Patriots-Seahawks: Matt Cassel Sparks Fourth-Quarter Rally

Alice was not talking about the AFC East Division when she said, “Things keep getting curiouser and curiouser,” but her words would certainly apply. Remember when the Buffalo Bills started out the campaign 4-0? Remember when after defeating the Tennessee Titans the New York Jets looked like they were going to win their first division title since the Johnson Administration? (A slight exaggeration!)

Well don’t look now, but there is a three-way tie for first in the AFC East, with everyone in the division except for the Bills having a share. The Jets, the Miami Dolphins, and the New England Patriots all have identical records of 8-5 after New England pulled off a fourth-quarter comeback against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, 24-21.

The Patriots trailed the entire contest until they scored 11 unanswered points in the fourth to get the win.

It has not been a good season for the football team from the “Great Northwest” as starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has been lost to injury, and been replaced by Seneca Wallace. The reserve QB looked good for three quarters, but an error late in the fourth may have cost he and his team the win.

Seattle got on the board with 5:25 left in the first quarter as Deion Branch received a 14 yard pass from Wallace, and ran it into the end-zone. The kick by Olindo Mare was good, and the Seahawks led 7-0.

Stephen Gostkowski would put the Patriots in the scoring column with 48 seconds left in the first as he kicked a 50-yard field goal making it a 7-3 contest at the end of the first.

Wallace threw a 12 yard pass to John Carlson and Carlson ran it in for a touchdown. Mare put the ball through the goal posts and the Seahawks led 14-3 with 12:30 left in the second quarter. Benjamin Watson ran a Matt Cassel two-yard pass into the end-zone with 9:09 left in the half.

Gostkowski’s extra point was good, but that would be the final points of the half for either side, as the teams went to the locker rooms with Seattle on top 14-10.

Neither team would score in the third quarter, until with 2:40 left in the period Gostkowski kicked his second field goal of the game, this one from 42 yards and making it a 14-13 game.

Deion Branch caught his second touchdown pass of the day with 41 seconds in the quarter, this time a four-yard pass by Wallace. After Mare kicked the extra point, it was the Seahawks leading 21-13, and that would be the score as the quarter drew to a close.

Gostkowski for the third time in the game kicked a field goal his shortest of the day only 27 yards, but with 12:19 to play the score was now 21-16. With 8:47 to go in the fourth Cassel marched the Pats down the field resulting in a Sammy Morris one-yard dive across the end zone for a touchdown. The drive lasted 14 plays took New England 71 yards and ran 6:03 off the clock.

Cassel then threw a pass to Wes Welker in the end-zone for a 2 point conversion, giving the Patriots the lead for the first time in the game 24-21 with 2:44 to play. Wallace tried to respond, but fumbled the ball after being sacked by Brandon Merriweather. Richard Seymour recovered the ball with 1:54 left to play, and New England had themselves a comeback victory.

Cassel completed 26/44 passes for 268 yards 1 touchdown, no interceptions. Welker had 12 receptions for 134 yards. On the Seattle side of the field Wallace completed 20/28 for 212 yards, three touchdowns no picks.

Wallace also led his team in rushing with three carries for 47 yards. New England now 8-5 will be in Oakland next Sunday to face the Raiders, Seattle now 2-11 will be in St. Louis to take on the Rams.

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