Few quarterbacks have accomplished as much as Russell Wilson over their first eight seasons in the NFL.
Wilson won a Super Bowl in his second season, then came within a yard of potentially winning another the following year. He has led the Seahawks to seven 10-win campaigns and seven playoff appearances, including six trips to at least the NFC divisional round. He has 86 regular-season victories, which is tied with Tom Brady for the most wins by a quarterback over the first eight seasons of one’s career. Among all quarterbacks over their first eight seasons, Wilson is ranked second in adjusted yards per pass attempt, third in passing touchdowns, fifth in passing yards and fifth in completion percentage.
And along the way, Wilson has compiled a plethora of exceptional performances. There have been epic shootouts against other star quarterbacks, dazzling prime-time showings filled with jaw-dropping plays, plenty of stellar stat lines, and no shortage of dramatic comebacks.
But of all the great games he’s had, which ones were his best?
To answer that question, I went back and watched every Wilson throw and run from any game that could be in consideration. Then, I took on the agonizing task of whittling down the list and assembling a top 10. Stats were obviously a big factor, but more important was the game film and overall context behind those numbers. And of course, clutch late-game performances carried extra weight.
Because of the sheer number of sensational performances from Wilson, there were some very worthy games that missed the cut. One could make a strong case that his 292-yard, five-touchdown dissection of the Ravens in 2015 deserved a spot. Same with his memorable fourth-quarter comeback win over the Patriots as a rookie. There also was his highly efficient outing against the Lions in 2018, when he finished with a perfect passer rating (albeit on just 17 pass attempts). For most quarterbacks, any of those performances would’ve been surefire picks for a top-10 list.
And keep in mind, Wilson may very well still be peaking. The 31-year-old superstar is coming off an MVP-caliber season and is surrounded by arguably the greatest array of pass-catchers he’s ever had, so there’s a good chance at least one or two of the games on this list will be supplanted this fall. But before Wilson embarks on his 2020 campaign, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit his best performances so far.
10. Seattle 23, Chicago 17 (OT) — 2012 (Week 13)
PASSING: 23 of 37, 293 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
RUSHING: 9 carries, 71 yards
This dramatic comeback win was a signature moment in Wilson’s rookie season and provided some of the first significant glimpses into his greatness to come.
Facing one of the league’s top defenses in a pivotal early-December contest at Soldier Field, Wilson deftly used his arm and legs to orchestrate a pair of masterful late-game touchdown drives. The first was a pressure-packed 12-play, 97-yard march that culminated with a go-ahead score in the final minute of regulation. Then after Chicago stunned Seattle with a last-second field goal to force overtime, Wilson answered right back with a game-winning 12-play, 80-yard drive in the extra period. He finished with 364 total yards, including a combined 162 yards on those final two possessions.
Wilson’s length-of-the-field drive late in the fourth quarter was particularly impressive. It began on his own 3-yard line, with Seattle trailing 14-10 and 3:40 remaining. The stakes were high, as a loss would’ve dropped the Seahawks to 6-6 and dealt a serious blow to their playoff hopes. Unfazed by the magnitude of the moment, the rookie quarterback began methodically leading his team downfield against a stalwart Bears unit. A holding penalty near midfield threatened the drive, pushing Seattle back into a precarious third-and-14 situation. But Wilson coolly responded with a third-down completion to Doug Baldwin, followed by a fourth-down pass to Zach Miller to move the chains. Wilson then rolled out on the next play and found Sidney Rice for a 27-yard completion. And on the ensuing snap, Wilson threw a short slant to Golden Tate, who eluded defenders and fought his way across the goal line for a go-ahead 14-yard touchdown with 24 seconds remaining.
At that point, it appeared the Seahawks had just snatched a critical road victory. But after Seattle’s defense surrendered a back-breaking 56-yard completion in the closing seconds, the Bears forced overtime with a game-tying field goal. No matter. The Seahawks won the overtime coin toss, and Wilson did it all over again.
Wilson’s dual-threat skill set was on full display during the overtime drive, especially during a string of three consecutive third-down conversions. He converted a third-and-2 on a read-option keeper. He converted a third-and-5 by scrambling around the right edge for a first down. He converted a third-and-10 by rolling left and finding Baldwin to extend the drive. And on the following play, Wilson rolled left again and fired a 13-yard touchdown pass to Rice for the game-winner.
