Galloway Gets All the Breaks

Everything went Joey Galloway’s way, especially a referee’s call late in the game that helped the Seattle Seahawks beat the San Diego Chargers, 27-20, Sunday.

Galloway scored on an 81-yard reception and a 74-yard punt return in the first half, then came up with a controversial catch in the fourth quarter that set up Ricky Watters’ one-yard touchdown run with 8:43 left for a 27-17 lead.

San Diego cut the lead on John Carney’s 45-yard field goal, and rookie Ryan Leaf moved the Chargers from their 20 to the Seahawk three in the final 2:43 before throwing three straight incompletions in the end zone to end the game. Leaf was seven for 15 for 77 yards on the final drive.

Leaf had his best game as a pro, completing 25 of 52 passes for 281 yards. He also threw his first touchdown pass since the season opener and had no turnovers for the second consecutive game.

The Seahawks (4-3), coming off their bye week, snapped a three-game losing streak. The loss dropped the Chargers to 3-5 and interim Coach June Jones to 1-1 since he replaced the fired Kevin Gilbride on Oct. 13.

The key play came with the Seahawks leading, 20-17, and with a first and 10 on the Charger 43. John Friesz, starting because Warren Moon has a cracked rib, threw a long pass that Galloway and cornerback Terrance Shaw both came down with, wrestling for the ball at the two-yard line.

Even though Shaw appeared to control the ball first, it was ruled a simultaneous catch with the ball belonging to the Seahawks. Several Chargers argued with the officials, and Shaw was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected.