SEATTLE – Many came to Lumen Field Monday night hoping to celebrate two victories.
They sadly got just one.
And they had to endure a bit more torture then felt like was necessary to even get that one as a mistake-filled Seahawks offense kept giving Houston life every time they seemed on the verge of turning it into a rout.
Finally, the Seahawks held on for a 27-19 win over Houston in a game that lasted almost three-and-a-half hours. And that was on top of the latest regular-season kickoff in team history at 7 p.m. on Monday Night Football.
And they had to thank for it a Seahawks defense that was mostly dominating and mostly able to turn back the Houston offense time and again after the Seahawks offense kept providing chances.
The Seahawks offense, while mistake-prone and unable to put the game away easily at the end, scored more points than the Texans had allowed all season — they came into the game leading the NFL giving up an average of just 12.2 per game.
Along the way, the Seahawks showed that they can beat a good team at home — now 2-2 at Lumen Field this season — while improving to 5-2 on the season with their fifth win in their last six games since a season-opening defeat to the 49ers. That allowed them to remain in a three-way tie with the 49ers and Rams atop the NFC West and allowed them to join three other NFC teams that also lead the conference with 5-2 records (the Eagles, Bucs and Lions).
All have 71.4% winning percentages, officially just behind the 4-1-1 Green Bay Packers, who are at 75%.
The Seahawks defense also mostly played like one that can allow the Seahawks to feel like as much of a much of a contender as anyone else in the NFC.
The Seahawks held the Texans to just 56 rushing yards on 17 attempts, sacked QB C.J. Stroud three times and hit him seven other times.
The defense allowed only two Ka’imi Fairbairn field goals through three quarters before a sloppy fourth-quarter in which the Texans began series at their own 46, 48 and midfield.
Until then, Houston’s only touchdown came on a Sam Darnold fumble in the third quarter in the end zone recovered by Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. in the third quarter.
The offense, meanwhile, scored touchdowns on its second and third possessions to take a 14-0 lead that Houston cut into some — in large part due to Seattle mistakes — but could never overcome.
The Texans had one last shot to make it a game after yet another strange play in a game full of them. A Darnold pass intended for tight end AJ Barner was instead intercepted by Houston’s Derek Stingley Jr. He returned the ball from the Houston 46 to the Seattle 38 where Smith-Njigba tried to push him out of bounds. Stingley responded by stiff-arming Smith-Njigba in the helmet and forcing his helmet off. Smith-Njigba was then pushed unto a sittugn position on Houston’s bench as players on both sides converged. Seattle receiver Cooper Kupp helped shield Smith-Njigba, who nonchalantly readjusted his headband.
Stingley was called for a personal foul after the dust cleared.
Houston then moved to the one.
But the Texans were called for a false start that nullified a run that would have been stopped short, and then Stroud threw incomplete from the six.
Seattle’s offense couldn’t run the clock out and Houston got the ball back at the 50 with 4:34 left.
This time, the Seattle defense bent with the Texans cutting the lead to 27-19 on Stroud’s four-yard TD pass to Woody Marks with 2:04 left.
Houston never got the ball back as a personal foul on Houston’s E.J. Speed allowed Seattle to finally run the clock out.
The game began with an electric atmosphere with the Mariners playing for the right to go to the World Series. The game was shown on video boards as the Seahawks were warming up and cheers could be heard when the Mariners scored.
There was even a cheer at the coin toss, held just as Vladimir Guererro struck out in the sixth inning.
But shortly after came George Springer’s homer, and the at 8:01 p.m. the official end of baseball season in Seattle, and the only cheers left were for the Seahawks.
Seattle took over at the Houston 44 on its second possession of the game following a Texans punt that snapped from the 1-yard-line. That followed a Uchenna Nwosu sack of Stroud for an 18-yard loss that initially appeared to be a safety.
On the second play, Darnold hit rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo for 27 yards, then hit him for another 8 two plays later to set up a one-yard scoring run by Zach Charbonnet, who was aided greatly by teammates across the goal line to put Seattle ahead 7-0.
After Seattle’s defense forced a three-and-out, the Seahawks took over at their own 20 and marched 80 yards in 10 plays to take a 14-0 lead on an 11-yard pass from Darnold to Smith-Njigba.
The drive was kept alive by a two-yard run by tight end AJ Barner on a fourth-and-one from the Houston 39, as well as a penalty for a late hit on Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair on Darnold after a three-yard run on third-and-11.
Darnold hit Smith-Njigba for the TD on the next play.
The game then turned ragged with penalties, turnovers — one on an interception thrown by receiver Cooper Kupp on a trick play — a blocked field and other assorted adventures that created a few moments of angst for the home fans, many already bedraggled by the Mariners loss.
Still, Seattle seemed on the verge of a comfortable win, holding a 27-12 lead after the third quarter.
But four straight Seattle offensive possessions that turned into either three-and-outs or turnovers kept the game just angst-ridden enough.