Wilson’s heroics helped serve as a turning point both in Seattle’s season and the franchise’s rise as an NFC power. The comeback victory sparked a late-season surge, igniting a six-game win streak that not only led the Seahawks to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs, but also helped lay the foundation for their Super Bowl-winning campaign the following year.
9. Seattle 38, Minnesota 7 — 2015 (Week 13)
PASSING: 21 of 27, 274 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
RUSHING: 9 carries, 51 yards, 1 TD
This was the third game of Wilson’s historic tear through the second half of the 2015 season, when he became the only quarterback in NFL history to post five consecutive games with at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Wilson was coming off a 345-yard, five-touchdown performance in a wild win over Pittsburgh the previous week, which earned the No. 3 spot on this list. He followed with another nearly flawless outing in this one, leading the Seahawks to five touchdowns on their first seven possessions en route to a road thrashing of the eventual NFC North champions.
Wilson completed all seven passes on Seattle’s first touchdown drive, but the most spectacular play of that possession came on a third-and-short scramble. Wilson rolled left on a play-action fake, stopped on a dime, faked a cutback to his right and then put a ruthless spin move on Danielle Hunter, sending the Minnesota defensive lineman helplessly flailing past him as he cut back to his left for a key first down.
Later in the first half, Wilson lofted a perfectly placed third-down pass to Tyler Lockett, splitting two defenders for a 29-yard completion. That kept alive a 98-yard touchdown drive, which Wilson capped by scrambling and diving into the end zone for an 8-yard score. Then after Seattle’s defense came up with an interception on Minnesota’s ensuing possession, Wilson fired a 20-yard touchdown strike to Baldwin on the very next play for a 21-0 halftime lead.
Wilson added two more touchdown passes in the third quarter, including a 53-yard masterpiece to Baldwin. Facing pressure from the Vikings’ pass rush, Wilson released the ball a split-second before being hit to the ground, just as Baldwin was gaining separation. The pass floated over the defense and fell perfectly into Baldwin’s hands, allowing him to catch it in stride and sprint the rest of the way for a 35-0 lead.
Wilson was deadly efficient all afternoon, especially in late-down situations. He personally accounted for seven third- or fourth-down conversions, helping Seattle finish 10 of 14 in such scenarios.
8. Seattle 35, Arizona 6 — 2014 (Week 16)
PASSING: 20 of 31, 339 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
RUSHING: 6 carries, 88 yards, 1 TD
Wilson turned this primetime NFC West battle for first place into a big-play bonanza, gashing one of the league’s better defenses with an onslaught of chunk plays.
Wilson accounted for eight plays of 20-plus yards, including the longest run of his career and a touchdown pass that remains tied for the longest completion of his career. He finished with 427 total yards, leading the Seahawks to a franchise-record 596 yards of total offense. It was one of just five times in NFL history that a quarterback threw for at least 330 yards and ran for at least 80 yards.
Wilson’s career-long run came on the final play of the first quarter, when he took off up the middle, raced down the left sideline and stiff-armed an Arizona safety for a 55-yard gain. Wilson matched the longest completion of his career in the second quarter, when he rolled right and floated a pass over the top of the defense to tight end Luke Willson for a runaway 80-yard touchdown. Wilson also connected with Baldwin for a 49-yard completion in the third quarter.
Despite their bevy of big plays and overall dominance of the game, the Seahawks led just 14-6 early in the fourth quarter, largely because of three missed field goals. But with Arizona hanging around, Wilson and Willson connected for two more big gains, including a 20-yard touchdown pass that gave Seattle some breathing room. Wilson finished 3 of 3 for 139 yards and two touchdowns when targeting Willson.
And though Marshawn Lynch provided the night’s most memorable moment — a tackle-breaking 79-yard touchdown that busted the game wide-open — Wilson capped the Seahawks’ dominant fourth quarter with a highlight-reel touchdown run of his own. On a play-action rollout from the 5-yard line, Wilson was approached in the backfield by linebacker Alex Okafor. The play seemed doomed. But after backpedaling a few steps, Wilson used a hesitation move and a stiff-arm to get around Okafor, and then juked his way past Antonio Cromartie at the goal line to provide the exclamation mark to Seattle’s rout.
The victory moved the Seahawks into first place in the NFC West and ultimately helped them secure the NFC’s top seed, which they rode to a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance.
