First Downs Wash 21 Sea 14
TOTAL NET YARDS Wash 319 Sea 304
NET YARDS PASSING Wash 244 Sea 227
NET YARDS RUSHING Wash 75 Sea 77
TIME OF POSSESSION Wash 34:15 Sea 25:45
Several moments in that 4th quarter doomed the Skins. The biggest, obviously, was recovering the kickoff at the Seahawk 14 and not getting any points. Cooley dropped a pass on 1st down that would given them first and goal at the two and a likely score which would have put them ahead 21-13 with less than 8 minutes to play. Next was Suisham missing the 30 yard fg. A 17-13 lead would have still meant Seattle would have had to get a touchdown.
Then, after Laron Landry's 2nd pick of Hasslebeck on the Redskin 9, Washington had to go three and out and punt from their own end zone and into the wind. That gave Seattle the ball at Washington's 42. After the go-ahead td came the next critical mistake. Seller's penalty on Cartwright's ko return negated starting at the Seahawk 34 with 5:56 to go. Instead we start on our half of the field.
The final nail in the coffin came the very next play. Trufant's 78 yard int return. Moss had no idea where the ball was or he could have turned db and broken up the pass and saved possession more than likely. The last TD was insignificant and came in garbage time. Bottom line is Washington had plenty of chances and very well could have (maybe should have?) won this game. But they didn't and Seattle escapes. They Seahawks, to take nothing away from them, negated Portis and harassed Collins all day.
A great game that was far closer than the final score indicates.
Hail to the Skins for overcoming more adversity than any one team should have to face and making the playoffs, for the 2nd time in Gibbs 4 years back, in spite of it!!