In just his second game back from a holdout, Kam Chancellor saved the day for the Seattle Seahawks.
Chancellor dislodged the football from the grasp of Lions receiver Calvin Johnson at the 1-yard line and the ball went out of the end zone for a touchback to preserve a 13-10 victory over Detroit on Monday.
After marching for their own 9-yard line into the Seattle red zone, Matthew Stafford connected with Johnson who tried to crash into the end zone. Instead, Chancellor crashed into Johnson just in time to knock the ball from his hands and out of the back of the end zone.
The fumble gave Seattle possession and a chance to run out the clock. After a 50-yard pass from Russell Wilson to Jermaine Kearse on 3rd-and-2, the Seahawks were able to do just that to preserve the victory and send the Lions to an 0-4 start.
Seattle was in control for most of the night until the frantic finish.
Wilson pirouetted away from a potential sack, stepped up in the pocket and found Kearse for a 34-yard gain on 3rd-and-12 to keep a drive alive and move into Detroit territory. Wilson came back on the next play and delivered a 24-yard strike to Doug Baldwin for a touchdown to give Seattle a 7-0 lead.
The Seahawks led 13-3 late in the fourth quarter until the Lions defense gave them a chance to steal the game. Caraun Reid returned a Wilson fumble 27 yards for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to pull the Lions to within a field goal, 13-10.
Wilson has been harassed all night by the Lions defense as Seattle’s offensive line has provided no protection all night. James Ihedigbo sacked Wilson in the backfield and stripped him of the ball, which Reid managed to scoop up and return for a touchdown.
The Seahawks went three-and-out on their ensuing possession and the Lions took over at their own 9-yard line with 6:23 left to play.
Detroit had amassed only 166 yards of total offense prior to their final possession of the game. Yet, they managed to march down field against Seattle’s defense.
A big throw from Stafford to Tim Wright for 26 yards moved the Lions to the Seahawks’ 20-yard line. Two plays later, the Lions came within inches of grabbing a victory in Seattle only to be turned away at the door step.