Seattle Seahawks vs Houston Texans: Hawks Rally Overwhelms Texans 23-20 in OT
By Matthew Gray
HOUSTON — Steven Hauschka kicked a 45-yard field goal in overtime to give the Seattle Seahawks a 23-20 win Sunday over the Houston Texans and the first 4-0 start in franchise history.
This was a gut check contest for the Seahawks, who refused to break serve, and popped off 20 unanswered points in the second half. In a contest that pulled out the best in every player on the field, the Seahawks defense showed why they are best.
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Houston (2-2) got hit by the “Legion of Boom”, and could not score on two possessions in overtime. The Seahawks locked up the victory on their second drive in overtime, after rallying from a 20-3 deficit.
A vital play on the winning drive came when Doug Baldwin caught a 7-yard pass, and Kareem Jackson was penalized for unnecessary roughness for body slamming him to the ground. That put Seattle in field goal range, and Hauschka’s kick came four plays later.
The NFL’s preeminent defense detained Houston’s offense to n points after halftime. It was Hauschka’s 48-yard field goal however, that put Seattle up 3-0 in the first quarter.
Houston’s Matt Schaub threw for 355 yards and two touchdowns, but also had two interceptions and recorded a pitiful overtime performance.
The Texans punted on their first trip down field and Schaub was intercepted on the second drive. The pickoff was a wild play: the throw was first mishandled and repelled by Daniels, and then sprang off two Seahawks before Earl Thomas snatched it just inches from the earth.
The Texans lead 7-3 when Garrett Graham sprinted safe and sound into the end zone on a 31-yard reception from Schaub. They stretched the lead on a 5-yard touchdown reception by Arian Foster. Tate had a 22-yard rush early in that drive and Daniels clutched a 21-yard reception on third-and-6 to keep it alive.
Cushing forced a fumble by Lynch on Seattle’s first play after Houston’s touchdown and Terrell McClain recovered. Houston then kicked a 22-yard field goal after the offense slowed down, making it 17-3.
Randy Bullock tacked on another field goal at the close of the second quarter for a 20-3 lead at halftime.
Ben Tate coughed up the ball in the third quarter, resulting in Seahawks ball on the Houston 21. But they couldn’t bring about even 1 yard, before Hauschka was relegated to a 39-yard field goal to scratch the lead to 20-6.
The Seahawks systematically traversed downfield with a 14-play, 98-yard drive crowned by a 3-yard scurry by Marshawn Lynch to get within 20-13 in the fourth quarter. They were moving the chains again when Johnathan Joseph strode in front of a pass planned for Jermaine Kearse to give Houston the ball before Schaub’s pricey interception.
Sherman intercepted a pass for Owen Daniels and brought it back 58 yards to tie it 20-20 with less than three minutes remaining. Schaub was knocked down as he threw the pass, and stayed on the grass on his hands and knees, pounding the ground with his dukes, as Sherman became the third player to return one of his passes for a touchdown this season.
Wilson ended with 123 yards passing and a touchdown, and Marshawn Lynch was game with 98 yards rushing and another score.
The Seahawks face the Colts next week at Lucas Oil Stadium for a chance to extend the team’s record start to 5-0.