Easley Makes Big Play as Seahawks Win

SEATTLE — Ken Easley set up a crucial third-quarter touchdown with a pass interception, and Norm Johnson kicked field goals of 53, 35 and 34 yards as the Seattle Seahawks beat Kansas City, 23-17, Sunday.

“Kenny Easley is such a catalyst,” said Coach Chuck Knox, now in his fourth season with Seattle. “He sets the tone.”

Johnson, who missed three of four field-goal attempts in the Seahawks’ 30-0 season-opening victory over Pittsburgh in the Kingdome last week, was three for four against the Chiefs. He missed a 26-yard attempt with 7:44 to go.

Sunday’s final score was somewhat deceiving. The Chiefs scored a touchdown with four seconds left on Jeff Smith’s one-yard run.

With the Seahawks in front, 16-10, Easley picked off a Todd Blackledge pass on the Kansas City 29-yard line and brought it back 24 yards to the Chiefs’ five-yard line.

Seattle (2-0) scored its second touchdown three plays later on Curt Warner’s one-yard leap, making it 23-10.

The Seahawks’ other points came on a six-yard touchdown pass from Dave Krieg to Daryl Turner in the second quarter.

Kansas City (1-1) burned the Seahawks’ secondary with a 70-yard touchdown pass from Blackledge to Carlos Carson in the third quarter to cut a 13-3 halftime deficit to 13-10 with only 5:37 gone in the second half.

But Johnson’s third field goal, his 53-yarder, a yard short of his career best, put the Seahawks in front 16-10 at 8:26 of the third quarter, and Warner’s touchdown set up by Easley’s interception came just 2:13 later.

Seattle got all its first-half points in the second quarter. Johnson kicked his field goals of 35 and 34 yards before Krieg found a leaping Turner in the right corner of the end zone.

Johnson’s 34-yard field goal came six plays after Greg Gaines recovered a Herman Heard fumble on the Kansas City 35.

Krieg completed 21 of 35 passes for 203 yards and 1 touchdown. Blackledge was 15 of 29 for 183 yards and 1 touchdown.

Warner was the game’s top rusher, getting 80 yards in 25 carries.