Seahawks Are Alive, Thanks to Kicking

A month ago, the Seattle Seahawks were flying high with a two-game lead in the AFC West.

Under new Coach Mike Holmgren, the Seahawks were the talk of the NFL.

But a four-game losing streak by Seattle and a four-game winning streak by Kansas City changed all of that.

The Seahawks knew a loss against the Chiefs on Sunday would basically end their postseason hopes and avoided that by riding the foot of punter Jeff Feagles and the arm of quarterback Jon Kitna to a 23-14 victory before a sellout crowd of 66,332 in the final regular-season game at the Kingdome.

The victory moved Seattle (9-6) into a tie for the division lead with Kansas City (9-6). If the Seahawks win their regular-season finale against the New York Jets at East Rutherford, N.J., next Sunday, they will be AFC West champions.

“This is it,” said Seattle defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, who has never been in a playoff game in 11 seasons with the Seahawks. “We’re getting ready for New York now.”

A victory over the Jets would put Seattle in the playoffs for the first time since 1988, regardless of how Kansas City does in its final game at home against Oakland because the Seahawks defeated the Chiefs twice this season.

Kansas City had turned its season around after a Nov. 21 loss to Seattle at home with a ball-control offense and turnover-producing defense, but began most of its 15 possessions Sunday with bad field position. The Chiefs’ average start was at their 19-yard line.

Feagles averaged only 39.1 yards in nine punts but his directional kicking pinned Kansas City deep in its own territory and made dangerous kick returner Tamarick Vanover a non-factor.

“He’s such a good punter,” said Vanover, who has returned two kicks for touchdowns against Seattle in his career but had only 30 yards in five punt returns Sunday.

” 1/8Feagles 3/8 gave them an edge all game.”

Kitna, who had five interceptions in the Seahawk losing streak, completed 18 of 30 passes for 216 yards with no turnovers.

“It’s a matter of experience,” Seattle wide receiver Sean Dawkins said Kitna, in his first full season as an NFL quarterback. “It’s vital for Jon 1/8that 3/8 week to week he grasps the offense, grasps the reads, the new plays that have been put in. There’s a lot that’s been put on him for a first-year 1/8starting 3/8 quarterback. Everyone is going to have their growing pains, but he’s a winner.”

Kitna completed a 16-yard pass to tight end Christian Fauria on the first play of the Seahawks’ opening drive that ended with a 31-yard field goal by Todd Peterson.

After a 21-yard punt return by Joey Galloway late in the first quarter, Kitna needed only two plays to give Seattle a 10-0 lead. He completed a 15-yard pass to Fauria and then found Dawkins for a 20-yard scoring pass.

Seattle took a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter when Kitna led the Seahawks on a six-play, 48-yard drive. He completed four of five passes and capped the possession with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mayes.

It was the type of start Kitna needed.

“We came feeling loose because we were happy to be playing at home,” Kitna said. “I had a great sense of peace going onto the field that we were going to get it done.”

Kansas City made the score 17-7 just before halftime when quarterback Elvis Grbac threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Lonnie Johnson.

After an interception by Shawn Springs set up a 22-yard field goal by Peterson that gave Seattle a 20-7 lead, Grbac answered with a 76-yard touchdown pass play to Joe Horn with 8:08 left in the third quarter.

Kitna responded with key completions to Dawkins and Fauria that led to a 48-yard field goal by Peterson that increased the Seahawk lead to 23-14.

In the fourth quarter, Seattle’s fans made things difficult for the Chief offense. Twice, Kansas City had false starts on important downs and Grbac’s third interception, by Seattle’s Chris Canty, was a result of the noise in the Kingdome.

“When this place gets like that, it creates problems for the offense,” Holmgren said. “There were some procedure penalties I think directly attributed to the noise. Our fans were awesome today. I sensed that they knew we needed it, and they gave it to us.”

The only drawback from Seattle’s win was an injury to running back Ricky Watters, who had 63 yards in 18 carries. Watters did not play in the fourth quarter after suffering a sprained knee.