In what could very well be a single-game NFL record, a third touchdown by Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin was taken off the scoreboard by penalty in Monday’s game at Washington.
After losing a rushing and a receiving touchdown to penalties on back-to-back plays in the second quarter, Harvin appeared to finally have his first score of the game early in the fourth quarter when Russell Wilson hit him for an apparent 41-yard touchdown pass. But guard James Carpenter — who was called for holding on Harvin’s first TD — was flagged for a personal foul for hitting a player unnecessarily on this potential fourth-quarter score. And indeed, the replay showed referee Jeff Triplette’s crew had reason to throw the flag, as Carpenter dove on a player who had already been blocked to the ground.
The second of Harvin’s scores, for the record, was nullified by a false start penalty on the wide receiver himself.
Harvin’s magically disappearing touchdowns have helped Washington hang around against Seattle. So has Washington’s defense, which has tightened up after a slow start. But Seattle still holds a 17-10 fourth-quarter edge at FedEx Field with about nine minutes left.