Lions top Seahawks 28-24 with 20 seconds left
DETROIT (AP) — The Seahawks had a great shot to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time this year.
Seattle's defense, though, couldn't make a stop when one was needed.
Titus Young caught his second touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford on a 1-yard slant with 20 seconds left, lifting the Detroit Lions to a 28-24 win over Seattle on Sunday.
"We as a defense have to come up and make those plays," Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said. "The game was on us and we failed to make those plays."
Seattle's offense did its part.
The Seahawks went ahead 24-21 with 5:27 left when Zach Miller made a spectacular, 16-yard catch on a toss from Russell Wilson.
But Seattle (4-4) couldn't stop the Lions (3-4) on their last possession or hold them to a field goal that would've extended the game to overtime.
"We're disappointed that after that terrific drive, we couldn't finish it off the way we wanted to," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. "We didn't get the stops on third down."
That was a problem for the Seahawks all afternoon, giving up first downs on 12 of 16 third downs on defense, including three on Detroit's last drive.
"They kind of were able to do what they wanted to do," Carroll said. "They had a huge day on third down. Any one of those you stop and it's a different game."
Stafford led the game-winning, 16-play possession that started at the Detroit 20. The drive began with a 15-yard pass to Calvin Johnson and was kept alive with third-down conversion passes to Johnson in Lions territory and to Joique Bell that set up the winning score from just outside the goal line on another third down.
After Stafford had to throw two passes away to avoid sacks, Young broke inside of cornerback Brandon Browner and caught the winning TD pass.
"It was a bang-bang play," Browner said. "It was a good throw-and-catch play."
Burleson broke his right leg in Monday night's loss at Chicago, pushing Young up the depth chart. The second-year pro took advantage of his shot to get more involved with an offense that has fallen short of expectations. Young, who caught a go-ahead TD midway through the second quarter, set career highs with nine receptions and 100 yards receiving.
"Titus stepped up in a big way for them," Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said. "He got over the top a couple of times and caught the game-winner. I think they're going to be looking for him a lot more now."
Stafford was 34 of 49 for 352 yards with three TDs, also connecting with rookie Ryan Broyles in the end zone at the end of the first quarter. The quarterback also ran for a 1-yard TD that gave Detroit a lead early in the fourth period for the first time this year.
It looked like the Lions were going to blow it. The Seahawks went ahead when Wilson lobbed a pass into the end zone that a leaping Miller tipped to himself with his right hand and hauled in with both hands for the go-ahead TD.
Seattle, though, was the team that failed to hold onto the lead and ended up losing for the fourth time in five road games this year.
Wilson was 25 of 35 for 236 yards with two TDs and an interception. Marshawn Lynch ran just 12 times for 105 yards, including a career-high 77-yard run early in the second quarter for one of five lead changes in the closely contested game.
Sidney Rice had six receptions for 55 yards and a 9-yard score that put Seattle up 17-7 early in the second quarter.
Young's first score, catching a 46-yard pass in stride from Stafford, started Detroit's comeback on the ensuing possession. His second one sealed the much-needed victory for the Lions — and gave Seattle a disheartening defeat.
"Unfortunately, we're going to lose track of the great drive Russell led down there and the great catch Zach made, but that's the way it goes," Carroll said. "The game was ours to win.
"The offense did what it had to do and we just needed to get our stop and get out of here and it didn't happen."
NOTES: Seattle was without reserve WR Braylon Edwards and also had backup DE Jason Jones inactive. Edwards woke up with a swollen knee and the decision to leave him out was made after he tried to go through pregame warm-ups. "It came out of nowhere," Carroll said. ... Seahawks WR Golden Tate, who led the team with six receptions for 64 yards, had an ankle injury while WR Ben Obomanu (sprained wrist) and FB Michael Robinson (sprained wrist) were also hurt during the game.
Seattle's defense, though, couldn't make a stop when one was needed.
Titus Young caught his second touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford on a 1-yard slant with 20 seconds left, lifting the Detroit Lions to a 28-24 win over Seattle on Sunday.
"We as a defense have to come up and make those plays," Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said. "The game was on us and we failed to make those plays."
Seattle's offense did its part.
The Seahawks went ahead 24-21 with 5:27 left when Zach Miller made a spectacular, 16-yard catch on a toss from Russell Wilson.
But Seattle (4-4) couldn't stop the Lions (3-4) on their last possession or hold them to a field goal that would've extended the game to overtime.
"We're disappointed that after that terrific drive, we couldn't finish it off the way we wanted to," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. "We didn't get the stops on third down."
