The Seahawks came into Sunday's game against the winless Jets looking to bounce back from a Week 13 loss, and they did just that, winning in dominant fashion to improve to 9-4.Â
The Seahawks spent most of Sunday afternoon dominating the Jets, who are now 0-13, and built a 37-3 lead by the end of the third quarter, leading to Pete Carroll deciding to rest most of the starters the rest of the way. Sunday's win marked the first time that Russell Wilson hasn't played every offensive snap in a game since the 2017 season.Â
Here are five rapid reactions to the Seahawks 40-3 win over the Jets, which was Seattle's most lopsided win since a 2012 58-0 win over the Cardinals, and victory that gives the Seahawks a winning record for the ninth straight season:
1. Russell Wilson and the offense got back on track.Â
Russell Wilson and the Seahawks had cooled off a bit in recent weeks following a torrid start to the season, and in last week's loss to the Giants, Seattle's offense managed only one touchdown, which came in the fourth quarter. On Sunday, however, Wilson and the offense looked a lot more like the early-season version of themselves, scoring early and often, punting only once before the starters came out, and moving the ball efficiently both through the air and on the ground.Â
Wilson, who had six touchdowns and five interceptions over his past five games, was nearly perfect Sunday save for one deep shot he took to DK Metcalf that was intercepted on a great play by Jets safety Marcus Maye. In his three quarters of work, Wilson completed 21 of 27 attempts for 206 yards and four touchdowns, and his 122.6 passer rating was his best since Seattle's Week 8 win over the 49ers.Â
Wilson's four touchdowns give him 36 this season, breaking his own franchise record.Â
Despite playing backups for the entire fourth quarter, the Seahawks finished with 410 yards and 28 first downs, and scored on six of their first eight possessions.
2. The defense took care of business.
In what is a rather odd stat for a winless team with, statistically speaking, one of the NFL's worst offenses, the Jets came into the game having scored on their opening drive in six straight games, and they extended that to seven straight on Sunday with an opening drive that ended with a field goal.
From there on out, however, the Seahawks defense was almost completely in control, extending its run of strong play that dates back to the second half of a Week 10 loss to the Rams.
Other than a few missed interceptions, the Seahawks defense did just about everything well, holding the Jets to just 185 yards and 12 first downs. It was also the first time this season the Seahawks have kept an opponent out of the end zone. The Seahawks also got a takeaway thanks to a Damon Harrison forced fumble what was recovered by Bobby Wagner.
3. Chris Carson looks like he's all the way back, and the running game had a big day overall.Â
While Chris Carson returned to the lineup two weeks ago following a four-game absence, the Seahawks did ease him back into things a bit the first to games. While Carson didn't finish with huge numbers due to the starters coming out early, he was very involved and effective through three quarters, rushing 12 times for 76 yards and score, and catching three passes for 22 yards.Â
And it wasn't just Carson getting the job done on the ground. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he wanted to see his offense get a little more balanced, and with Carson and Carlos Hyde (15 carries, 66 yards) leading the way, the Seahawks rushed for 174 yards.
4. Jamal Adams got the DB sack record, but will be lamenting a missed opportunity.
Facing his former team, Jamal Adams was eager to make some plays, and he was able to do that, most notably by registering a sack for chasing Sam Darnold out of bounds for a loss. That sack gave Adams 8.5 this season in just 9 games, setting an NFL record for sacks by a defensive back dating back to 1982, when sacks became an official stat.
Adams also gets a step closer to his first trip to the postseason, and Sunday's result assures he will be on a team with a winning record for the first time in his NFL career after the Jets managed five, four and seven victories during his time there.
Adams will want at least one play back, however, because after reading a pass perfectly and being in position for the pick, the pass hit off his chest and fell to the ground for an incomplete pass instead of his first interception as a Seahawk.
To be fair to Adams, he wasn't the only one missing out on chances at takeaways. Poona Ford looked poised to intercept a tipped pass, but K.J. Wright, tracking the ball and not knowing Ford was there, essentially broke up the pass before Ford could get it. Then in the third quarter, Ugo Amadi got his hands on a pass but couldn't hang on to what looked like to be a likely pick-six.
5. DK Metcalf is in rare company among Seahawks receivers.
DK Metcalf caught six more passes for 61 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, hardly an eye-popping stat line for the second-year receiver. But that touchdown, his 10th of the season, did put him in rare company among Seahawks receivers. Metcalf, who now has 1,180 yards and 10 touchdowns, became the fourth player in Seahawks history with 1,000-plus receiving yards and double-digit TDs in the same season, joining Steve Largent (1983, 1984), Doug Baldwin (2015) and Joey Galloway (1997, 1998).
The best photos from Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Jets at Lumen Field. Fueled by Nesquik.