2010 Seattle Seahawks
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 2010 season was the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
' 35th in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL), their ninth playing their home games at
Qwest Field Lumen Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. Located in the city's SoDo neighborhood, it is the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL), the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL, the ...
and their first under head coach
Pete Carroll Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC Troja ...
after Jim Mora was fired on January 8, 2010. The team exceeded their win total from
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
and won the
NFC West The National Football Conference - Western Division or NFC West is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Arizona Cardinal ...
with a 7–9 record. They became the first team in a full season to finish with a sub-.500 record and make the playoffs, a berth which was by virtue of winning the division. Their 7–9 record is the worst record for any team that made the postseason, a feat that has since been matched by the
2020 Washington Football Team The 2020 season was the Washington Football Team The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member cl ...
. The 2010 Seahawks also became the first sub-.500 team to win a playoff game with their home win against the defending
Super Bowl champion The Super Bowl is the annual American football game that determines the champion of the National Football League (NFL). The game culminates a season that begins in the previous calendar year, and is the conclusion of the NFL playoffs. The winn ...
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
remembered as the
Beast Quake The Beast Quake was a National Football League (NFL) touchdown scored by Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch against the New Orleans Saints during a 2010 NFC Wild Card playoff game. Occurring in the fourth quarter while Seattle was up ...
game, but then had their season ended by the second-seeded
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
in the divisional round. Statistics website
Football Outsiders Football Outsiders (FO) is a website started in July 2003 which focuses on advanced statistical analysis of the NFL. The site is run by a staff of regular writers, who produce a series of weekly columns using both the site's in-house statistics ...
calculated that the 2010 Seahawks were the worst team that they had ever rated to qualify for the playoffs.


Offseason


Front office changes

General manager
Tim Ruskell Tim Ruskell (born October 1956) is an American football executive. He last served as the General Manager of the Orlando Apollos, one of the eight charter teams was the Alliance of American Football. Ruskell has previously worked for the NFL, incl ...
resigned from his position two weeks before the 2009 regular season ended. Interim GM
Ruston Webster Ruston Rials Webster (born September 30, 1962) is an American football scout for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as general manager of the Tennessee Titans. During his time with the Seattle Seahawk ...
took over until the season ended, but was not retained as GM. However, Webster left the team for a similar position for the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
instead. Surprisingly, the head coaching vacancy created by Mora's departure was actually filled first by the Seahawks through
Pete Carroll Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC Troja ...
. Seahawks CEO
Tod Leiweke Tod Leiweke (born January 12, 1960, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American sports executive who is currently part-owner, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Seattle Kraken. Career In the early 1980s, Leiweke was vice president of th ...
suggested that Carroll and the GM would have a "collaborative relationship" over control of the team. Among candidates interviewed for GM were former
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
General Manager
Floyd Reese Floyd Reese (August 8, 1948 – August 21, 2021) was an American professional football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). From 1994 to 2006, he held the position of general manager of the Tennessee Titans. Reese then serv ...
and
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
scouting director
Marc Ross Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system o ...
. On January 19, 2010, the Seahawks officially signed
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
director of football operations John Schneider as their official General Manager.


Staff changes

Following a disastrous 5–11 season in his first season with the Seahawks, Jim Mora was fired on January 8, 2010. Mora was apparently surprised and disappointed about the news, but Seahawks CEO
Tod Leiweke Tod Leiweke (born January 12, 1960, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American sports executive who is currently part-owner, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Seattle Kraken. Career In the early 1980s, Leiweke was vice president of th ...
stated that the franchise was moving to a new direction to become successful. Within days after Mora was relieved as Head Coach, the Seahawks began to interview candidates such as
USC Trojans football The USC Trojans football program represents University of Southern California in the sport of American football. The Trojans compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Pac-12 Con ...
head coach
Pete Carroll Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC Troja ...
,
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
defensive coordinator
Ron Rivera Ronald Eugene Rivera (born January 7, 1962), nicknamed "Riverboat Ron", is an American football head coach for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He attended the University of California, Berkeley in the early 1980 ...
. Controversy aroused when news broke out that Carroll was in preliminary agreements to sign a contract as head coach and have full control of the franchise when neither Frazier or Rivera were interviewed, thus potentially breaking the
Rooney Rule The Rooney Rule is a National Football League policy that requires league teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs. It is an example of affirmative action, even though before 2022 there wa ...
. However, Frazier agreed to an interview before the Seahawks signed Carroll as coach, thus fulfilling the rule. Two days later, Carroll officially became the 8th head coach in franchise history. Within days after Carroll was hired, the rest of the coaching staff was revamped. With the exceptions of
Gus Bradley Paul Casey "Gus" Bradley (born July 5, 1966) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seah ...
and Dan Quinn, none of the coaches from Mora's tenure returned. USC Football offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates joined as the Seahawks offensive coordinator, while
Alex Gibbs Alexander Gibbs, Jr. (February 22, 1941 – July 12, 2021) was an American professional football coach who was a longtime offensive line coach in the National Football League (NFL). He coached college football for over a decade before joining t ...
from the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
would serve as offensive line coach and assistant head coach. However, weeks before the start of the NFL regular season, Gibbs would suddenly retire from the position, with Carroll's former USC assistant
Pat Ruel Golden Pat RuelMike SagerBig Balls Pete Carroll ''Esquire'', September 11, 2009, Accessed September 22, 2009. (born December 5, 1950) is a former American football coach. He was the offensive coordinator for Washington State from 1978 to 1981, No ...
to take his spot.


