That’s what
happened in the Georgia Dome on Sunday afternoon and the result was a 44-41
win by Atlanta over Seattle to end the regular season.
"We
wanted to win the football game, but we got health out of it and that was
a big plus," Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren told the assembled media
shortly after the game.
"It
doesn't matter who you're playing or when you're playing. I've said that a
million times. If you are entrusted with the football, it's your job to take
care of the football. And we didn't do it two series in a row and gave them
14 points."
Atlanta QB
Chris Redman threw four touchdown passes, including two to tight end Alge Crumpler, as the Falcons took advantage of three costly Seahawks turnovers
and fought off a late rally by the visitors for a 44-41 victory.
Even though
the offense didn’t help the defense out any with the turnovers, S Deon Grant
was not happy his team surrendered a 10 point lead to a 4-12 ball club.
"Every
game means something to me," Grant told the media after the game. "I
don't care if it's against my little sister. I don't like to be embarrassed.
We had them 10-0, and they had won just three games.
We gave up 44 points. That's definitely not good."
LB Julian Peterson had a different take.
"We
were playing basic defense," Peterson said. "We shot ourselves in
the foot with the turnovers. We still have a great defense."
The 44 points
were the most points surrendered since a 44-41 overtime loss at Baltimore back on Nov. 23, 2003.
Redman, who
was Atlanta’s third starter at quarterback
this season (Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich were the other two) started
the final four games and was 17-of-27 for 251 yards with no interceptions
versus the Seahawks on Sunday.
"He
was outstanding," interim head coach Emmitt
Thomas said. "When he gets protection, he can throw the football. We
were able to keep (Patrick) Kerney off him."
Kerney, who
played his first eight seasons with Atlanta,
began the day leading the NFL with 14.5 sacks, but he had only one tackle
and no sacks and lost out on the league sack title when Kansas City DE Jared Allen posted two sacks in a loss to the New York Jets to finish the season
with 15.5 sacks.
Atlanta RB
Warrick Dunn wracked up 70 yards on the ground including a five-yard scoring
run in the second quarter while the venerable Morten Andersen kicked three
field goals for Atlanta.
Shaun Alexander
and Maurice Morris, who combined to rush for 91 yards and two scores (runs
of two and 29 yards), continued to encourage the Seattle coaching staff with their production on the ground.
Crumpler
was the big target for Redman hauling in three passes for 67 yards, including
two for scores of 55 and seven yards, while WR Roddy White added five receptions
for 62 yards and 10 yard touchdown as well.
The turning
point in the game was when Seattle, on two successive
drives, handed the ball to Atlanta
deep in their own territory leading to two touchdowns.
Seahawks
backup QB Seneca Wallace fumbled when hit by DT Jonathan Babineaux and DT
Montavious Stanley recovered to set up the first score.
Then, on
the first play of Seattle's next possession, Wallace was intercepted by Chris Crocker, who returned the ball 18 yards to the Seahawks 10 and on the first
play following the turnover, White's hauled in Redman’s pass to give the Falcons
a 41-27 lead.
But Wallace
showed the moxie and competitive spirit that makes the Seattle coaches love him when he recovered to throw touchdown passes
of 45 and 13 yards to WR Nate Burleson.
Hasselbeck
completed 15 of 25 passes for 147 yards, a touchdown and a fumble, while Wallace
finished 17 of 22 with 206 yards through the air, including two touchdowns,
the one interception and the fumble.
A couple
of Seahawks hit milestones on Sunday as Hasselbeck, who needed just 23 yards
to break his franchise record of 3,841 yards passing set in 2003, completed
his first three passes for 38 yards, including a 15-yarder to TE Marcus Pollard,
for the record.
Alexander
finished off the opening drive with a two-yard touchdown run and became the
eighth player in NFL history to rush for 100 touchdowns.
Seattle (10-6) will play host to
the Washington Redskins next Saturday in the first round of the NFL playoffs.