The Seattle Seahawks started the 2013 season headed in the right direction Sunday — thanks to a timely Earl Thomas strip.
Locked in a hotly-contested bout with Carolina, Seattle fell behind early, but rallied, eventually gutting out a 12-7 victory. In the fourth quarter, ETIII forced a fumble that gave his team the ball back, allowing the Hawks to close out the win.
The offense sputtered in the early going, as the Panthers built a 7-3 first-half lead. However, behind a big day from quarterback Russell Wilson (25-of-33, 320 YDS, 1 TD), they fought back. The second-year signal-caller hit Jermaine Kearse on a 43-yard touchdown strike to take the lead in the final frame.
On the ensuing drive, the Panthers moved their way down into the Seattle 24 when Earl stripped DeAngelo Williams. Tony McDaniel hopped on the loose ball and Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch were able to salt away the victory.
Afterward, Wilson had plenty of praise for ET, who also added 10 combined tackles, and his timely strip.
“That shows what our football team is all about, that relentless nature to keep going after the ball. We’re getting close to the game being on the line, and that’s what makes Earl Thomas the best in the game.”
ONE-ONE-ONE
After the game, Seahawks.com caught up with Earl for an exclusive interview about his game-changing play.
NEXT UP
With the win, Seattle is now set to face division rival and trendy Super Bowl pick San Francisco.
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