Key departures

Wide receiver
Nate Burleson Nathaniel Eugene Burleson (born August 19, 1981) is a Canadian-born television host, American football commentator, and former wide receiver. He played college football for the University of Nevada, Reno and was drafted into the National Footb ...
, after a four-year stint with the Seahawks, signed with the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
on March 5, 2010, after 24 hours of free agency. Backup quarterback
Seneca Wallace Seneca Sinclair Wallace (born August 6, 1980) is a former American football quarterback and current assistant coach for John Paul II High School. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college ...
, known for his versatility as a wide receiver, was sent to the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
on March 8, 2010 in exchange for a conditional 2011 NFL Draft pick. Guard
Rob Sims Robert Sims (born December 6, 1983) is a former American football guard in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State University. ...
, who started regularly for the Seahawks for the past four years, was traded to the Lions in exchange for defensive end Robert Henderson and a fifth-round pick in the
2010 NFL Draft The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, with the firs ...
. Veteran defensive End
Darryl Tapp Darryl Anthony Tapp (born September 13, 1984) is a former American football defensive end and outside linebacker who played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is currently an assistant defensive line coach for the San Franc ...
was also traded to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
in exchange for Chris Clemons and a fourth-round pick. On April 13, 2010,
Defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Patrick Kerney Patrick Manning Kerney (born December 30, 1976) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers football, University of Virgi ...
announced his retirement after 11 NFL seasons. Kerney made the
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
in 2007 and led the team in sacks on two occasions (2007 and 2009). On April 29, 2010, Four-time All-Pro Left Tackle Walter Jones also announced his retirement after a 13-year career during which he became a cornerstone of the Seattle Seahawks organization. During training camp, the Seahawks continued to cut ties with many players. Former first-round pick
Lawrence Jackson Lawrence Christopher Jackson (born August 30, 1985) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played colleg ...
, who Carroll coached with at USC, was traded to the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
for a sixth-round pick. The previous year's starters including fullback
Owen Schmitt Owen Schmitt (born February 13, 1985) is a former American football fullback. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia University. Before transferring to the M ...
and wide receiver
T. J. Houshmandzadeh Touraj Houshmandzadeh Jr. ( ; born September 26, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh ...
were released from the team. Defensive back Josh Wilson was traded to Baltimore for a conditional fifth-round pick.


Key additions

Former
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
quarterback
Charlie Whitehurst Charles David Whitehurst Jr. (born August 6, 1982), is a former American football quarterback who played college football at Clemson Tigers football, Clemson, and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round (81st overall) of the 2006 ...
was acquired by Seattle on March 18, 2010. Whitehurst competed for the starting job with
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
. Also, the Seahawks acquired defensive ends Chris Clemons and Robert Henderson respectively from the
Eagles Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
and
Lions The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult ...
. Wide receiver Reggie Williams, a former first-round pick with the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
and a former
Washington Huskies The Washington Huskies are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Washington, located in Seattle. The school competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac- ...
standout, signed with the Seahawks on April 16, 2010. On the last day of the
2010 NFL Draft The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, with the firs ...
, the Seahawks acquired
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
LenDale White LenDale Anthony White (born December 20, 1984) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round (45th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks and Den ...
and
defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
Kevin Vickerson Kevin Darnell Vickerson (born January 8, 1983) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State. Vickerson has also been a ...
from the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
. With the trade, White would have been reunited with his college coach Pete Carroll from USC, but was cut on May 28. Also, the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
traded former Pro Bowler
Leon Washington Leon Dewitt Washington Sr. (born August 29, 1982) is a former American football running back and return specialist. He currently serves as a coach for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
to Seattle.


