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 "I'm not going to say we're back," linebacker K.J. Wright said after
Seattle held the Bears (0-3) to just 146 yards and seven first
downs. "We've got to keep working. You can't say we've arrived or
we're the best defense in the NFL just like that. We've still got a
lot of work to do."
Tight end Jimmy Graham made a splash in his home debut and safety
Kam Chancellor returned to spearhead a solid defense that recorded
its first shutout since Week 15 of the 2013 season.
"He was very comfortable; they were comfortable with him in there,"
coach Pete Carroll said. "You could just see it. He made us whole."
Seattle also overcame a hamstring injury to star running back
Marshawn Lynch, whose absence was minimized by a breakout
performance from rookie Thomas Rawls. The undrafted rookie from
Central Michigan had 104 yards on 16 carries.
Lynch was unavailable at the start of the game and carried just five
times for 14 yards before coming out with a hamstring injury he
suffered late in the first half.
"It's nothing to be alarmed by," Carroll said after the win. "We'll
just have to wait and see."
Graham scored a 30-yard touchdown in the third quarter of his first
home game as a Seahawk, giving Seattle a 20-0 lead after the offense
struggled through most of the first half.
Seattle kicker Steven Hauschka made four field goals, the first two
of which came during a first half that saw the Seahawks struggle on
the way to a 6-0 lead. Special teams helped spark Seattle, as
Richard Sherman's 64-yard punt return set up the first Hauschka
field goal before rookie Tyler Lockett broke a franchise-long
105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half
while giving the Seahawks (1-2) a 13-0 lead.
"I don't think anybody touched me at all," Lockett said. "It was
just me and the kicker (Robbie Gould), and then I just had to make
sure I didn't get caught from behind."
Said Chicago coach John Fox: "It wasn't a great way to start the
second half."
Graham, who had seven receptions for 83 yards, opened up the game
with the 30-yard touchdown reception with 4:28 remaining in the
third quarter.
Chicago quarterback Jimmy Clausen, starting in place of injured Jay
Cutler, completed 9 of 17 passes for 63 yards as the Bears fell to
0-3 for the first time since 2003.
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"We just couldn't generate anything," Fox said.
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson completed 20 of 30 passes for 235
yards and the touchdown.
Seattle's offense, which was without Lynch for most of the first
quarter, sputtered but was able to go into halftime with a 6-0 lead
on a pair of Hauschka field goals. A 64-yard punt return on a trick
play that left Sherman with open field in front of him, set up
Hauschka's first field goal for a 3-0 Seattle lead in the first
quarter. The Seahawks put in their first sustained drive of the half
over the final two minutes of the second quarter, resulting in
another Hauschka field goal after Chicago cornerback Alan Ball
knocked away passes on consecutive plays in the end zone.
The Seahawks scored two touchdowns over the first 10 1/2 minutes of
the second half to put the game out of reach.
"Honestly, I don't think the game every got out of hand," Sherman
said.
NOTES: Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch did not start or finish Sunday's
game. Lynch missed the first two series of the game while receiving
treatment in the locker room and didn't take his first snap until
nine minutes into the first quarter. He carried five times for 14
yards in the first half, then didn't play after halftime because of
a strained hamstring. ... Seahawks S Kam Chancellor made his season
debut after sitting out the first two games in a contract holdout.
Chancellor had one tackle in the win. ... Bears QB Jimmy Clausen
made his first start of the season because starter Jay Cutler was
out with a hamstring injury. ... Seattle DT Brandon Mebane (groin)
and Chicago DL Will Sutton (biceps) and LT Jermon Bushrod
(concussion) were injured in the game. ... The Seahawks avoided
their first 0-3 start since 2002 with the win.
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