Patriots fall to Seahawks in overtime after penalty sets up game-ending field goal
Jason Myers converted a 31-yard field goal in overtime to lift the Seattle Seahawks to a 23-20 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday. Jerod Mayo’s club is now 1-1 on the 2024 season after coming up short in a thriller at Gillette Stadium.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith finished 33-of-44 for 327 yards, one passing touchdown, and no turnovers for a 103.1 passer rating in the win for Seattle. Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett, meanwhile, went 15-of-27 for 149 yards and a touchdown in the defeat.
In OT, the Patriots started with the ball but went three-and-out gaining only nine yards. The Seahawks, meanwhile, went 51 yards in eight plays leading up to Myers’ game-winning kick. A defensive pass interference penalty against the Patriots’ Jonathan Jones gave Seattle 20 yards on the drive. In addition, Patriots kicker Joey Slye had a field goal try blocked late in the fourth quarter, which would have given the Pats a 6-point lead at the time.
Seahawks 23, Patriots 20: Full Game Recap
The teams traded punts to start the game, then the Patriots drew first blood. Driving 60 yards in eight plays, Brissett hit rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk in the back of the end zone for his first career touchdown catch to put the Pats up 7-0 in the first quarter.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, the defense couldn’t follow that up with another stop. Instead, they committed an ugly coverage bust, as Seahawks wideout D.K. Metcalf got behind the entire defense and high-stepped into the end zone for a 56-yard touchdown catch from Geno Smith.
The Patriots answered that drive with a field goal, as they grinded their way down into range in 15 plays and kicker Joey Slye converted from 29 yards for his fourth field goal in as many tries so far this season.
On the ensuing drive, the Seahawks struck again, but at least had to fight for it. Facing third-and-8, Smith lofted one for Tyler Lockett in the end zone, where Patriots cornerback Marco Wilson was flagged for a defensive pass interference penalty, setting up first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet punched it in on the next play, giving the Seahawks a 14-10 lead and capping an 11-play, 70-yard drive.
The Patriots kept the shootout going with a strong response drive, but couldn’t quite find the end zone. Thanks to a 35-yard catch-and-run by Henry off a quick screen from Brissett, the Pats got back into field goal range for Slye, who knocked it through from 28 yards to make it 14-13.
The Patriots forced another Seahawks punt after the field goal, but Seattle’s Michael Dickson pinned them down with a 58-yarder and they went three-and-out to give the ball back. The Seahawks responded with a 23-yard punt return to start at midfield with 34 seconds left in the half, then drove another 26 yards to set up another field goal to give them a 17-13 halftime lead.
Despite getting the ball to start the third quarter, the Seahawks came up empty-handed on their first drive. That was thanks to a bold decision to go for it on fourth-and-1, which the Patriots stopped with a combined tackle effort by Kyle Dugger and Jahlani Tavai. Defensive end Keion White helped open up space for the tacklers with a powerful bull-rush, as well.
Both defenses tightened up for much of the third quarter, with four punts in a row. That was until a monstrous Patriots drive from late in the third into the start of the fourth put them back on top. Behind a powerful run game and heavy formations, the Patriots drove 66 yards in 11 plays and capped it with a Stevenson touchdown in the “Wildcat” formation to put themselves up 20-17.
The Seahawks had a bad ensuing possession, as a holding penalty and a 7-yard sack by White set up third-and-27, and the Seahawks were forced to punt again. On the ensuing drive, a 45-yard run by Antonio Gibson set the Patriots up deep into Seattle territory, but a 9-yard sack and a blocked 48-yard field goal attempt got the ball back to Seattle with just under four minutes to play.
Seattle then drove 47 yards in nine plays to set up another Jason Myers field goal try, and the kick was barely good through the right upright to tie the game 20-20 with just 55 seconds left. Both teams possessed the ball in the final minute, but came up short in their drives and sent the game to overtime. The Patriots won the coin toss and elected to take the ball to start the extra period.
The Patriots went three-and-out on their first drive to start overtime, which came with rookie Caedan Wallace at left tackle, as starter Vederian Lowe was sidelined to start OT with an apparent injury. New England was forced to punt after coming up short on third-and-1.
On the ensuing drive, the Seahawks drove 51 yards in seven plays and set up Myers for the game-winning field goal. A big part of the drive was a defensive pass interference penalty against Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones, which moved Seattle 20 yards down the field.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
