Seattle Seahawks rookie quarterback Russell Wilson got the ball on his 3-yard line, with 3½ minutes remaining, needing to score a touchdown against perhaps the best defense in football: the Chicago Bears.
No problem.
After the Bears miraculously tied the score to send the game to overtime, Wilson was asked to take down Chicago's defense again. No problem again. He wouldn't even allow Jay Cutler to respond.
The Seahawks won 23-17 in overtime in a game that will have repercussions in the NFC playoff race for weeks to come. Seattle needed a big road victory to become the favorite for a wild-card spot, and now it has it. With three of their final four games at home, the Seahawks are in prime position to make the playoffs. The other contenders have tougher slates.
On NFL Network
NFL Replay will re-air the
Seattle Seahawks' 23-17 overtime win over the ChicagoÂ
Bears in Week 13 on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Seattle won for a variety of reasons, but it comes back to Wilson. He played his best in the game's biggest moments, throwing for 293 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another 71 yards. He converted three third downs -- two with his legs -- on the game-winning overtime drive. He faced a third-and-14, followed by a fourth-and-3 at the end of regulation, and converted to keep the game alive.
Wilson still occasionally misses throws, but he's getting better at fitting the ball into tight windows. Golden Tate made two fabulous plays, including a 14-yard catch and run with 24 seconds left.
The Seahawks are 7-5, but they now hold tiebreakers over the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys. This win showed the Seahawks can beat a quality opponent on the road. We have a long way to go, but Wilson has helped make us believe Seattle will have a chance for another tough road win on wild-card weekend.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