7. Seattle 28, Pittsburgh 26 — 2019 (Week 2)
PASSING: 29 of 35, 300 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
RUSHING: 6 carries, 22 yards
Pittsburgh brought pressure early and often, sacking Wilson three times in the first quarter. But Wilson and the Seahawks adjusted, countering with a quick and decisive passing attack. The result? A historically accurate performance from Seattle’s superstar quarterback, who proceeded to slice through one of the league’s top defenses with masterful precision.
Wilson finished the afternoon with a career-high 82.9 completion percentage, which is tied for the 14th-highest single-game mark in NFL history among quarterbacks who attempted at least 35 passes. And in the second half, he was near-perfect. Wilson completed each of his final 12 passes and led three consecutive second-half touchdown drives, as well as a brilliant game-sealing drive to run out the clock.
Wilson’s biggest throw came at a pivotal juncture midway through the fourth quarter. Seattle was nursing a two-point lead, facing third-and-3 from the Pittsburgh 28-yard line. With an empty backfield, Wilson took a shotgun snap and went for it all, lofting a pristine pass down the left sideline that fell perfectly into DK Metcalf’s hands for a key touchdown. It was the third touchdown pass of the day for Wilson, who also connected with tight end Will Dissly for a pair of scores earlier on.
However, the Seahawks weren’t out of the clear just yet. Less than two minutes later, after a costly Chris Carson fumble led to a Pittsburgh touchdown, Seattle again found itself clinging to a two-point lead. But Wilson made sure the Steelers never got the ball back, expertly using his arm and legs to help bleed the final five and a half minutes off the clock.
Wilson began the game-sealing drive with three consecutive completions. He gained another first down on a 10-yard scramble into Pittsburgh territory. And after a penalty backed Seattle into third-and-16, Wilson escaped pressure and took off for a 15-yard gain. That set up the game-clincher from Carson, who plowed across the first-down line on the following play to send the Seahawks into victory formation.
6. Seattle 38, Kansas City 31 — 2018 (Week 16)
PASSING: 18 of 29, 271 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
RUSHING: 8 carries, 57 yards
In an action-packed primetime clash between two of the league’s top quarterbacks, Wilson outdueled eventual MVP Patrick Mahomes and led the Seahawks to a rousing playoff-clinching win over the NFL’s highest-scoring team.
Wilson finished with 328 total yards and three touchdown passes, but his stat line alone doesn’t fully illustrate the excellence of this performance. Wilson made a slew of highlight-reel plays — some with his arm, some with his legs, some with a combination of both. And none were more spectacular than his 45-yard moonshot to Lockett late in the fourth quarter.
Clinging to a 31-28 lead with just over three minutes remaining, Seattle faced a second-and-12 from its own 34-yard line. The league’s most dangerous offense was on the opposite sideline, hoping for a chance at a game-winning drive. Wilson, taking matters into his own hands, reared back and launched an immaculate pass to Lockett down the right sideline. There wasn’t much space between the 5-foot-10 Lockett and 6-foot-1 cornerback Charvarius Ward. But because of the sheer height Wilson put underneath the ball — and the resulting sharp trajectory — it was all the space Lockett needed. The ball soared to its apex, then maintained a tight spiral as it fell back down and landed perfectly in Lockett’s arms. It was the type of throw that exemplified why many hail Wilson as the best deep-ball passer in the league — a claim NBC color commentator Cris Collinsworth echoed in the ensuing moments as he marveled at the trajectory and pinpoint placement.
Wilson’s otherworldly throw put the Seahawks in field-goal range, but they weren’t settling for three points. Two plays later, Wilson rolled left and floated a pass on the run to Baldwin, who made a juggling 29-yard catch at the 1-yard line to set up a game-sealing Carson touchdown plunge.
The clinching score capped a 24-point second-half onslaught by Wilson and the Seahawks, who mounted three second-half touchdown drives of at least 70 yards. Wilson connected with Baldwin for the first of those second-half touchdowns, teaming with the veteran wideout for a perfectly executed 27-yard back-shoulder fade just inside the left pylon. And on back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter, Wilson hit Lockett for a 25-yard completion and then took off up the middle for a 26-yard scramble to set up another touchdown.
Wilson finished with eight plays of 15-plus yards in the second half, including an astounding five plays of at least 25 yards in the final 16 minutes.
5. Seattle 31, New England 24 — 2016 (Week 10)
PASSING: 25 of 37, 348 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
RUSHING: 3 carries, 6 yards
In a highly anticipated rematch of their gut-wrenching Super Bowl loss to the Patriots, Wilson and the Seahawks exacted a measure of revenge with a riveting primetime triumph in Foxborough.
