For Pete's Sake: 5 critical observations from Seattle Seahawks Week 4 victory
The Hawks defense got even nastier in the third quarter
The Seahawks took the opening kickoff of the second half, and Geno Smith was back on the field. Seattle had a first down called back on an ineligible man downfield. Smith went right back to Lockett and picked up nine yards. On third and one, Lockett picked up 23 yards on a deep crossing route. Somehow, Geno Smith was called for unsportsmanlike conduct and 15 yards for taunting.
I have no way of knowing if it was a legitimate call because ESPN didn't bother to show the alleged infraction. I mean, it's only Monday night, so they only have, what, two cameras? Oh, sorry, it's as many as 49 cameras according to their own PR department. And if Troy Aikman had said, "C'mon, let's play football" one more time, I think my head would have exploded. How about, "C'mon, let's show football," ESPN. What trash.
Back to the game. It was still first down, though, and Walker picked up the 15 lost yards on his next carry up the gut. On the next play, Charbonnet played "Anything you can do, I can do" and ripped off a 15-yard run of his own. The Giants finally played defense and cut down Charbonnet for a one-yard loss. On second and 11, Tyler Lockett made another nine-yard grab.
The Giants managed to stuff Walker on third down, and Seattle went for it on fourth and one at the New York fifteen. Charbonnet couldn't haul in the pass, and the Giants took over on downs. The ball was behind the rookie, and the New York defender was able to break up the play. Gutsy call by Pete Carroll there. I'm still not sure if I like it, though. A chip-shot field goal would have put the Hawks up 17-3.
Regardless, it was the Giants ball. On first down, New York picked up three yards on a quick throw with Quandre Diggs on the stop. Daniel Jones barely avoided a sack on second down as he just got back to the line of scrimmage. It hardly mattered, as the Hawks swarmed him on third down. Boye Mafe flushed him out of the pocket and Bobby Wagner got the sack. Deejay Dallas fielded the punt at his 27 and ripped off a nice return all the way to the 50-yard line. New York got their, what, 35th penalty on special teams? That gave the Seahawks the ball at the Giants 40 with 7:25 left in the third quarter.
Charbonnet picked up five yards on first down, but Geno had another ball knocked down at the line of scrimmage on second down. Smith was able to avoid the sack by throwing the ball away on third and five. On fourth down, Jason Myers missed a 53-yard attempt wide right. The makeshift line was starting to show some fatigue, as the pocket collapsed on both the second and third down plays. Still, the Hawks should have been able to make something happen. And for that matter, Myers should have made the kick. It was a long kick, but definitely in his range.
On first down for New York, Witherspoon blitzed again and forced Jones to throw the ball away, barely avoiding the sack. Mario Edwards practically ripped Matt Breida's head off with a pretty brutal facemask. I have to admit, that was a good call by the stripers. Jones was flushed out of the pocket again and brought down after a one-yard scramble. The Giants had one of their best plays of the night on the next play on a nifty play fake.
Darrell Taylor bit on the fake handoff, and Jones picked up eight yards for the first. Sorry, but I'm really tired of Taylor's one-dimensional play. Okay, not sorry.
On second and nine, the Giants ran up the gut and got nothing. New York went for it on fourth and a long yard inside the Seattle 22. Jones scrambled and got all the way to the Hawks six-yard line. On the next play, he kept the ball and was dropped after a yard gain. On second and goal, Witherspoon capped a brilliant night by stepping in front of the Giants receiver at the three and took it to the house for six points. The crowd had clearly seen enough at that point as thousands headed for the exits. With 1:03 left in the third, it was Seahawks 21, Giants 3.