When looking at this game before Sunday, there wasn't necessarily a clear winner and loser, but momentum seemed to be on the Seattle Seahawks side. They had just beaten the Eagles in an exciting upset and looked like they could add another just one week later.
The Titans' future seemed a bit more uncertain, as rookie quarterback Will Levis had brought some excitement to the team since he took over under center earlier in the season for Ryan Tannehill but was sidelined for this game due to an ankle injury. Historically, a starting quarterback being benched for a younger player never sat well with the veteran, and when given the opportunity again, they did all they could to prove why they deserved to be the QB1 again.
That could've been added motivation for Tannehill on Sunday, but his performance didn't do much to change Mike Vrabel's mind. Most of that can be attributed to the Seahawk's constant pressure from the defensive line, making the quarterback's job much more difficult, which was a nice change of pace after Jalen Hurts left last week's game without being touched with a fingertip.
Fortunately, the Seahawks knew the assignment and successfully continued their exciting winning streak by taking it down to the wire and leaving Tennessee with a record-breaking victory.
It was the Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba show
Although Geno Smith and Drew Lock have been able to utilize most of their pass catchers this season in every game, it seems like one receiver is the dominant one leading the game, and that changes week to week.
That changed on Sunday, as Lockett, Metcalf, and Smith-Njigba were heavily involved with the game plan and stepped up to the plate when needed. Altogether, they recorded 198 of the 227 receiving yards, plus a nice touchdown from Metcalf. It was very much a collaborative effort that may not have gone the same way had one of them made even the slightest mistake.
It goes to show how well put together the offensive skill positions have been, having three reliable and game-changing receivers for the quarterbacks to play with and soon for the team to build around.
Hopefully, that type of production will continue over the last two games of the season, as both look like they could be wins for Seattle and help their postseason chances even more.
Defensive line made Ryan Tannehill's day very uncomfortable
Following up a forgettable performance against Jalen Hurts last week, the Seahawks' defensive line brought the heat to Ryan Tannehill all game long. Although they made the task at hand more uncomfortable for the quarterback, the pressure didn't lead to any interceptions, which certainly would've been the cherry on top of a very good performance from the defense.
But what they were able to do was bring him to the ground with eight quarterback hits and totaled six sacks for a loss of 39 yards. Considering they couldn't get anywhere near Hurts in Week 15, it was a significant improvement and a much-needed accomplishment.
With guys like Kenny Pickett/Mason Rudolph/Mitch Trubisky, and Kyler Murray left on the schedule, it would be great to see this effort to disrupt the quarterback to remain a big part of the defensive effort, especially against a player with a skill set of Murray's.
The inconsistency of the run game continues to be a concern
It's been a very up-and-down season for the Seattle running backs, with an injury to Kenneth Walker III playing a role in the roller coaster ride. Although they're not a team that needs to rely on the run game because of the talent they have at receiver, inconsistent production from the running backs makes game planning a bit more challenging to figure out.
In this game against the Titans, Walker was the leading rusher, totaling 16 carries for 54 yards. Is the player just behind him on the stat sheet? Geno Smith had one rush for two yards. This made the average yards per carry a measly 2.9, which will not help you win football games in the long run.
Last week with the Eagles in town, it was a much better showing from Walker and Zach Charbonnet, as they recorded 23 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown.
The game before that against the 49ers was similar, but the unreliability of consistency could become a more significant issue in the postseason, and that's when you need to have a stable run game the most.
Seattle broke a 24-year old record due to how they won their last two games
Exciting and unexpected wins are always fun to watch and celebrate, but they're a bit more fun when they're also record-breaking.
After beating the Eagles with a 10-play, 92-yard scoring drive to leave just 28 seconds left in the game and the defense snagging an interception to seal the win, the Seahawks had a bit of deja vu in Tennessee as their win unfolded very similarly.
Falling behind 17-13 with just over three minutes left to go, Geno Smith led the offense down the field 75 yards in 14 plays to put them in the lead, leaving just 57 seconds on the clock for the Titans to tie it or win the game. They weren't able to do either, allowing the Seahawks to win and break a 24-year record because of it.
CBS Sports reported their performance made them the "first team in 24 years and just the second team in NFL history to have a different player throw a game-winning TD pass in the final minute of regulation in back-to-back weeks."
It's a bonus gift for all the 12s on this very merry Christmas!