Wilson led the way with a magnificent performance against the eventual Super Bowl champions, showcasing his full passing arsenal by making seemingly every throw imaginable. There were deep-ball dimes, intermediate passes with laser-like precision, scrambling throws while evading pressure and a picturesque lob off his back foot that capped a three-touchdown night. His pristine play guided the Seahawks to scores on seven of their nine drives, excluding the game-ending possession.
Wilson’s most impressive sequence came in the waning moments of the first half, when he spearheaded a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in just 59 seconds. He completed a scrambling third-down pass to Jimmy Graham to extend the drive, then followed a short run with back-to-back completions to move Seattle to the 18-yard line. Then, with the clock ticking under 20 seconds and no timeouts, the Seahawks elected to run another play instead of spiking the ball. After hurriedly setting up the offense, Wilson took a shotgun snap and spun out of the pocket to his left, then shifted his vision back to the right and found Baldwin wide-open in the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown pass with just six seconds remaining. It was a masterful bit of improvisation that worked to perfection and gave Seattle a 19-14 halftime lead.
Another pivotal moment came with just over 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, with the Seahawks trailing 24-22 and facing third-and-6 from the New England 40. Rookie running back C.J. Prosise, in the midst of a breakout performance, was split out in the left slot. Wilson stood tall in the pocket against the blitz and lofted a majestic pass down the left sideline, threading the needle between two defenders as it fell into Prosise’s arms at the 2-yard line. That led to a go-ahead field goal, which marked the seventh and final lead change of this back-and-forth contest.
Then after Seattle regained possession with a forced fumble, Wilson helped the Seahawks add to their narrow one-point lead. Facing heavy pressure on third-and-3 from the 15-yard line, he gracefully floated a pass off his back foot, releasing the ball just as Baldwin was about to beat his defender. The ball sailed over the defense and fell softly into Baldwin’s hands for the duo’s third touchdown of the night, extending Seattle’s lead to 31-24 with 4:24 to play. The Seahawks went on to make a goal-line stand in the game’s final moments, flipping the script from their Super Bowl heartbreak two seasons prior.
4. Seattle 30, Carolina 27 — 2018 (Week 12)
PASSING: 22 of 31, 339 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
RUSHING: 3 carries, 4 yards
Twice in the game’s final minutes, the Seahawks needed five yards or less to extend a critical drive. Both times, Wilson gambled and went deep for the home-run ball. And both times, it paid off with a game-changing play. Buoyed by those two massive fourth-quarter completions, Wilson kept the Seahawks in the thick of playoff contention and rallied them to a pivotal comeback victory over a fellow wild-card challenger.
Wilson’s late-game heroics began after Carolina took a 27-20 lead on a go-ahead touchdown with just under seven minutes remaining. At that point, Seattle’s win probability was less than 18%, according to ESPN. The Seahawks were sitting at 5-5, so a loss would have been devastating to their playoff chances.
With the pressure mounting, Wilson completed three consecutive passes to kickstart an all-important drive. But the comeback bid was in jeopardy a few plays later, as lost yardage on a first-down run put the Seahawks behind the chains and ultimately left them with a fourth-and-3 situation. Wilson had already connected with David Moore for a big play back in the third quarter, when he uncorked a 54-yard pass to the second-year receiver. And with the season potentially hanging in the balance, Wilson turned to him again. Recognizing that Moore had a half-step of separation down the left sideline, Wilson eschewed a shorter crossing route and lofted a do-or-die shot toward the end zone. The pass was spot-on, and Moore cradled it for a game-tying 35-yard touchdown with 3:26 to play. Given what was at stake, it was one of Wilson’s biggest and most memorable throws in recent years.
But he wasn’t done just yet. After Carolina missed a long field goal on the ensuing possession, Seattle got the ball back for a chance to win in regulation. And once again, Wilson struck with the deep ball. On a third-and-5 near midfield with just over a minute remaining, Wilson side-stepped pressure in the pocket and extended the play, allowing Lockett to race past the defense on a double move down the right sideline. Wilson then reared back and flung a 43-yard pass to his speedy receiver, who hauled it in at the 10-yard line to set up a game-winning field goal as time expired.
Highlighted by his deep-ball prowess, Wilson led the Seahawks to scores on each of their final five possessions, including three touchdown drives of 75 yards or more. He finished with a gaudy second-half stat line of 15-of-18 passing for 218 yards.