2010 NFL Draft

After finishing the 2009 season with a record of 5–11, the Seahawks held the 6th overall pick in the
2010 NFL Draft The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, with the firs ...
. They also held the 14th overall pick as a result of a trade in the
2009 NFL Draft The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 25 and 26, 2009. T ...
that gave their second-round pick 2009 to the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
for their first-round pick in 2010. The Seahawks traded their third-round pick to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
as part of a trade from the 2009 draft and gave up their second-round pick in the Charlie Whitehurst deal but also received another second-round pick from the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...


Staff


Final roster


Preseason


Schedule


Game summaries


Week 1: vs. Tennessee Titans


Week 2: vs. Green Bay Packers


Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings


Week 4: at Oakland Raiders


Regular season


Schedule

:Bold indicates division opponents. :Source: 2010 NFL season results


Standings


Game summaries


Week 1: vs. San Francisco 49ers

The Seahawks began their season at home for an NFC West rivalry against the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
. In the first quarter, Seattle trailed early when 49ers kicker
Joe Nedney Joseph Thomas Nedney (born March 22, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nedney played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996. He ...
made a 23-yard field goal, which was extended in the second quarter when Nedney made another 23-yard field goal. Then, the Seahawks fought back and took the lead when quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
got a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by him making a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Deon Butler Vincent Deon Butler (born January 4, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State. College career After redshirti ...
. In the third quarter, Seattle continued to dominate when cornerback
Marcus Trufant Marcus Lavon Trufant (born December 25, 1980) is a former American football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for Washington State University, and was chosen by the S ...
returned an interception and ran 32 yards for a touchdown. This was followed by Hasselbeck's 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Deion Branch Anthony Deion Branch Jr. (born July 18, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL), who currently serves as director of player development and alumni relations at the University of Louisville. He was ...
. In the fourth quarter, the Seahawks scored again when kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
made a 35-yard field goal. With the win, Seattle began the season at 1–0.


Week 2: at Denver Broncos

Coming off an easy win over the 49ers, the Seahawks flew to
INVESCO Field at Mile High Empower Field at Mile High (previously known as Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Invesco Field at Mile High and Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, New Mile High or Mile High Stadium) is an American football stadium ...
for an interconference duel with their former division rival, the Broncos. In the first quarter Seattle trailed early as quarterback
Kyle Orton Kyle Raymond Orton (born November 14, 1982) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Dr ...
made a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Eddie Royal William Edward "Eddie" Royal (born May 21, 1986) is an American former football wide receiver and return specialist . He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech ...
, followed in the second quarter by running back
Correll Buckhalter Correll Buckhalter (; born October 6, 1978) is a former American football running back who played for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Nebraska, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in th ...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Then kicker
Matt Prater Matthew Phillip Prater (born August 10, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the best long distance kickers in NFL history, he held the NFL record for lon ...
made a 20-yard field goal to put the Broncos up 17–0. In the third quarter Seattle tried to cut the lead when quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Ben Obomanu Benjamin Ebenezer Obomanu (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Obomanu played college football for the Auburn Tigers. High school ...
, but Denver scored with running back
Knowshon Moreno Knowshon Rockwell Moreno (born July 16, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Georgia and was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He also pl ...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. In the fourth quarter Seattle fell further behind when Orton found wide receiver
Demaryius Thomas Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. He played college ...
on a 21-yard touchdown pass. Seattle would make the final score of the game when Hasselbeck scrambled 20 yards to the endzone for a touchdown. With the loss, Seattle fell to 1–1.


Week 3: vs. San Diego Chargers

The Seahawks' third game was played at home ground when they played their former division rival, the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
. In the second quarter Seattle took the early lead when kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
made a 23-yard field goal. Then quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Carlson. This was followed in the third quarter by running back
Leon Washington Leon Dewitt Washington Sr. (born August 29, 1982) is a former American football running back and return specialist. He currently serves as a coach for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
returning a kickoff 101 yards to the endzone for a touchdown. The lead was broken down with quarterback
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
getting a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Malcolm Floyd Malcolm Gregory Ali Floyd (né Seabron; born December 19, 1972) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston/Tennessee Oilers (1994–1997) and St. Louis Rams (1997).
, followed by Hasselbeck getting sacked by linebacker
Brandon Siler Brandon T. Siler (born December 5, 1985) is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida, wher ...
in the endzone for a safety. Then kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
made a 29-yard field goal. The Seahawks increased their lead when Mare made a 23-yard field goal, but the Chargers replied and tied the game when Rivers found tight end
Antonio Gates Antonio Ethan Gates Sr. (born June 18, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers during his entire career in the National Football League (NFL). He was named to the Pro ...
on a 12-yard touchdown pass (with a successful two-point conversion as Rivers found wide receiver Legedu Naanee). Before the clock struck zero Seattle took the winning score as running back Leon Washington returned his second kickoff of the game into the endzone running 99 yards for a touchdown. Rivers and the Chargers attempted to make a comeback with less than a minute left, but was picked off by rookie
Earl Thomas Earl Winty Thomas III (born May 7, 1989) is an American former football free safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. During his time with the Sea ...
to seal the win for Seattle. With the win, Seattle improved to 2–1.


