Metcalf redeemed for blunder
Late touchdown makes up for early turnover on would-be score
SEATTLE — DK Metcalf made an unforgivable blunder by starting his celebration too soon, a textbook example of what not to do.
His coach told him so. So did his quarterback.
“He had that fluke play today and I told him, never do it again,” Russell Wilson said.
Given the chance to redeem himself, Metcalf came through in the final minutes and this time there was no question about the celebration. Metcalf caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Wilson with 1:47 remaining, and the Seattle Seahawks held off the Dallas Cowboys 38-31 on Sunday.
“The fact that he came back, of course he did. He’s such a great competitor,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.
Wilson threw five touchdown passes, setting a record for most scoring passes in the first three games of a season with 14. Patrick Mahomes threw for 13 TDS in three games to launch his MVP season in 2018. Wilson became the first QB to have at least four TD passes in each of the first three games.
Metcalf appeared to have a walk-in touchdown after hauling in a deep pass from Wilson late in the first quarter
But he was careless with the ball in the final few steps before the goal line, and cornerback Trevon Diggs came up from behind and knocked the ball free. It went out of the end zone for a touchback.
Instead of a touchdown and 16-3 lead, it was a 62-yard reception and a forgettable moment.
“The lesson learned will
help everybody and fortunately we overcame it and didn’t wreck the game for us,” Carroll said. “But it’s a terrible play. It really is because he’s got a touchdown, just finish it off, and he started celebrating too early.”
Metcalf was mostly quiet after his mistake as Tyler Lockett became the favorite target for Wilson. But when Seattle needed a big play late, Wilson floated a pass into the end zone for Metcalf.
Wilson was 27 of 40 for
315 yards. His latest bit of fourth-quarter magic ruined Dak Prescott’s attempt at a second straight major comeback.
“They made more key plays than we did,” Dallas coach Mike Mccarthy said. “We had a lot of production, but the
key plays in the game, I think you’ve got to give those guys credit.”
Prescott finished 37 of
57 for 472 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
He set career highs for yards and attempts.
“I want to make those throws and I want to have that opportunity,” Prescott said. “We’ve just got to be better starting with myself of converting those and making more of these one-score games wins for us.”
While Prescott became the latest QB to have a big day against Seattle’s leaky secondary, the Seahawks held Ezekiel Elliott in check.
Elliott finished with 34 yards rushing on 14 carries and scored on a 1-yard run in
the first half.
Lockett set a career high with three TD receptions and finished with nine catches for 100 yards. Lockett scored once from 43 yards out and twice from the 1-yard line. Jacob Hollister also had a 1-yard TD catch and made the reception on Seattle’s 2-point conversion after Metcalf’s TD.
“It’s just staying alive and staying open,” Lockett said. “We have a quarterback that can figure out a way to run around and just keep the play alive and you never know when he’s going to be able to give it to you.”
NEXT:
Browns at Cowboys, 10 a.m. Sunday. Seahawks at Dolphins, 10 a.m. Sunday.