GREEN BAY, Wis.—The comeback came up short, and the Seahawks saw their season come to an end Sunday night at Lambeau Field, falling 28-23 to the Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Seattle proved to be resilient after falling behind early, but they couldn't get the final score they needed to complete the comeback. Here are six rapid reactions to a season-ending loss.
1. The Seahawks showed once again that they're never out of a game.
While the Seahawks weren't able to escape Green Bay with a win, what they did show once again is how resilient they are even when things aren't going their way for much of a game.
The Packers led 21-3 at halftime, but rather than let the game get away from them, the Seahawks battled back, scoring touchdowns on their first three possessions of the second half to turn a three-score deficit into a five-point game.
Seattle's fourth possession of the half unfortunately didn't end in a score, and after the Seahawks punted, the Packers came up with a couple of big third-down conversions to run out the clock.
2. Third down was a problem for Seattle.
The Seahawks offense started the game going 0 for 4 on third down, and as a result the Seahawks managed just a field goal in the first half. The offense did get better in the second half, but the Seahawks defense had a tough time stopping the Packers on third down all game long.
The Packers finished the game 9 for 14 on third down, and were 6 for 8 following their third-quarter drive that gave them a 28-10 lead. The Packers also converted on third-and-8 and third-and-10 on their final drive to run out the clock. The Packers also scored their first three touchdowns on third down.
3. Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett were dialed in.
A big reason why the Seahawks were able to get back into the game was the play of Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett, who both had had big games.
As was the case last week, Wilson put up big numbers passing and running, completing 21 of 31 attempts for 277 yards and a score, giving him a 106.5 passer rating. Wilson also rushed for a team-high 64 yards on seven carries, his most rushing yards since week 10 of the 2018 season.
Lockett, meanwhile, had 9 catches for 136 yards and a touchdown.
4. Shaquem Griffin picked a heck of a moment to get his first career sack.
With the Seahawks needing a third-down stop in a big way late in the fourth quarter, Shaquem Griffin came up with the moment of his young NFL career, getting free on a stunt to sack Aaron Rodgers. That sack forced the Packers to punt, though Seattle's offense was unable to put together the go-ahead drive they needed. Making the play even better for Griffin was that his twin brother, Shaquill, was blitzing and got to Rodgers just after Shaquem, allowing the brothers to celebrate a big moment together.
5. Aaron Rodgers to Davante Adams was a problem for Seattle's defense.
The Seahawks did a pretty good job against one of Green Bay's top weapons, holding running back Aaron Jones to just 62 yards on 21 carries, 23 of which came on his first touch of the game, but what didn't go as well for Seattle's defense was its attempts to stop Aaron Rodgers from throwing to Davante Adams.
Adams, who was Green Bay's leading receiver in 2019 by a wide margin, caught 8 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns, including a 40-yard catch and run in the third quarter. That score gave the Packers some insurance points they would end up needing thanks to the Seahawks' comeback that made it a one-score game. Adams also had a 32-yard catch on third-and-8 late in the game that helped the Packers put the game away.
6. Marshawn Lynch moving up the list.
While there wasn't a lot of running room for Marshawn Lynch in this game—he was held to 26 yards on 12 carries, Lynch did score a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs, the 11th and 12th postseason touchdown run of his career.
Lynch is now tied with a pair of Pro Football Hall of Fame backs, Terrell Davis and John Riggins, for the fourth most postseason rushing touchdowns in NFL history. The three players ahead of them are also all in the Hall of Fame: Emmitt Smith (19), Franco Harris (16), Thurman Thomas (16).