Week 4: at St. Louis Rams

The Seahawks' fourth game was played at
Edward Jones Dome The Dome at America's Center is a multi-purpose stadium used for concerts, major conventions, and sporting events in Downtown St. Louis, downtown St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Previously known as the Trans World Dome from 1995 to 2001 and ...
where they played an NFC west rivalry match against the Rams. In the first quarter the Seahawks trailed early as quarterback
Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the P ...
completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Brandon Gibson Brandon Lewis Gibson (born August 13, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football and basketball at Washington State and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also p ...
. The Seahawks cut the lead with kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
nailing a 22-yard field goal, but the Rams increased their lead when kicker Josh Brown made a 30-yard field goal, followed in the 3rd quarter by Bradford completing a 21-yard touchdown pass to running back
Kenneth Darby Kenneth Darby (born December 26, 1982 in Huntsville, Alabama) is a former American football running back. He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Darby has been a member of the Atlanta F ...
. Then Josh Brown made a 31-yard field goal to put the Seahawks further behind. With the loss, Seattle fell to 2–2 coming into their bye week and their 10-game winning streak against the Rams was snapped.


Week 6: at Chicago Bears

Following a bye week, the Seahawks traveled to Soldier Field and face the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
with a new weapon in running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
. Chicago quickly scored in the first quarter with a
Matt Forte Matthew Garrett Forte (born December 10, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tulane Green Wave and was drafted ...
6-yard run, but
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
and the offense would respond quickly with a 22-yard touchdown reception by
Deon Butler Vincent Deon Butler (born January 4, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State. College career After redshirti ...
. Seattle would extend the lead to 14–7 with a
Justin Forsett Justin Forsett (born October 14, 1985) is an American former football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft ...
touchdown run near the beginning of the 2nd quarter, but two Chicago field goals made by
Robbie Gould Robert Paul Gould III (; born December 6, 1982) is an American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played with the Chicago Bears from 2005 to 2015, during which he became the franchise's all ...
would bring the Bears to a one-point deficit at halftime. However, Chicago's offense was continuously hampered by the Seahawks' blitzes, roughing up
Jay Cutler Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Van ...
for 6 sacks and a safety in the 3rd quarter. Lynch would score his first touchdown as a Seahawk later in the game, extending Seattle's lead to 23–13. The Bears tried to rallied within the last few minutes of the game as
Devin Hester Devin Devorris Hester Sr. (born November 4, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely regarded as the greatest return specialist i ...
scored on an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown (his 13th, which tied an NFL record for most punt/kick return touchdowns by a single player), but an onside kick recovered by tight end John Carlson sealed Seattle's first non-division road victory since 2007. With the win, the Seahawks moved to 3–2.


Week 7: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Coming off their win over the Bears the Seahawks played on home ground for an NFC West rivalry match against the Cardinals. In the first quarter the Seahawks took the lead as kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
got a 20-yard field goal. Followed in the second quarter by quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
making a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Williams. The Seahawks increased their lead in the 3rd quarter with Mare nailing a 31 and a 51-yard field goal. The Cardinals replied with running back
Beanie Wells Christopher Michael Wells (born August 7, 1988), known as Chris Wells or Beanie Wells, is a former American football running back. He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round (31st overall pick) of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Ohi ...
getting a 2-yard touchdown run. The Seahawks continued to score with Mare hitting a 24-yard field goal, but the Cardinals responded in the fourth quarter with kicker
Jay Feely Thomas James "Jay" Feely (born May 23, 1976) is a former American football placekicker and current sportscaster. He started his career with the Florida Bobcats in the Arena Football League as a street free agent in 1999 before playing for sever ...
getting a 24-yard field goal. The Seahawks pulled away with Mare making a 26-yard field goal. With the win, the Seahawks improved to 4–2.


