for a 29-28 win.
While the Chiefs won the time-of-possession battle against the Baltimore Ravens, the opposing run game created limited opportunities. Kansas City scored only seven points in the second half of that game in just five possessions, one of them coming in the final seconds after a turnover.
The blueprint is now out on this team, with opponents likely to run the ball and shorten the game as much as possible. They will stop Mahomes by keeping him on the bench.
If the Chiefs are going to make a deep run in the playoffs and contend for a Super Bowl, they will need the defense to get more stops and give the offense a chance to win.
What’s Next?
Both teams will get a chance to face inferior opponents at home in Week 17. The Chiefs will take on the Oakland Raiders, while the Seahawks will host the Arizona Cardinals.
from Top Viral News Blog http://bit.ly/2SksQej
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