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December-31st-2007, 07:49 AM
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
P-I REPORTER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/345484_hawk31.html?source=mypi
ATLANTA -- The Seahawks offense rolled up a season-high 501 yards and scored five touchdowns. Josh Brown kicked field goals from 54 and 51 yards. Nate Burleson caught seven passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Maurice Morris had 109 combined yards and a score.
And the Seahawks lost, 44-41, to an Atlanta Falcons team that hadn't scored this many points since hanging 51 on the Carolina Panthers in Week 5 of the 1998 season.
The Falcons were wrapping up a pretty pointless 4-12 season that began with regionally iconic quarterback Michael Vick being sentenced to 23 months in jail on dogfighting charges. More recently, first-year coach Bobby Petrino bolted for the University of Arkansas with three games remaining.
No wonder Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren looked capable of snapping a railroad tie with his clenched jaw for most of Sunday afternoon at the Georgia Dome.
A complete defensive meltdown, and offensive letdowns at the most inopportune times, were not what anyone had in mind as the Seahawks took their regular-season show on the road one last time before hosting the Washington Redskins in the first round of the NFL playoffs Saturday at Qwest Field.
"I was disappointed we didn't win the game," Holmgren said. "It's a hard game to play. We had our chances, but we got a little sloppy."
Everyone attempted to put a positive spin on a day that spun totally out of control as the Falcons scored 24 fourth-quarter points -- including two touchdowns in an 82-second span.
"This wasn't exactly what we wanted," Burleson said. "But at the same time, there are some things we can take away from this game that we did well.
"The playoffs are a one-game season. So when the playoffs start it really doesn't matter. We just didn't get it done today."
But a team that had won five games in a row to climb to 9-4 now has lost two of its past three -- to bottom-feeder teams and quarterbacks who never were expected to play this season -- to finish 10-6.
Three weeks ago, it was Matt Moore, the former Oregon State QB who was making his first NFL start, who led a seven-win Carolina Panthers team to a 13-10 win over the Seahawks in Charlotte, N.C.
Sunday, it was Chris Redman, who last played in the league in 2003 before being forced into the lineup for the Falcons this month.
Against a Seahawks defense that entered the game with a chance to set franchise record for fewest points in a season, Redman was a record-wrecker. He passed for four touchdowns while fashioning a 132.9 passer rating.
"Chris was outstanding," said Emmitt Thomas, who stepped in as Falcons coach when Petrino bolted. "When he gets the protection from his offensive line he can throw the football. We were able to keep the pressure to a minimum for the most part today, and he threw the ball extremely well."
The Seahawks also had their moments.
After linebacker Leroy Hill stoned Jason Snelling for a 2-yard loss on fourth down to end the Falcons' third possession, it seemed like this game would go by the book -- Holmgren would play his starters long enough to get a lead, then throttle back to avoid getting anyone injured.
Instead, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck spent most of the third quarter on the sideline with his right wrist bandaged, and the Falcons went on a big-play spree.
Hasselbeck was scheduled to give way to backup Seneca Wallace in the second half anyway, but all the attention he was receiving from the team doctors and trainers cloaked the Falcons' blitzkrieg in an oh-no shroud.
"I'm OK. I banged my wrist a little bit early in the second quarter," Hasselbeck said. "I would definitely anticipate not missing any practice time this week."
While Hasselbeck was getting X-rays and extra attention, the defense was getting slapped around.
The Falcons scored on the first play of the fourth quarter, on Redman's 55-yard pass to tight end Alge Crumpler -- the younger brother of former Seahawks tight end Carlester. Wallace fumbled on the next play, as defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux -- the brother of Seahawks defensive back Jordan -- slapped the ball from his hand. The Falcons recovered at the Seahawks 19-yard line, and scored three plays later -- on another Redman-to-Crumpler pass.
On the Seahawks' next play, Wallace was intercepted by safety Chris Crocker, and on the Falcons' next play, Redman threw another TD pass -- this time to Roddy White, who beat Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant.
Five offensive plays, three TD passes, a 41-27 lead.
"The turnovers, those always hurt you," said Wallace, who had thrown only six passes in the Seahawks' first 15 games but was 17 of 22 for 206 yards and two touchdowns in his second-half stint. "We basically gave them 14 points."
Wallace rallied the Seahawks, but it was too little, too late. Especially for a team that is heading to the playoffs.
"There definitely were some positives," Hasselbeck said. "Losing the game hurts, but it's time to go. It's playoff time. This is what we've been preparing for and waiting for. And here it is."
