Seahawks Week 8 Roundup: What in the World Just Happened?

The Seahawks had one of the wildest weeks in recent memory, edging the Houston Texans 41-38 in the game of the year and making a big trade. Let’s sort all this out.

First of all, if you missed the Seahawks Week 8 victory over Houston, I encourage you to find a replay of that game somewhere and give it a watch. It was the best game of the year in the NFL from a lead-change and offensive excitement standpoint, and it showed two of the best quarterback performances in a single game ever.

Both Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and Seahawks QB Russell Wilson racked up over 450 yards of offense, leading their respective teams in rushing while throwing four touchdowns apiece. The statistics in this game were insane. Watson became the first player in the NFL to throw for 400+ yards and four touchdowns and run for 50+ yards in the same game. The first player EVER to do that in a game. In Seattle. Against the Legion of Boom.

I am already dreading the next time the Seahawks face Watson four years from now. I’d much rather watch him against other teams, because he looks like a future star for years to come in the NFL.

Watson torched the LOB on Sunday, throwing two deep touchdown bombs to Will Fuller, and letting DeAndre Hopkins (who caught eight balls for 224 yards) run past the entire Seahawks defense on a go-ahead 71-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The LOB simply had no answer for the rookie out of Clemson and his impressive array of receivers. Pretty good for “inmates.”

Good thing the Seahawks also have an elite quarterback in Wilson, who matched Watson every step of the way. It was a game that felt like whoever had the ball last would win. Watson was intercepted by Richard Sherman (his second on the day–although he was beaten by Hopkins on a number of occasions) in the waning seconds (thank God), but I don’t doubt he would have scored again if he had more time.

More from Emerald City Swagger

• Seattle Seahawks: To rest or not to rest, that is the question
• Washington State Football: What you need to know for 2018 Alamo Bowl
• Washington Basketball: 3 takeaways from Huskies win over Sacramento St.
• Seattle Seahawks: 12s still waiting to exhale
• Seattle Seahawks: 4 Takeaways from 26-23 Loss to the 49ers

In a shoot-out, it was ultimately the Texans’ defense that finally gave up the ghost. Houston was worn out by Wilson, allowing tight end Jimmy Graham to run free up the seam for the game-winning touchdown with 22 seconds remaining.

The Seahawks Make a Trade

In other news, the Seahawks traded cornerback Jeremy Lane, a 2018 fifth-round pick, and a 2019 second-round pick for Houston left tackle Duane Brown, a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro selection. Brown will take over for Rees Odhiambo, who, despite signs of improvement, still struggled with consistency protecting Wilson’s blind side.

The Seahawks obviously paid a high price in draft picks and Lane, a normally-solid nickel corner who’s struggled this year, for Brown, but Wilson needs protection, and if Week 8 was any indication, Wilson needs to be able to carry this team at times this season. Now he has some help.

Next: Seahawks Matchup Spotlight: Deshaun Watson

Wilson recognized the investment made by Seahawks General Manager John Schneider, who said the team will inherit Brown’s contract, which pays him a total of $9.4 million this year, of which Houston has already paid about half. He reworked his own contract to clear cap space for Brown.