Week 8: at Oakland Raiders

Hoping to increase their winning streak the Seahawks flew to
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Oakland Coliseum, currently naming rights, branded as RingCentral Coliseum, is a stadium in Oakland, California. It is part of the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Complex, with the adjacent Oakland Arena, near Interstate 880 (California), In ...
where they played their former division rival, the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
. The Seahawks immediately trailed on a scoring rally by the Raiders with kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
nailing a 31-yard field goal. This was followed in the second quarter by quarterback
Jason Campbell Jason S. Campbell (born December 31, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college footbal ...
's 30-yard touchdown pass to FB
Marcel Reece Marcel Antoine Wayne Reece (born June 23, 1985) is a former American football Fullback (American football), fullback who is the Senior vice-president, Senior Vice President, Chief of staff, Chief of Staff of the Las Vegas Raiders. He was signed b ...
. Then in the third quarter Janikowski made a 36-yard field goal. Then he made a 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to put the Raiders up 16–0. The Seahawks struggled further with Campbell getting a 69-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Darrius Heyward-Bey Darrius Ramar Heyward-Bey (born February 26, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at the University of Maryland, and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders seventh overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He has also p ...
. The Seahawks would make their only score of the game with kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
hitting a 47-yard field goal. However, they continued to trail as Janikowski made a 49-yard field goal, followed by running back
Michael Bush Michael Warren Bush, Jr. (born June 16, 1984) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville. In addition to the Raiders, B ...
making a 4-yard touchdown run. With the loss, the Seahawks fell to 4–3.


Week 9: vs. New York Giants

The Seahawks' eighth game was an NFC duel with the Giants at home. The Giants took control with running back
Ahmad Bradshaw Ahmad Bradshaw (born March 19, 1986) is a former American football running back. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played college football at Marshall. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion, ...
getting a 2-yard touchdown run, followed by
Eli Manning Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the youngest son o ...
's 46-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Hakeem Nicks Hakeem Amir Nicks (born January 14, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at North Carolina, and was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Nicks has also played for t ...
, followed by Bradshaw's 4-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, quarterback
Eli Manning Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the youngest son o ...
found wide receiver
Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to: Academics * Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager * Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...
and tight end
Kevin Boss Kevin Michael Boss (born January 11, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the New York Giants out of Western Oregon University. With the Giants, he won Super Bowl XLII over ...
on 6 and 5-yard touchdown passes respectively. The lead was expanded by kicker
Lawrence Tynes Lawrence James Henry Tynes (born May 3, 1978) is a Scottish-born former American football placekicker. After playing soccer for Milton High School a coach suggested he try out for the football team as a kicker. He played college football at Troy ...
who made a 25 and a 20-yard field goal. Seattle made their only score of the game, with quarterback
Charlie Whitehurst Charles David Whitehurst Jr. (born August 6, 1982), is a former American football quarterback who played college football at Clemson Tigers football, Clemson, and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round (81st overall) of the 2006 ...
completing a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Ben Obomanu Benjamin Ebenezer Obomanu (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Obomanu played college football for the Auburn Tigers. High school ...
. With the loss, Seattle fell to 4–4. This also marks the first time that they lost to the Giants at home since 1981.


Week 10: at Arizona Cardinals

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Giants the Seahawks flew to
University of Phoenix Stadium A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
for an NFC West rivalry match against the Cardinals. In the first quarter the Seahawks trailed early as running back
Tim Hightower Timothy Michael Hightower (born May 23, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Richmond and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He also played f ...
got a 2-yard touchdown run. They replied with running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. They took the lead with kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
getting a 41-yard field goal, but the Cardinals replied with kicker
Jay Feely Thomas James "Jay" Feely (born May 23, 1976) is a former American football placekicker and current sportscaster. He started his career with the Florida Bobcats in the Arena Football League as a street free agent in 1999 before playing for sever ...
nailing a 23-yard field goal. They took control with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
completing a 63-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Deon Butler Vincent Deon Butler (born January 4, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State. College career After redshirti ...
. This was followed in the third quarter by a 34, 19 and 23-yard field goal from Mare. In the fourth quarter Mare got another 19-yard field goal to put the Seahawks up 29–10. The Cardinals responded with quarterback Derek Anderson making a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Early Doucet Early Joseph Doucet III (born October 28, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University. Early year ...
(with a successful two-point conversion as Anderson found wide receiver
Larry Fitzgerald Larry Darnell Fitzgerald Jr. (born August 31, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. Fitzgerald played in the National Football League for 17 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at University of Pittsb ...
), but the Seahawks put the game away with running back
Justin Forsett Justin Forsett (born October 14, 1985) is an American former football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft ...
getting a 4-yard touchdown run. With the win, not only did the Seahawks improve to 5–4, but they swept the Cardinals for the first time since 2005.


