Seattle Seahawks week 13: underachiever and overachiever of the game

The Seattle Seahawks came through with a big win against the conference rival 49ers. While we did have an underachiever, there was no shortage of overachievers in this contest. You can probably guess both of my selections, but they certainly surprised me.

Yes 12s, the Seahawks finally got back in the win column Sunday. For me, there’s nothing more satisfying than having the victory come against the Niners. Clearly, Russell Wilson owns those guys in San Francisco. It wasn’t exactly the cleanest win the Hawks have ever pulled off, but when you just have three wins heading into December, any win is great.

The biggest reason it wasn’t an easy win falls on the shoulders of tight end Gerald Everett. He fumbled twice and turned an easy touchdown catch into a Niners interception. San Francisco converted one fumble into a score on their next play, a whopping 24-yard scoring drive.

Subtract that score from the Niners, add the touchdown that Everett dropped, and almost certainly a second score for Seattle that would have iced the game  – he fumbled at the San Francisco two. That’s a 21-point swing, and that’s entirely on Everett.

Seattle Seahawks standouts in Week 13

Not to beat up on the guy, as he’s done enough of that to himself. But if he plays as he normally does, the Seahawks win this game 44-17, instead of depending on a goalline stand to preserve the win. For the record, Everett had only fumbled twice in his previous 164 career touches. He is hardly fumble-prone. That’s precisely why I say he underachieved. In any other game, Everett pulls down two scores in a runaway Seahawks win.

Now for the fun part – the overachiever! Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf certainly had great games, but they’re supposed to do that. Same for Russell Wilson – although compared to his last few outings, he definitely overachieved. Rashaad Penny belongs to that category as well. He finally had a decent game; huzzah. He was a first-round pick.

This game should be the least we get from him. I’ll throw in Carlos Dunlap too. He made two huge plays, a safety-sack and breaking up a Garafalo pass to preserve the Seahawks victory. We saw this from him a lot in 2020. He was great, but I can’t say he overachieved.

No, the overachiever has to go to a sixth-round pick now in his third year with the Seahawks. He’s only had one start, and typically been the third back in the rotation, if that. He’s only touched the ball 110 times in 36 games, and that includes special teams play. Special teams is your hint, if you hadn’t figured out I was talking about Travis Homer.

Imagine this, 12s. You’re the third-string back. Your team is so desperate for backfield help they sign a guy who’d been cut three times already this year (more about Adrian Peterson another time). Here you are on the punting unit, as your offense has stalled again. And you have the stones to call for a direct snap because you see a chance to pick up the first down.

Did I mention your team is 3-8, that this game is against your biggest historical rival, and that if you don’t get the first down, those other guys will get the ball inside your 30?

Yeah, that’s what Travis Homer did. I know, the Hawks practiced this exact play this week. They were primed to look for it, but still. The fact Homer took the snap on a three-yard touchdown run certainly helps, right? I just love the fact that even in these circumstances, Travis Homer took “Always Compete” and made it a reality.

Yeah, I suppose I should mention that on another punt, he recovered a fumble forced by special teams captain Nick Bellore. Oh, and maybe I should add that he converted on fourth down in the red zone, too. Not his fault that the underachiever made another untimely appearance there.

I have no doubt that Gerald Everett will bounce back and make the plays we expect to see from him. Nor do I have any doubt that Travis Homer had the game of his Seahawks life. Fear not, 12s. I believe even better games are coming for him.