Sunday 8 January 2017 12:00, UK
Paul Richardson made two spectacular one-handed catches as the Seattle Seahawks beat the Detroit Lions 26-6 at home. Thomas Rawls rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown, setting two franchise records in the process, while the wait for play-off victory goes on for Lions fans.
In 140 Characters...
The Seahawks dominated defensively and on the run, while three spectacular catches helped advance them to the NFC divisional round.
MVP
Thomas Rawls was simply unstoppable. His 161 rushing yards set a franchise record - eclipsing Marshawn Lynch's previous play-off best of 157 - and he added a touchdown in the fourth quarter, to take the game beyond Detroit's reach.
Game-changer
With the Lions' typical fourth quarter comeback looking possible, Russell Wilson connected with Doug Baldwin deep left for a 42-yard gain, to set up Rawl's score and take the wind out of Detroit's attack.
Stat of the night
107 - Rawls became the first running back in Seahawks franchise history to rush for more than 100 yards in the first half of a play-off game.
The game
It took until the second quarter for a score, but it was worth the wait as quarterback Wilson found wide receiver Paul Richardson on fourth down, for the two-yard score. Under heavy pressure in the corner of the end zone, Richardson managed to grab the ball one-handed and cling on, for a touchdown that will be in the race for catch of the year.
Seattle added a 43-yard field goal soon after, but the Lions had to wait until the final minute before they got on the board. Matt Prater converted a 51-yard kick, cutting the lead to seven points going into half time.
Prater made it 10-6 with another kick early in the third quarter, but it was Seattle that took charge of the final period, adding 16 points without reply. Steven Hauschka added his second field goal of the game, before Rawls capped a fine performance with a rushing TD.
Wilson led an eight-play, 82-yard drive, locating Baldwin on the sideline for 42 yards, before Rawls finished the series with a four-yard run. It was the running back's best performance of the season, consistently exploiting the holes in Detroit's defensive line.
The Seahawks then scored again on their next possession, as Richardson made his second one-handed catch of the night on the right-hand sideline, for a 27-yard gain. Wilson then looked for Baldwin, who made an athletic catch of his own, keeping the ball off the floor by pinning it against his legs. It was Baldwin who completed the drive with a 13-yard touchdown catch, leaping into the end zone ahead of fellow receiver Jermaine Kearse.
Detroit struggled to assert any authority on the game, coming up second best in every area. The defence did register three sacks on Wilson, but couldn't take advantage of those plays.
It will now be a road trip to Atlanta for head coach Pete Carroll and Seattle, who will take on the Falcons next weekend. Though the defence looked impressive tonight, it will be a different level when they face the league's highest-scoring offence, and a quarterback in Matt Ryan that is a front-runner for regular season MVP.
