In a game where neither starting quarterback deserved to lose, Cam Newton came up a yard short of the end zone on the last play of the game, giving the Seattle Seahawks a nail-biting 35-30 win.
Editor's note: All of PFF's grades and advanced stats from this game will be finalized and made available to ELITE subscribers within 24 hours of the final whistle.
The back-and-forth affair was a game for the ages, with Russell Wilson continuing on his torrid pace to start the season and Newton showing signs of 2015 and keeping pace until the very last play. If you're reading this, you might still be out of breath.
STORY OF THE GAME
#LetRussCook was the name of the game for Seattle tonight, with 16 of his 30 dropbacks coming on first down. But while first-down passing might have been the focus of attention, it was second down where Wilson did most of his damage — on 15 second-down dropbacks, Wilson completed eight of 10 passes for 168 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 39 yards on five scrambles, four of which resulted in a first down.
Everything you could ever love about Rusell Wilson was on display at CenturyLink Field as the 12s cheered loud in spirit. His classic deep-ball game was on point, as he threw three completions, all for touchdowns, on the four passes he threw 20-plus yards downfield.
The Cam Newton-led New England Patriots deserved a better fate. The new Pats quarterback put the team on his proverbial back and carried them through four quarters. All Newton did was throw for 397 yards while adding 47 rushing yards. And even without a true vertical deep threat, a No. 1 “X” receiver and a 34-year-old Julian Edelman — who caught eight of his 11 targets for 179 yards, so maybe age is but a number — Cam played with the timing and accuracy befit for a win. Alas, it didn't happen.
Newton accounted for 95% of the Patriots' offense as the rushing attack gained 20 yards on 14 non-Newton carries. And even when he was put under pressure, Cam completed five of eight passes for 93 yards. The Auburn product was also able to pick on LSU alum Jamal Adams to the tune of four catches on five targets for 128 yards. It was a stellar performance.
Rookie Watch
Seahawks first-round linebacker Jordyn Brooks was mostly a bystander in this one. He totaled seven snaps, but most of them (five) came in the fourth period.
Guard Damien Lewis played all 63 of the Seahawks' offensive snaps and was a mauler in the run game, though he did allow four pressures on 37 pass-blocking snaps. And while receiver Freddie Swain might have only played eight receiving snaps, he came away with one target that he took in for a 21-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
Patriots rookie safety Kyle Dugger played 34 snaps and had four tackles and two pressures. He was targeted in coverage three times and allowed three catches, but he only gave up 23 yards, and not a single one of those catches went for a first down.
The only Patriots offensive rookie with significant snaps was tackle Michael Onwenu, who played 28 of them. He lined up as a jumbo fullback on a few plays but had a good night in pass protection, as he didn't allow a single pressure on his 20 pass-block snaps.
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