SEATTLE – Drew Lock threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 28 seconds left to cap a 92-yard drive, and the Seattle Seahawks stunned the Philadelphia Eagles 20-17 on Monday night, ending a four-game skid and getting back into NFC playoff contention.
Seattle (7-7) rallied behind its backup quarterback, who moved the team the length of the field for its longest touchdown drive this season and found the Seahawks’ rookie first-round pick for the biggest catch of his young career.
On third-and-10, Smith-Njigba beat James Bradberry off the line and Lock’s throw was perfect to cap the unlikely rally from an early 10-0 deficit. Lock, who made his second straight start in place of the injured Geno Smoth, connected with DK Metcalf three times on the decisive drive, including much-needed chunk plays of 18 and 34 yards.
Philadelphia had one last chance, but Julian Love made his second interception of the fourth quarter, picking off Jalen Hurts’ deep pass intended for A.J. Brown and just getting his feet down inbounds, to send the Eagles (10-4) to their third straight loss.
Midway through the fourth, Love picked off Hurts in the end zone to prevent the Eagles from extending their 17-13 lead.
Lock was 22 of 33 for 208 yards. Hurts, who was questionable to play with an illness, had 13 carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns, but he was just 17 of 31 passing for 143 yards and the two picks.
Lock was also the lead blocker on Kenneth Walker III’s 23-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that pulled Seattle even at 10-10. Walker finished with 86 yards rushing.
Seattle moved into a logjam with four teams currently at .500 that are battling for the NFC’s last two playoff spots, while Philadelphia wasted a chance to move a game ahead of Dallas in the NFC East.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
