Seahawks MVP for game eight: bringing back the LOB, Marquise Blair

The Seahawks got off to a roaring start versus the Falcons, then had to hold on for the win. Nobody stepped up more today than rookie safety Marquise Blair.

The Seahawks looked like they were going to absolutely run away with their game versus the Falcons. At the half, the score was Seattle 24, Atlanta 0. Things got away from the Hawks in the second half, to say the least. If not for the play of rookie safety Marquise Blair, the game that started as an easy win could have turned into a nightmare for the Hawks.

Blair showed he was a playmaker in the preseason several times. Unfortunately, he also made a couple of huge mistakes, as rookies often do. Regardless, he looked every bit the man who could one day step into the cleats of the great Kam Chancellor. Seattle installed him at free safety, but the rookie didn’t miss a beat. He showed how good he can be last week in the loss to the Ravens. Blair really dialed it up today against the Falcons.

Overall, Blair was virtually everywhere today. He led the Seahawks with 11 total tackles, with nine of them the solo variety. He didn’t have any picks or pass defenses, it’s true. It’s also true he didn’t blow coverage for any 50-yard bombs like a certain Hawks safety who goes by T2. I’ll take the consistency for now, because the interceptions will come.

Blair may not have an interception yet, but he does have a turnover to his credit. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say this was the play of the game for the Seahawks, either. After building their 24-point lead over Atlanta, Seattle seemed to take their foot off the gas in the second half. On offense, the Hawks had to three-and-outs. Shut out in the first half, the Falcons mounted two drives to put 11 points on the board. Atlanta moved the ball with ease on their third drive of the half (mostly because they remembered they had Julio Jones on the team). On the eighth play of the drive, QB Matt Schaub had a first down at Seattle’s eight-yard line. Remember, the score at this point was Hawks 24, Falcons 11.

Schaub dumped a pass to Devonta Freeman, who stretched to get the ball to the one-yard line. Enter K.J. Wright and Marquise Blair. Wright went low to wrap up Freeman’s ankles, while Blair went for his shoulders. As Freeman twisted away, Blair reached out and tapped the ball out of Freeman’s grip. Bobby Wagner picked up the fumble and the Hawks were back in business. Here’s the game-saving play, thanks to Gregg Bell:

Game-saving? Considering how the rest of the half played out, it’s hard to imagine the Falcons not scoring a touchdown with second and goal to go from the Seahawks one-yard line. That would have made it Seattle 24, Atlanta 17. The Hawks converted the turnover into Jason Myers’ second field goal of the game. That made this a ten-point swing for Seattle in a game they won by seven. He made the most plays, and he made the best play. I expect many more games like this from today’s MVP, Marquise Blair.