Second Half Is a World of Difference

Jon Kitna started the game with the wide-eyed look of a nervous rookie. He ended it with the composure of an old pro.

Kitna made a successful transition from the World League to NFL starting quarterback, completing 23 of 37 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown as the Seattle Seahawks rallied to defeat the Oakland Raiders, 22-21, on Sunday at a half-filled Oakland-Alameda Coliseum.

In the first half, Kitna battled his nerves and the Seahawks trailed, 21-3. In the second half, Kitna methodically picked apart the NFL’s worst defense.

“In the first quarter . . . his eyes were really big,” Seattle wide receiver Mike Pritchard said. “In the second half, you didn’t see those big eyes.”

Todd Peterson kicked a 49-yard field goal with 2:20 remaining for the go-ahead points and the Seahawks (7-8) then smothered a final Raider drive, sending Oakland (4-11) to its seventh loss in eight games.

“The coach [Dennis Erickson] yelled at me a couple of times and the looks he gave me, I was kind of puzzled,” Kitna said. “But he stayed with me. I think it turned into excitement more than nerves [in the second half].”

With Warren Moon sidelined because of bruised ribs and John Friesz out because of a broken right thumb, Kitna made his first start since leading the Barcelona Dragons to the World League championship in June.

Kitna had an eight-yard touchdown pass to Joey Galloway, Chris Warren had a nine-yard scoring run, and Peterson had two 27-yard field goals to help the Seahawks end a losing streak at four games.

Jeff George threw three touchdown passes for the Raiders, who have their most losses in a season since 1962. The loss was the latest indignity in a tumultuous week in which wide receiver Tim Brown threatened to call his own plays and the team bordered on anarchy.