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Wednesday 4 december 2019

Seahawks take over 1st place in NFC West, beat Vikings 37-30

By TIM BOOTH catch of the season on the
AP Sports Writer next-to-last play of the third
SEATTLE (AP) — By the time quarter.
the playoffs arrive, the Se- The first play of the fourth
attle Seahawks are going quarter was forgettable for
to feel just fine in a close, the Vikings as well. Cousins'
tight game. pass for Stefon Diggs was
Even when they're comfort- intercepted by Tre Flow-
ably ahead, the Seahawks ers, who may have gotten
have a way of making the away with pass interfer-
final minutes more than a ence, but deflected the
little unnerving. pass and made a juggling
"Close games are cool, interception at the Minne-
aren't they? I like them," sota 25. Three plays later,
Seattle coach Pete Car- Wilson found Penny on a
roll joked. "Maybe the 17 screen pass and Seattle
points was too much. May- had a 17-point lead.
be we shouldn't have been Minnesota's rally started
ahead by that much." with Seattle's own blown
Thanks to the combo of coverage as Cousins hit
Rashaad Penny and Chris Laquon Treadwell for a 58-
Carson, and one big strike yard TD. Seattle seemed
from Russell Wilson, the Se- poised to add on, helped
ahawks built a big second- by a fake punt that Travis
half lead before holding off Homer took for 29 yards,
the Minnesota Vikings for a but DK Metcalf fumbled
37-30 win Monday night. Seattle Seahawks' David Moore races toward the goal line for a touchdown on a 60-yard pass and the Vikings recovered
Penny scored one touch- reception against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, at their 28 with 9:34 left.
down rushing and one Dec. 2, 2019, in Seattle. It took barely 2 minutes for
receiving, and Wilson hit Associated Press Minnesota to pull within 34-
David Moore on a 60-yard 30 as Cousins connected
touchdown pass as the Se- became a major turning yards, the most allowed Cousins said. with Kyle Rudolph for a
ahawks scored 24 straight point. by Minnesota this season. It was a wild second half 3-yard touchdown and an-
points to take control be- Cook said he believes he Carson had 102, including featuring 40 combined other brilliant one-handed
fore needing to hold on should be able to play next a 1-yard TD. Penny added points and four key turn- catch by the Vikings' tight
late as the Vikings tried to week and took responsibil- 74. The Vikings were giving overs — three by Minne- end. But that was as close
rally. ity for the fumble. up just 94 yards per game sota. as Minnesota would get.
Seattle (10-2) moved into "Everybody acts like this is rushing. Seattle pulled even at 17 "We're in control and that's
a tie with San Francisco the end of the world, we "Our running game has on Penny's 1-yard TD run. a great thing. We like hav-
atop of the NFC West but lost one game tonight," been a staple of our of- On Minnesota's first play of ing that," Wilson said.
holds the tiebreaker. The Minnesota coach Mike fense. That's our foundation the next possession, Cook FLU BUG
Seahawks have the inside Zimmer said. "We're 8-4 we and both of those guys are was stripped by Rasheem Moore and Flowers were
track to the division title have four games left, three amazing backs. They're re- Green, and Bradley Mc- both among a group of
with four games left. division games. This isn't the ally coming on," Seattle Dougald recovered. It was Seattle players that missed
"Just couldn't be more ex- end of the world, we still offensive lineman Duane the first of two critical turn- time this week as a flu bug
cited to have that kind of have a lot of good football Brown said. overs that led to 10 points circulated through the
win and put us at 10 wins, left to play." Minnesota quarterback Kirk for Seattle. locker room.
that's a nice spot for this Wilson wasn't great, but he Cousins was 22 of 38 for 276 The Seahawks were held Tyler Lockett was another
time," Carroll said. "We kick came up with key plays as yards but couldn't connect to a field goal following who was slowed by illness
it into the fourth quarter Seattle won its fifth straight. with Irv Smith Jr. on fourth- Cook's fumble but took a and was held without a
and now it's finish time." He had a forgettable first- and-3 at the Vikings 42 with 27-17 lead on their next catch for the first time since
Minnesota (8-4) fell a game half moment trying to bat 2:31 left. Jason Myers' 36- possession when Moore the 2017 season.
behind Green Bay in the down a deflected pass yard field goal with 21 sec- ran free through the Vikings INJURIES
NFC North and is only one only to watch Anthony Har- onds left provided the final secondary and Wilson hit Vikings left tackle Riley Reiff
game ahead of the Los An- ris intercept the ball and margin for Seattle. him in stride. suffered a concussion early
geles Rams in the wild-card return it for a touchdown. "I think we have a football Minnesota cornerback in the second half and was
race. They lost star run- Wilson was 21 of 31 for 240 team that can go on the Xavier Rhodes appeared ruled out. Cook immedi-
ning back Dalvin Cook to yards. road in a tough environ- to think he had safety ately went to the locker
a shoulder injury when he The key was the running ment and get a win. I think help over the top, but no room after his fumble with a
fumbled midway through of Penny and Chris Car- this is an opportunity we one was there as Moore shoulder injury and did not
the third quarter in what son. Seattle rushed for 218 missed. It's disappointing," sprinted for his second TD return.q