Week 11: at New Orleans Saints

The Seahawks' tenth game was an NFC duel with the Saints. In the first quarter the Seahawks took the lead as kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
hit a 20-yard field goal; but the Saints pulled ahead after running back
Chris Ivory Christopher Lee Ivory (born March 22, 1988) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and also played for the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills. He ...
got a 1-yard touchdown run. The lead narrowed in the second quarter by Mare getting a 43-yard field goal, but the Seahawks fell further behind when quarterback
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is the NFL leader in ...
made a 23 and a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Marques Colston Marques E. Colston ( born June 5, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Hofstra University, and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He helped the Saints ac ...
and wide receiver
Robert Meachem Robert Emery Meachem (born September 28, 1984) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Tennessee and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints 27th overall in the 2007 NFL draft. Meachem also played one season ...
respectively. The Seahawks cut the lead again after quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
got a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Ben Obomanu Benjamin Ebenezer Obomanu (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Obomanu played college football for the Auburn Tigers. High school ...
; but the Saints replied with Brees throwing a 22-yard touchdown pass to Colston. The Seahawks tried to cut the lead with Mare hitting a 43-yard field goal. The lead extended in the third quarter with Brees finding Meachem again on a 32-yard touchdown pass. The Seahawks made the only score of the fourth quarter with Mare making a 20-yard field goal; however, the Saints' defense closed off any more chances. With the loss, Seattle fell to 5–5.


Week 12: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Saints the Seahawks played on home ground where they played their former division rival, the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
. In the first quarter, the Seahawks trailed early with quarterback
Matt Cassel Matthew Brennan Cassel (born May 17, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. A member of seven NFL teams, Cassel's most notable stints were with the New England Patriots an ...
getting a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Dwayne Bowe Dwayne Lorenzo Bowe (born September 21, 1984) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Louisiana State University, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played ...
. They responded after free safety
Earl Thomas Earl Winty Thomas III (born May 7, 1989) is an American former football free safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. During his time with the Sea ...
returned a blocked punt 10 yards for a touchdown. They fell behind as Shaun Smith got a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by Cassel finding Bowe again on a 36-yard touchdown pass. The Seahawks cut the lead when kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
got a 43-yard field goal, followed by quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
getting a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chris Baker. The struggled further with running back
Jamaal Charles Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles (born December 27, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Texas, where he won the 2006 Rose Bowl, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third ro ...
getting a 3-yard touchdown run, followed by Cassel throwing to Bowe on a 9-yard touchdown pass. The Seahawks responded as Hasselbeck completed an 87-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Ben Obomanu Benjamin Ebenezer Obomanu (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Obomanu played college football for the Auburn Tigers. High school ...
, but the Chiefs increased their lead as Cassel got a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Tony Moeaki Anthony Moeaki (born June 8, 1987) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Iowa. He was selected in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, and also played for the Buffalo Bills, Seattl ...
. With the loss, Seattle fell to 5–6.


Week 13: vs. Carolina Panthers

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Chiefs the Seahawks played on home ground for an NFC duel with the Panthers. In the first quarter the Seahawks trailed early as running back
Mike Goodson Michael Darryl Goodson Jr. (born May 23, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Texas A&M. Goodson was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for the ...
got a 6-yard touchdown run, followed by running back
Jonathan Stewart Jonathan Creon Stewart (born March 21, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Oregon and was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the first round (13th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. H ...
getting a 3-yard touchdown run. They commanded the rest of the game with kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
getting a 24-yard field goal, followed by running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run, then with
Lofa Tatupu Mosiula Mea'alofa "Lofa" Tatupu (born November 15, 1982) is a former American football linebacker who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was an assistant linebackers coach with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college ...
returning an interception 26 yards for a touchdown. The lead was extended with Lynch getting touchdown runs of 1 yard and 22 yards. With the win, not only did the Seahawks improve to 6–6, they surpassed their victory mark of the last 2 seasons.


