Patriots Ground Chuck, Seahawks, 13-7 : New England Limits Seattle to 65 Yards, 2 First Downs and Stays in Hunt for Playoff Spot

Against the Raiders on Monday night, the Seattle Seahawks were able to run or pass almost at will. The New England Patriots obviously weren’t impressed.

The Patriots held Seattle to 2 first downs and 65 total yards Sunday and improved their playoff chances with a 13-7 victory over the Seahawks.

The Patriots (8-6) can make the playoffs by winning their last two games if Cleveland and Indianapolis each lose once. Seattle (7-7) is in a tie for the AFC West lead with the Raiders and Denver.

“We just didn’t make any plays offensively,” Seattle Coach Chuck Knox said. “We like to both throw and run but we couldn’t do either.

“New England’s defense played well. That had a lot to do with it. The wind was a factor, but it was cold for both teams.”

John Stephens had something to do with it, too, rushing for 121 yards in 31 carries and setting up Robert Perryman’s 1-yard touchdown dive in the third quarter that overcame the Seahawks’ 7-6 lead.

Stephens increased his New England rookie rushing record to 1,028 yards for the season.

“When you feel a lineman beside you, you keep driving,” he said. “The leg drive is the key and it’s a great feeling when you pop out for extra yardage.

“One thousand yards is a great goal, but it wasn’t my goal. I didn’t think I’d carry the ball enough.”

New England broke team records of 86 yards allowed against Baltimore in 1977 and 5 first downs given up to Chicago in 1979.

Seattle, which gained a season high 459 yards last Monday night, converted just 1 of 13 third-down situations. The Seahawks gained yardage on just 20 of their 41 plays.

Quarterback Dave Krieg, who threw 5 touchdown passes against the Raiders, completed 9 of 20 passes for 62 yards. He was sacked two times for a total loss of 17 yards. With wind gusts to 33 m.p.h. and the wind-chill factor below zero, both teams stayed with their running games.

“The defense played very soundly,” New England quarterback Doug Flutie said. “The wind was messing our passes so we didn’t throw that much, but it was a nice, sound ballgame.”

Flutie is 10-0 as a starting quarterback in Sullivan Stadium, 5 games at Boston College and 5 for New England.

The Patriots, who led, 6-0, at halftime on Jason Stauvorsky’s field goals of 34 and 22 yards, outrushed Seattle 177 yards to 20 yards and kept the ball for 41:05 of the 60 minutes. Stauvorsky missed a 27-yarder on the final play of last week’s 24-21 loss to Indianapolis.

Seattle’s Curt Warner, who ran for 130 yards last Monday night, gained 10 Sunday, and John L. Williams, who ran for 105 in the previous game, had 20.

Seattle took a 7-6 lead on Dave Krieg’s 27-yard pass to Ray Butler after recovering Elgin Davis’ fumble on the second half kickoff.

The Seahawks’ Norm Johnson missed field goals of 47 and 41 yards in the first half.