There will be no division title, or home playoff game, for the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 after losing to the San Francisco 49ers 26-21 on Sunday night. The Seahawks have been historically great in December but will finish the month 1-3 and losers of the last two in Seattle.
After an abysmal start where the Seahawks found themselves down 13-0 at halftime, Seattle managed to make a game of it. However, the comeback attempt fell literally millimeters short as tight end Jacob Hollister was stopped just shy of a game-winning touchdown on fourth down.
The Seahawks did win their most games since the 2014 season, but are exactly where they were last year as the No. 5 seed and facing the NFC East champion.
However, the Seahawks managed to make it a game, and as a result, a rare week where a loss actually features 2 studs and only 2 duds.
No. 1 Stud – Travis Homer and Marshawn Lynch
After losing Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise last week for the year, as well as Rashaad Penny earlier in the season, the Seahawks were brutally thin at running back. The team signed Marshawn Lynch as a result, but the lion’s share of the carries went to rookie Travis Homer.
Homer actually had himself a great game, with 10 carries for 62 yards as well as an additional 30 yards through the air on five receptions.
The biggest story, of course, was the aforementioned Lynch. While he had a brutal start with only seven yards on four carries, “Beast Mode” had a little gas left in the tank when he leaped into the end zone for his first score since September 2018.
No. 1 dud – The entire Seahawks defense, again
For the second straight week, the defense is getting put back on the duds list. I don’t want to do it, but it was yet another absolutely abysmal performance.
The tackling was the worst it has ever been under Pete Carroll. As 49ers players finally showed signs of life in the second half, the Seattle defense immediately allowed San Francisco to score two touchdowns following the Seahawks’ first two scores.
The Seahawks’ defense did manage to stop San Francisco one time late to give Russell Wilson one more chance to win it, but they allowed the 49ers to pick up 16 yards when they needed 17 on third down.
No. 2 stud – wide receiver DK Metcalf
It has been a roller coaster of a rookie year for DK Metcalf, but he ended his regular season on a high note.
Metcalf led all Seattle receivers Sunday night with six receptions – on 12 targets – for 81 yards and a crucial touchdown late.
However, the biggest story for Metcalf is his place in Seahawks’ history. Metcalf now holds the second place for most receptions by a rookie in franchise history with 58, surpassing even the legendary Steve Largent.
Metcalf will finish his debut regular season with 58 receptions for 900 yards and seven scores.
No. 2 duds – Seahawks last second red zone offense
What an absolute disaster on all fronts. The Seahawks had a golden opportunity to steal a win with a goal-line situation with under a minute to go, especially after they converted a critical fourth-and-10.
The Seahawks then proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot almost immediately with a stunning delay of game penalty. This backed the offense up five yards, and out of the range of another potential leaping touchdown from Marshawn Lynch.
Then the officials missed a blatant pass interference call on tight end Jacob Hollister which would have given Seattle another set of downs.
Unfortunately, none of it mattered as Hollister was then stopped short of the goal line by the skin of his teeth, denying Seattle its first division title since 2016.
