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Brady HendersonESPN
SEATTLE — A week after throwing three interceptions in the Seattle Seahawks‘ first loss, Russell Wilson got back on his MVP track Sunday.
His four touchdown passes and a strong first half from Seattle’s embattled defense were enough for a 37-27 win over the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field.
The Seahawks (6-1) remain atop the NFC West with a one-game lead over the Arizona Cardinals (5-2), who had their bye a week after beating Seattle in overtime.
After some uncharacteristic mistakes in that game led to Wilson throwing three interceptions for only the third time in his nine-year career, he said bluntly that he has to be better. He was Sunday. Wilson completed 27 of 37 passes for 261 yards and no interceptions, teaming up with DK Metcalf to do most of his damage.
Metcalf caught Wilson’s first two touchdown passes and finished with 12 catches for 161 yards on 15 targets, all career highs. David Moore and rookie running back DeeJay Dallas were on the receiving end of the other two touchdown passes.
Wilson’s 26 touchdown passes are one shy of Tom Brady’s record from 2007 for the most through seven games in NFL history. He’s now 32-8 following an in-season loss. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, that .800 winning percentage is the best by any starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era.
While Wilson has been playing at an MVP level and leading the NFL’s highest-scoring offense through the season’s first seven weeks, Seattle’s defense has been lagging well behind. The Seahawks entered Sunday having allowed the most yards through six games in NFL history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
But even with no Jamal Adams for the fourth straight game and two other defensive starters missing (Shaquill Griffin and Benson Mayowa), Seattle held San Francisco’s offense in check until a late rally made things at least somewhat interesting.
The Seahawks allowed only 116 yards in the first half and got two takeaways, including an interception of Jimmy Garoppolo by nickelback D.J. Reed to set up Seattle’s first touchdown. Reed, waived by the 49ers in August, was making his Seahawks debut after being activated off the non-football injury list on Saturday.
Bobby Wagner, Seattle’s All-Pro middle linebacker, delivered a vintage performance with 11 tackles and two sacks as defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. sent more blitzes after Garoppolo than he did last week against Kyler Murray.
This was a rare stress-free win for the Seahawks. They entered Sunday having played 17 one-score games (14-3) since the start of last season, tied with the Chicago Bears for the most in the NFL in that span.