Week 14: at San Francisco 49ers

After their win over the Panthers the Seahawks flew to
Candlestick Park Candlestick Park was an outdoor stadium on the West Coast of the United States, located in San Francisco's Bayview Heights area. The stadium was originally the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 un ...
for an NFC West rivalry match against the 49ers. The Seahawks trailed early with quarterback
Alex Smith Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the 20 ...
completing a 42-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Vernon Davis Vernon Davis (born January 31, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Maryland, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers sixth overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. In 2009, Davis co-led the NFL in touchdown rec ...
, but they replied with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ruvell Martin. They fell further behind when kicker Jeff Reed hit a 33 and a 44-yard field goal, followed by Smith completing a 15 and a 62-yard touchdown pass to
Josh Morgan Joshua Lewis Morgan (born June 20, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech. He also played for the Was ...
and
Brian Westbrook Brian Collins Westbrook (born September 2, 1979) is a former American football running back who played for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft af ...
respectively. This was followed by Reed making a 22-yard field goal, and in the third quarter with free safety
Dashon Goldson Dashon Hugh Goldson (born September 18, 1984) is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Washington, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round o ...
returning an interception 39 yards for a touchdown. After that, Reed kicked a 36-yard field goal to put the 49ers up 40–7. The Seahawks tried to cut the lead down but only came away with running back
Leon Washington Leon Dewitt Washington Sr. (born August 29, 1982) is a former American football running back and return specialist. He currently serves as a coach for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
returning the kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, and in the fourth quarter with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
getting a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Deon Butler Vincent Deon Butler (born January 4, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State. College career After redshirti ...
. With the loss, Seattle fell to 6–7.


Week 15: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the 49ers the Seahawks played on home ground for an NFC duel with the Falcons. In the first quarter the Seahawks took the lead with running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run, with the Falcons replying with quarterback Matt Ryan making a 3-yard touchdown pass to fullback
Jason Snelling Jason Michael Snelling (born December 29, 1983) is a former American football running back. He played his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL ...
. The Seahawks trailed slightly with kicker
Matt Bryant Steven Matt Bryant (born May 29, 1975), nicknamed "Money Matt", is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for the Baylor Bears, and was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the AFL's Iowa Barnstormers in 2000. A ...
hitting a 27-yard field goal, but managed to tie the game with kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
nailing a 38-yard field goal. They struggled to keep up after Ryan completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Jenkins, followed by quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
losing the ball in the endzone which was picked up by defensive tackle
Jonathan Babineaux Jonathan Joel Babineaux (born October 12, 1981) is a former American football defensive tackle who played all 12 seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Falcons in the second round with the 59th overall pick in th ...
for a touchdown. This was followed by Bryant getting a 25-yard field goal, and then with Ryan getting a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Roddy White Sharod Lamor "Roddy" White (born November 2, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver who played his entire professional career with the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at UAB, and was drafted by the Falcons in the first ...
. The Seahawks tried to cut the lead, but only came away with quarterback
Charlie Whitehurst Charles David Whitehurst Jr. (born August 6, 1982), is a former American football quarterback who played college football at Clemson Tigers football, Clemson, and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round (81st overall) of the 2006 ...
scrambling a yard for a touchdown. With the loss, Seattle fell to 6–8.


Week 16: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Falcons the Seahawks flew to
Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Tampa, Florida that opened in 1998 and is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) and the University of South Florida (USF) Bulls college football program. The se ...
for an NFC duel with the Buccaneers. The Seahawks took the early lead with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
scrambling 1 yard for a touchdown, but failed to maintain this lead with kicker
Connor Barth Connor Thomas Barth (born April 11, 1986) is a former American football placekicker who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undraft ...
hitting a 46-yard field goal, followed by quarterback Josh Freeman completing a 10 and a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kellen Winslow and to wide receiver Mike Williams (wide receiver, born 1987), Mike Williams. The Seahawks fell further behind when Freeman connected with Winslow and Williams again on a 21 and a 7-yard touchdown pass. The Seahawks tried to come back with running back
Leon Washington Leon Dewitt Washington Sr. (born August 29, 1982) is a former American football running back and return specialist. He currently serves as a coach for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
getting a 16-yard touchdown run (with a successful two-point conversion as quarterback
Charlie Whitehurst Charles David Whitehurst Jr. (born August 6, 1982), is a former American football quarterback who played college football at Clemson Tigers football, Clemson, and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round (81st overall) of the 2006 ...
connected with wide receiver
Ben Obomanu Benjamin Ebenezer Obomanu (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Obomanu played college football for the Auburn Tigers. High school ...
), but struggled to keep up as Freeman made a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Maurice Stovall. With the loss, Seattle fell to 6–9.


