Seahawks clinch the playoffs with a gritty team effort

The Seahawks needed a win and a Rams loss to clinch a playoff berth. They did their part with a strong team effort, despite missing several defensive stars.

The Seahawks took care of business today with their gritty win over the Panthers. As with so many games this year, the Hawks couldn’t make it easy, as they nearly squandered a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter. Considering the talent they were missing on the defensive side of the ball at the start of the game, the Hawks did just fine. When you realize the injuries piled up even more after they took that lead, they did a great job today.

Yes, I know they gave up 14 points in less than two minutes. Let’s remember that the Seahawks went into this game without Jadeveon Clowney. Nearly as bad, they also missed Shaquill Griffin. That’s their best lineman and best cornerback; in fact, they’re both ranked in the top five at their positions in the entire league. The Hawks had to go without linebacker Mychal Kendricks and defensive end Ziggy Ansah, too.

Neither has had the impact of Clowney or Griffin, but Kendricks started each of the season’s 12 games and played nearly two-thirds of all snaps. Ansah had played well in his two previous games, with five quarterback hits and one and a half sacks. Subtracting them from a defense already missing two Pro Bowlers – and they better be – should have been a huge blow to the Hawks.

Seahawks defenders overcame huge deficits

Seattle Seahawks

Despite this, the Hawks defenders mostly kept the Panthers in check. Christian McCaffrey was piling up the yards but hadn’t made it to the end zone a single time. This is despite the fact that free safety Quandre Diggs turned his ankle late in the first half. Diggs has been a standout for the Seahawks since he first took the field against the Niners. Still, Seattle was in control of the  Carolina offense. The linebacker corps, in particular, was more than solid. Bobby Wagner and rookie Cody Barton had 10 tackles each. Wagner added a pick, while K.J. Wright picked Carolina off twice.

That all changed with 7:02 left in the game when Wagner left the game with an injury. He was the sixth Seahawks defensive starter on the bench, and that was too much for even this unit to overcome. These guys fight hard, even when they’re not at their best. You don’t see Seahawks players quit, not ever. They may not execute, but they give it their best every time.

Happily, Chris Carson, Russell Wilson, and Tyler Lockett had something to say about the outcome of this game. Carson was unstoppable at times, namely the important times around the end zone. Carson set a new personal high with 133 yards and at least three crushed souls. After three substandard games in the past four contests, DangeRuss was back on his game today. He connected on 20 of 26 passes, ended his run of interceptions, and threw two touchdowns. More importantly to me, he looked like Mr. Unlimited again. He was dropping dimes on his receivers and always made the right choice. And welcome back from the sick ward, Mr. Lockett. Eight catches on nine targets for 120 yards and a score re-established him as the favorite of favorites through the air.

No, I’m not thrilled that the Seahawks once again turned a game that was at one point a calm stroll into a nailbiting struggle to the end. But considering the injuries they overcame, I’m okay with it. Considering the Rams lost, I’m more than okay with it. And with the 49ers losing at the last moment to the Falcons…well, I feel like you all do, 12s. Ecstatic is the mildest term I can conjure at the moment. It was more proof that in the NFL, no win can be taken for granted. Especially when your team has so much to overcome.