P-I REPORTER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/345484_hawk31.html?source=mypi
ATLANTA -- The Seahawks offense rolled up a season-high 501 yards and scored five touchdowns. Josh Brown kicked field goals from 54 and 51 yards. Nate Burleson caught seven passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Maurice Morris had 109 combined yards and a score.
And the Seahawks lost, 44-41, to an Atlanta Falcons team that hadn't scored this many points since hanging 51 on the Carolina Panthers in Week 5 of the 1998 season.
The Falcons were wrapping up a pretty pointless 4-12 season that began with regionally iconic quarterback Michael Vick being sentenced to 23 months in jail on dogfighting charges. More recently, first-year coach Bobby Petrino bolted for the University of Arkansas with three games remaining.
No wonder Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren looked capable of snapping a railroad tie with his clenched jaw for most of Sunday afternoon at the Georgia Dome.
A complete defensive meltdown, and offensive letdowns at the most inopportune times, were not what anyone had in mind as the Seahawks took their regular-season show on the road one last time before hosting the Washington Redskins in the first round of the NFL playoffs Saturday at Qwest Field.
"I was disappointed we didn't win the game," Holmgren said. "It's a hard game to play. We had our chances, but we got a little sloppy."
Everyone attempted to put a positive spin on a day that spun totally out of control as the Falcons scored 24 fourth-quarter points -- including two touchdowns in an 82-second span.
"This wasn't exactly what we wanted," Burleson said. "But at the same time, there are some things we can take away from this game that we did well.
"The playoffs are a one-game season. So when the playoffs start it really doesn't matter. We just didn't get it done today."
But a team that had won five games in a row to climb to 9-4 now has lost two of its past three -- to bottom-feeder teams and quarterbacks who never were expected to play this season -- to finish 10-6.
Three weeks ago, it was Matt Moore, the former Oregon State QB who was making his first NFL start, who led a seven-win Carolina Panthers team to a 13-10 win over the Seahawks in Charlotte, N.C.
Sunday, it was Chris Redman, who last played in the league in 2003 before being forced into the lineup for the Falcons this month.
Against a Seahawks defense that entered the game with a chance to set franchise record for fewest points in a season, Redman was a record-wrecker. He passed for four touchdowns while fashioning a 132.9 passer rating.
"Chris was outstanding," said Emmitt Thomas, who stepped in as Falcons coach when Petrino bolted. "When he gets the protection from his offensive line he can throw the football. We were able to keep the pressure to a minimum for the most part today, and he threw the ball extremely well."
The Seahawks also had their moments.
After linebacker Leroy Hill stoned Jason Snelling for a 2-yard loss on fourth down to end the Falcons' third possession, it seemed like this game would go by the book -- Holmgren would play his starters long enough to get a lead, then throttle back to avoid getting anyone injured.
Instead, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck spent most of the third quarter on the sideline with his right wrist bandaged, and the Falcons went on a big-play spree.
Hasselbeck was scheduled to give way to backup Seneca Wallace in the second half anyway, but all the attention he was receiving from the team doctors and trainers cloaked the Falcons' blitzkrieg in an oh-no shroud.
"I'm OK. I banged my wrist a little bit early in the second quarter," Hasselbeck said. "I would definitely anticipate not missing any practice time this week."
While Hasselbeck was getting X-rays and extra attention, the defense was getting slapped around.
The Falcons scored on the first play of the fourth quarter, on Redman's 55-yard pass to tight end Alge Crumpler -- the younger brother of former Seahawks tight end Carlester. Wallace fumbled on the next play, as defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux -- the brother of Seahawks defensive back Jordan -- slapped the ball from his hand. The Falcons recovered at the Seahawks 19-yard line, and scored three plays later -- on another Redman-to-Crumpler pass.
On the Seahawks' next play, Wallace was intercepted by safety Chris Crocker, and on the Falcons' next play, Redman threw another TD pass -- this time to Roddy White, who beat Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant.
Five offensive plays, three TD passes, a 41-27 lead.
"The turnovers, those always hurt you," said Wallace, who had thrown only six passes in the Seahawks' first 15 games but was 17 of 22 for 206 yards and two touchdowns in his second-half stint. "We basically gave them 14 points."
Wallace rallied the Seahawks, but it was too little, too late. Especially for a team that is heading to the playoffs.
"There definitely were some positives," Hasselbeck said. "Losing the game hurts, but it's time to go. It's playoff time. This is what we've been preparing for and waiting for. And here it is."