That was a problem for the Seahawks all afternoon, giving up first downs on 12 of 16 third downs on defense, including three on Detroit's last drive.
"They kind of were able to do what they wanted to do," Carroll said. "They had a huge day on third down. Any one of those you stop and it's a different game."
Stafford led the game-winning, 16-play possession that started at the Detroit 20. The drive began with a 15-yard pass to Calvin Johnson and was kept alive with third-down conversion passes to Johnson in Lions territory and to Joique Bell that set up the winning score from just outside the goal line on another third down.
After Stafford had to throw two passes away to avoid sacks, Young broke inside of cornerback Brandon Browner and caught the winning TD pass.
"It was a bang-bang play," Browner said. "It was a good throw-and-catch play."
Burleson broke his right leg in Monday night's loss at Chicago, pushing Young up the depth chart. The second-year pro took advantage of his shot to get more involved with an offense that has fallen short of expectations. Young, who caught a go-ahead TD midway through the second quarter, set career highs with nine receptions and 100 yards receiving.
"Titus stepped up in a big way for them," Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said. "He got over the top a couple of times and caught the game-winner. I think they're going to be looking for him a lot more now."
Stafford was 34 of 49 for 352 yards with three TDs, also connecting with rookie Ryan Broyles in the end zone at the end of the first quarter. The quarterback also ran for a 1-yard TD that gave Detroit a lead early in the fourth period for the first time this year.
It looked like the Lions were going to blow it. The Seahawks went ahead when Wilson lobbed a pass into the end zone that a leaping Miller tipped to himself with his right hand and hauled in with both hands for the go-ahead TD.
Seattle, though, was the team that failed to hold onto the lead and ended up losing for the fourth time in five road games this year.
Wilson was 25 of 35 for 236 yards with two TDs and an interception. Marshawn Lynch ran just 12 times for 105 yards, including a career-high 77-yard run early in the second quarter for one of five lead changes in the closely contested game.
Sidney Rice had six receptions for 55 yards and a 9-yard score that put Seattle up 17-7 early in the second quarter.
Young's first score, catching a 46-yard pass in stride from Stafford, started Detroit's comeback on the ensuing possession. His second one sealed the much-needed victory for the Lions — and gave Seattle a disheartening defeat.
"Unfortunately, we're going to lose track of the great drive Russell led down there and the great catch Zach made, but that's the way it goes," Carroll said. "The game was ours to win.
"The offense did what it had to do and we just needed to get our stop and get out of here and it didn't happen."
NOTES: Seattle was without reserve WR Braylon Edwards and also had backup DE Jason Jones inactive. Edwards woke up with a swollen knee and the decision to leave him out was made after he tried to go through pregame warm-ups. "It came out of nowhere," Carroll said. ... Seahawks WR Golden Tate, who led the team with six receptions for 64 yards, had an ankle injury while WR Ben Obomanu (sprained wrist) and FB Michael Robinson (sprained wrist) were also hurt during the game.
The defense and offense both need to keep there head in the game. Stop trying to make the headlines bragging about who is better. It's a funny thing when you brag about who is better and make the headlines, then lose the game! Making the headlines as a silent winner is better than to make the headlines a bragging loser.
The games they have won were contentious to say the least; I definitely would not say that the Hawks are a strong team this year
I see a bunch of Stephan A. Smiths and Skip Bayless on these comments. What about believing in their ability and rooting for them to have a strong second half of the season to earn a playoff spot? We just went through a BRUTAL schedule and now we can coast for a bit with a bye week soon and all 3 division games at home.
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Geez louise let the guys do what they do and if they don't get it done in the next 2 months then be disappointed.
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Go Hawks!
 @eclector Hopefully coast to a few blowout victories at home!!!
Our D has been reading to much ESPN. Time to suck it up and return to the hard work ethic that got them where they were early in the season.
I said it last week and I'll say it this week......... Â CHOKE !!! Â Â Â 7-9 if we're lucky this season! Â I'm thinking more like 6-10. Â What is it with Seattle ????
 @theworldsamess HOW ABOUT 10-5 with one to spare????  Bandwagon f&ck!!
Losing sucks!!!! I hear you fans. Keep your head up high, because there is still 8 games to play. Go Seahawks!!
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Please build that NHL/NBA arena!
There goes the season. With the "win" that we got from Green Bay, we really should be 3-5. Wow.
@Ethan Allen Actually - a team with a high-dollar, high-profile coach should have shown considerable improvement -Â year, after year, after year.
I don't believe that's the case here.....
