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Sunday 22nd January 2006 |
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I always liked that line in the film about today being the first day of the rest of your life and it certainly feels good to be a Seahawks fan starting a new life with a team that IS going to the Superbowl.
As game time approached I was having a mid-life crisis to match Kevin Spacey's in the film. Although I believed we would win I don't think I could have been more nervous. Well maybe I'll see about that in 13 days time, see if you're counting the days already then that's your first one chalked off!
The game could hardly have played out in a more perfect fashion. Everything we needed to do we did, everything we needed to stop the Panthers doing we stopped them. Could any Championship game be more comprehensive than having possession of the ball for almost 42 minutes?
If the Seahawks wanted the early psychological advantage then they got it with a play that will be remembered amongst the very best in Seahawks History. Who the hell is that lining up wide left? Seneca Wallace!!! Hass had plenty of protection and his pump fake timed to Seneca's own stop drew in Ken Lucas of all people and Seneca took off. Not gaining perhaps quite the separation he wanted he made a brilliant falling catch on the shoulder for a 28 yard gain.
With the crowd still throwing high fives, Hasselbeck found a leaping Jerramy Stevens in the endzone. He pulled in a good catch of a ball that was thrown high to avoid coverage that just wasn't there. 7-0 Seahawks.
On their 8 previous plays the Panthers had moved the ball a grand total of 4 yards. On their 9th they got 21 yards - all in the wrong direction as on 3rd down Lofa Tatupu dropped into coverage and picked off a pass intended for Steve Smith. It was a huge play so early in the game and he has almost achieved iconic status in his first season. As it was the Seahawks could only manage a field goal but we'd take the 10 point lead.
The Panthers finally got a first down thanks to a holding penalty on Andre Dyson then on their very next play Delhomme floated a woeful pass straight into the hands of Marquand Manuel. It just couldn't have been going any better but it did get better as Shaun Alexander broke off a 15 yard run then punched it in from the 1. The second quarter was 4 seconds old and the Seahawks were leading 17-zip as Kevin Cadle put it.
As if that wasn't enough the Panthers only serviceable running back, Nick Goings had been taken off after a fearsome helmet to helmet hit on Lofa Tatupu. Lofa played on but the game was done for Goings.
It was going to take something special for the Panthers to get back in it and they got it in the shape of referee Ed Hochuli. Smith had returned a punt for a TD but there was a flag thrown for a block in the back and this one was coming back. Astonishingly he had a conference and picked up the flag. I'm not going to dwell on it but when he reviews the game tape he will know that he made a horrible mistake. Seahawks 17 Hochuli 7.
One thing the Seahawks did was to not let it affect them too much as they continued to control the ball driving for a field goal and 20-7 and then getting in position for a 49 yard attempt that fell short. The consolation was that we got a good view of Deano's Union Jack as it missed! That was it for the half.
On the first possession of the second half the Seahawks showed the Panthers their running game, Alexander, Strong and Morris all getting a touch and the Panthers had no answer. The answer for the Seahawks was a 20 yard reception by Darrell Jackson and 27-7. I really thought that a TD on this drive would win the game and with my celebration I had the only instance of waking up the family all game long. Not bad considering my normal standards!
The rest of the 3rd quarter passed without incident until with 1:37 remaining Delhomme floated a pass straight into the grateful arms of Michael Boulware. The Seahawks didn't turn it into points but it was more minutes off the clock and the game in the 4th quarter.
There was still time for Shaun Alexander to add another TD punched in from the 1 of course for 34-7. Yep the man who couldn't run against the Panthers defence had gone for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Then the Panthers eventually did what I'd been worried about before the game as Carter pulled in a 47 yard pass for a score to make it 34-14. It wasn't Steve Smith who had been throttled by the Seahawks D and the game ended with another nice twist as Smith himself fumbled the ball following a hit by Craig Terrill and Marcus Trufant recovered.
I also loved the moment late in the game when they put up a list of teams that had never made it to the Superbowl and crossed Seattle off. After 22 years as a Seahawk I'd sort of got used to the fact that we didn't go to the Superbowl and I could sort of live with it but there we were, very publicly being scratched from the list.
The team performance from the coaches, the players and the 12th man in the stands had been astonishing and made me very proud to be a Seahawk fan and I'm going to let that sink in for a few days before I even think about the Superbowl.
Cheers everyone!
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