3. Seattle 39, Pittsburgh 30 — 2015 (Week 12)
PASSING: 21 of 30, 345 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT
RUSHING: 4 carries, 14 yards
This was another instance where the Seahawks were sitting on the edge of the playoff picture at 5-5 and desperately needing a win. And to have any chance of overcoming a 538-yard onslaught from Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers’ offense, Seattle needed a big-time performance from its star quarterback.
Wilson, despite battling flu-like symptoms and reportedly taking three IVs, rose to the occasion and delivered one of his finest outings. He threw five touchdown passes for the first time in his career. He finished with 14.8 adjusted yards per pass attempt, the highest mark of his career for any game in which he threw at least 25 passes. And he was at his best late, tossing three touchdowns during an action-packed fourth quarter to spearhead a wild victory at CenturyLink Field.
Wilson began his touchdown spree with a 16-yard strike to Baldwin on a third-and-goal in the second quarter. On Seattle’s next possession, Wilson completed 7 of 8 passes for 94 yards to lead a touchdown drive that included three consecutive third-down conversions of at least 10 yards or more. The latter was a 22-yard completion to Jermaine Kearse on third-and-16, which Wilson immediately followed with a 21-yard bullet to Kevin Smith and a 12-yard touchdown pass to Kearse.
Wilson fired another touchdown pass to Kearse early in the fourth quarter, giving the Seahawks a 26-21 lead with 12:17 remaining. Pittsburgh quickly regained a one-point lead, but Wilson answered right back with a six-play, 65-yard touchdown drive. It included a clever bit of wizardry where Wilson unleashed a spin move in the backfield to avoid pressure, then rolled to his right and threw a running dart to Lockett for a 16-yard gain. A few plays later, Wilson tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Baldwin, who faked an out route before cutting vertically up the right sideline. Wilson released the ball just as Baldwin was gaining separation, lofting it to him between two defenders for a 32-27 lead with 8:12 to play.
Then after Pittsburgh trimmed the margin to two points, Wilson and Baldwin sealed the game in epic fashion. Facing third-and-10 from his own 20-yard line with 2:14 remaining, Wilson hit his go-to receiver on a crossing route at the first-down line. Baldwin then did the rest, eluding a defender and stiff-arming another before racing down the right sideline for an iconic 80-yard catch-and-run score that gave him his third touchdown of the day.
This was the second game of Wilson’s record-setting 2015 stretch, when he became the only quarterback in NFL history to throw at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions in five consecutive contests.
2. Seattle 41, Houston 38 — 2017 (Week 8)
PASSING: 26 of 41, 452 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
RUSHING: 4 carries, 30 yards
The Seahawks needed every bit of Wilson’s brilliance to outlast Deshaun Watson and the Texans in this high-octane shootout. The two dynamic quarterbacks traded big plays all afternoon at CenturyLink Field, both throwing for 400-plus yards and four touchdowns. The epic clash featured four ties and five lead changes, including four lead changes alone in a dizzying fourth quarter.
But as much as the rookie Watson tried to outshine his more experienced counterpart, it was Wilson who delivered the final blow. Facing a 38-34 deficit with 1:39 remaining and no timeouts, Wilson needed just three plays to lead Seattle 80 yards downfield for the game-winning touchdown.
It began with Wilson launching a 48-yard jump ball to Paul Richardson, who made a leaping grab to kickstart the drive with a massive gain. Then after a false start, Wilson hit Lockett for a 19-yard completion. Instead of then spiking the ball, Wilson hurried to the line and took advantage of a disorganized Houston defense. With the clock ticking under 25 seconds, Wilson received the shotgun snap and found Graham wide-open up the seam, zipping an 18-yard touchdown pass to his tight end for the game-winning score.
Wilson finished with a franchise-record 452 yards passing and became the only quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 450 yards and rush for at least 30 yards in a game. His record-setting performance included long completions of 66, 54, 53 and 48 yards. He led five scoring drives of 75 yards or more, including four that ended in touchdowns.
And in a statistical anomaly, he accounted for 482 of his team’s 479 total yards. Yes, you read that correctly. Because Seattle’s running backs totaled just 3 yards rushing and Wilson was sacked twice for minus-6 yards, Wilson technically accounted for more than 100% of his team’s total offense. (In the NFL, lost yardage from sacks is deducted from the team’s passing yardage but doesn’t count against a quarterback’s total yardage.)