Week 17: vs. St. Louis Rams

Hoping to end their season on a positive note, the Seahawks went home for a Week 17 NFC West rematch with the St. Louis Rams, with the division title on the line. Seattle delivered the game's opening strike in the first quarter as quarterback
Charlie Whitehurst Charles David Whitehurst Jr. (born August 6, 1982), is a former American football quarterback who played college football at Clemson Tigers football, Clemson, and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round (81st overall) of the 2006 ...
found wide receiver Mike Williams (wide receiver, born 1984), Mike Williams on a 4-yard touchdown pass. The Rams answered in the second quarter with former Seahawks kicker Josh Brown making a 32-yard field goal. St. Louis continued to pound away at Seattle's lead in the third quarter as Brown got a 27-yard field goal, but the Seahawks replied with a 31-yard field goal from kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
. Afterwards, Seattle pulled away in the fourth quarter with Mare's 38-yard and 34-yard field goals. With the win, not only did the Seahawks finish the regular season at 7–9, but they also won the NFC West for the first time since 2007 and secured the NFC's #4 seed. Also, Seattle became the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs in a non-strike season and become division champions with a losing record.


Postseason

Seattle entered the postseason as the #4 seed in the NFC.


Schedule


Game summaries


NFC Wild Card Playoff: vs. #5 New Orleans Saints

Entering the postseason as the NFC's #4 seed, the Seahawks began their playoff run at home in the NFC Wild Card Round against the #5 New Orleans Saints in a rematch of their Week 11 duel. Seattle trailed early in the first quarter as Saints kicker Garrett Hartley got a 26-yard field goal, followed by quarterback
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is the NFL leader in ...
completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to fullback Heath Evans. The Seahawks answered with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
finding tight end John Carlson on an 11-yard touchdown pass. New Orleans responded in the second quarter with running back Julius Jones (American football), Julius Jones getting a 5-yard touchdown run, but Seattle took the lead with Hasselbeck connecting with Carlson again on a 7-yard touchdown pass, Mare booting a 29-yard field goal and Hasselbeck hooking up with wide receiver Brandon Stokley on a 45-yard touchdown pass. The Saints closed out the half with Hartley getting a 22-yard field goal. The Seahawks added onto their lead in the third quarter as Hasselbeck found wide receiver Mike Williams (wide receiver, born 1984), Mike Williams on a 38-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 39-yard field goal from Mare. New Orleans ate away at their deficit in the fourth quarter with Jones' 4-yard touchdown run and Hartley's 21-yard field goal, but Seattle came right back with a 67-yard touchdown run from running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
. The Saints tried to rally with Brees completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Devery Henderson (with a failed two-point conversion), but a failed onside kick helped preserve Seattle's victory. With the win, not only did the Seahawks improve their overall record to 8–9, but they became the first sub-.500 team in NFL history to win a playoff game as well as dethroning the defending world champion Saints from further playoff contention. It was later determined that crowd activity and noise was so great, specifically during Marshawn Lynch's game-clinching touchdown run (commonly referred to as the
Beast Quake The Beast Quake was a National Football League (NFL) touchdown scored by Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch against the New Orleans Saints during a 2010 NFC Wild Card playoff game. Occurring in the fourth quarter while Seattle was up ...
), that a nearby seismic monitoring station registered a small tremor located at Qwest Field.Earthquake measured during Marshawn Lynch touchdown
/ref> With the win, the Seahawks had a 6–3 record at home for the season.


NFC Divisional Playoff: at #2 Chicago Bears

Coming off their win over the Saints, the Seahawks flew to Soldier Field for the NFC Divisional Round against the #2
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
, in a rematch of their Week 6 matchup. Seattle trailed early in the first quarter as Bear quarterback
Jay Cutler Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Van ...
completed a 58-yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg Olsen (American football), Greg Olsen, followed by running back Chester Taylor getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Chicago added onto their lead in the second quarter as Cutler got a 6-yard touchdown run. The Bears continued their dominating day in the third quarter as Cutler got a 9-yard touchdown run. Seattle finally answered with a 30-yard field goal from kicker
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
. The Seahawks tried to rally in the fourth quarter as quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
found wide receiver Mike Williams (wide receiver, born 1984), Mike Williams on a 38-yard touchdown pass, but Chicago pulled away with Cutler completing a 39-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kellen Davis. Seattle continued to try to rally as Hasselbeck connected with Williams again on a 3-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley, but the Bears held on to preserve the win. With the loss, the Seahawks' season came to an end with an overall record at 8–10.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2010 Seattle Seahawks Season 2010 National Football League season by team, Seattle Seahawks NFC West championship seasons Seattle Seahawks seasons 2010 in sports in Washington (state), Seattle Seahawks