 @Ethan Allen For the love of god I'm so tired of hearing about the Green Bay game.
What WONDERFUL news! Keep it up Hawks!
Serious case of Schadenfreude.
Once again, the Seahawks snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Love my team, but for crying out loud guys, really? Year after year, we diehard fans endure ridicule for even ROOTING for you, and then THIS year, you give us freakin HOPE.........for a minute. GO HAWKS!!!!! Please? We Northwest fans NEED a REASON to keep buying tickets and $9 beers.
@Wolfen Beer is $9.00 at The Clink? Wow! I don't know what's more frieken' ridiculous - them charging $9.00, or those that give the concessioneers further encouragement by actually continuing to buy at that price.... Serious?Â
The Seahawks play a lot of close games that come down to execution at the end. They tend to win the close games at home (Packer fiasco notwithstanding). They tend to lose the close games on the road. (Okay, check that. They ALWAYS lose the close games on the road.)
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I heard a lot of unrealistically heady talk this week about 11-5 or even 12-4. But until they figure out how to win a road game, this is an 8-8 team.Â
 It's sad that no one gives us any respect for the amount of travel we have to endure being in the northwest. It's no wonder teams have so much trouble playing in Seattle, Were so far out there.
 @MVDad Sad but true. :{
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This one is all on the D. Wilson had a QB rating of 91 and threw for 2 TD's. Offense put 24 pts. on the board. That should be enough to win.
@nosunhere Well put!
 @mooneym20j201  @nosunhere I agree 100%. It seems like each game the Defense steps up, the offense sputters. In this case, it was the other way around. Hopefully they can eventually start getting good games on both sides of the ball. That was awful considering the Seahawks have been bragging about a top 5 defense. They looked very mediocre yesterday.
The offense isn't good enough to get a substantial lead for the defense to hold. Â Seems like they go uber conservative with any lead. Â The Hawk linebackers and secondary got torched all game long. Â I'm all for parity, but these low scoring and/or tight games have no margin for error and yet they bring all the excitement of a dial tone. Â Maybe the goal should be winning comfortably, not just barely surviving.
 @pbandjane Kind of like the Dallas game. Big key is to force turnovers and SCORE off those turnovers!
D?
How many sacks did we have? Bend, don't break? Looks broken to me.
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Our D can't stop anyone on 3rd down and our offense can't convert on 3rd down, that is a losing combo for any team.
Well put.
Wilson lacks the ability to throw consistently downfield and make plays. Guarding that is our college coach by limiting his throws. So when he gets a long completion it is a big thing. It is luck he completes anything downfield. I believe it is time for Flynn. Protecting Wilson and not allowing the passing game to open up is just not exciting. I find myself just as bored as the announcers sound describing the game on television.
 @wizard Wilson had a good game he was 25/35 200+ yds, 1 int , our D let us down this game. You really want Flynn? What will he do that Russell isn't?Â
Improvise! When you do what the coach says all the time, you get stuck in a rut and the coach isn't always right. When you actually start a play in motion, it doesn't always go as the coach said. Wilson does exactly what he is told, but the play doesn't go exactly as told. Flynn has more experience in knowing what to do when a play gets busted. Improvise and do something else and if you win the game that's what matters. Coaches forgive as long as your move made a W.
 @hinterland You are correct. When rookies do anything than what they are told they falter. Flynn watched a good QB in Green Bay makes remarkable plays improvising. He played a remarkable game and improvised a few times. How did he get so many touchdown passes in a single game without using his noggin and improvising what he has learned? Wilson has nothing under his belt in the NFL improvisation realm.
Trade mark that phrase! It'll soon be on towels in Pittsburgh, like the Terrible towels.
@wizard Like I said. Offense scored 24 points. This is on the finger waggling defense. Don't waggle if you can't dazzle.
 @wizard When rookies improvise that results in turnovers, Wilson has done a great job for a rookie and has kept us in all of our games so far. How much experience does Flynn have 2 games? With the best offense in football at the time, if you want an exciting offense watch Dallas and let me know how that is working.
@wizard We scored 24 points! How is that Wilson's fault. This Defense needs to step up and live up to its supposed reputation.
I never said the loss was Wilson's fault. I said it is boring to watch Wilson play and coach limiting his throws downfield. It is a boring offense to watch that doesn't score very often!
Optimus Prime! Where were you when Young burned you??? Enough of the finger waggling. Just try and actually stop them from catching a TD!!
 @mooneym20j201 He caught that ball against Browner, not Sherman.  Megatron was held to 3 catches for 46 yards.
And unfortunately, the race toward mediocrity continues.