Wilson’s first touchdown pass was a highlight-reel play where he spun away from pressure, rolled left and then pivoted back toward the middle of the field to fire a 20-yard strike to Richardson. Later in the first half, Wilson uncorked a 53-yard completion to Tanner McEvoy and then connected with Richardson for another touchdown pass on the following play.
Midway through the third quarter, Wilson found fullback Tre Madden wide-open for a 66-yard catch-and-run. During the fourth-quarter fireworks, Wilson launched a 54-yard completion to Lockett, leading to a go-ahead touchdown pass to Graham that gave the Seahawks a 34-31 lead with 5:37 remaining.
The only reason this game isn’t atop the list? With Seattle trailing 38-34 and less than three minutes to play, Wilson threw a red-zone interception that killed a chance at a potential go-ahead touchdown. But the Seahawks’ defense made a pivotal stop to give Wilson another opportunity, and he made the most of it by leading a game-winning drive to cap one of the greatest performances of his career.
1. Seattle 40, Tampa Bay 34 (OT) — 2019 (Week 9)
PASSING: 29 of 43, 378 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT
RUSHING: 1 carry, 21 yards
Several of Wilson’s outstanding performances above also have strong claims for the top spot on this list. But his sensational play in this back-and-forth thriller — especially in the fourth quarter and overtime — makes it the best game of his career.
This marked just the 22nd time in NFL history that a quarterback has thrown for more than 375 yards, at least five touchdown passes and no interceptions in a game. Wilson completed 23 passes that resulted in first downs, including 18 completions of 10-plus yards. And he accounted for 187 total yards on the Seahawks’ final three possessions, highlighted by a long go-ahead touchdown pass to Metcalf in the fourth quarter and a game-winning drive in overtime.
Wilson set the tone on Seattle’s first possession of the game by completing all five passes for a total of 73 yards, including a perfectly placed 19-yard touchdown to Lockett in the corner of the end zone. Then after the Seahawks fell behind 21-7 in the second quarter, Wilson helped rally them back. He tossed a short touchdown pass to tight end Jacob Hollister late in the first half. He threw another touchdown pass to Lockett in the third quarter, followed by a game-tying 2-point conversion pass to Metcalf. Later in the third, Wilson dug Seattle out of a second-and-long hole with a 30-yard completion to Lockett, followed by a crafty flick to Willson for a 16-yard gain that led to a game-tying field goal. And then, as is so often the case, Wilson put the team on his back with fourth-quarter heroics.
Almost immediately after Tampa Bay tied the game at 27-27 with just over five minutes left in regulation, Wilson completed a 19-yard pass to Lockett and then lofted a perfect play-action pass to Metcalf on a deep crossing route. The ball hit the standout rookie receiver in stride, allowing him to race down the right sideline for a go-ahead 53-yard touchdown that gave Seattle a 34-27 lead.
The Buccaneers responded, driving downfield for a game-tying touchdown with 46 seconds to play. But again, Wilson answered right back. With two completions to Metcalf sandwiched around a 21-yard scramble, Wilson needed just five plays to march the Seahawks 53 yards for a shot at a game-winning field goal. In a career filled with game-winning drives, it appeared Wilson had just engineered another one. However, kicker Jason Myers’ last-second 40-yard attempt sailed wide right, and the game went to overtime.
Yet once again, Wilson was undeterred. Seattle won the overtime coin toss and gave the ball right back to its star quarterback, who promptly led his team downfield by completing 5 of 8 passes for 70 yards. Wilson kept the drive alive with a key third-down conversion to Metcalf, connecting with the rookie sensation on a pinpoint 29-yard back-shoulder pass to set up first-and-goal. Wilson then found Hollister on a crossing route two plays later, firing a 10-yard touchdown to the backup tight end for the game-winning score.
Wilson’s five-touchdown onslaught made him the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw at least 22 touchdown passes and just one interception through the first nine games of a season. It solidified him as the midseason MVP front-runner, and it epitomized the degree to which he carried the Seahawks last year while making up for flaws and inconsistencies elsewhere on the team.
Seattle’s defense struggled all afternoon, surrendering 34 points and more than 400 total yards. Myers missed an extra point and two field goals, including the potential game-winner as regulation expired. Carson fumbled away a valuable fourth-quarter possession. Combined, those factors spell almost certain defeat. And yet, with the greatest performance of his career to date, Wilson defied the long odds and still found a way to lift his team to victory.
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