A Tie in The NFL, Seriously?
24 Oct, 2016
The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals didn’t really know how to react after a 6-6 tie.
“Two hundred games, including playoffs,” the Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald said. “I have never played in a game as crazy as this one.”
It was the first tie in the Seahawks’ history. The Cardinals hadn’t had one since 1986, two years before they moved to Arizona.
Both kickers missed chip shots that would have won Sunday night’s game in overtime, Arizona’s Chandler Catanzaro from 24 yards, then Seattle’s Steven Hauschka from 27 yards.
“I really don’t know how to feel,” Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “I’ve never been in a tie game before. It’s certainly not something we’re happy about.”
Neither were the Cardinals.
“It just stinks to walk out of here with the feeling that we have,” Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer said, “and the feeling that they have.”
It was the first tie in the NFL since Cincinnati and Carolina finished 37-37 in 2014 and the first tie without a touchdown scored since 1976.
The Cardinals still haven’t beaten Seattle in Arizona in coach Bruce Arians’ four seasons in the desert.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been part of a football game like that,” Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu said.
Here are some things to consider from that strange Sunday night encounter.
Wagner pulled off an amazingly athletic play when he blocked Catanzaro’s 39-yard field goal try in the first half.
Wagner hurdled the Arizona long snapper Aaron Brewer to get to the kicker.
“It’s something we’ve seen on film,” Wagner said. “He’s (Brewer) really low and I felt like I could jump over him, so I tried and it was a success.”
Arians was livid about the lack of a penalty on the play because he thinks Wagner touched Brewer.
“It sure looked like it to me,” Arians said, “but it was not ruled that way, same way. I’m sure I’ll talk to the league and we’ll get some kind of explanation that is (baloney) like normal.”
The Cardinals dominated the game statistically but couldn’t capitalize.
They outgained the Seahawks 443-257, had 23 first downs to Seattle’s 11 and won time of possession 46:21 to 28:39.
In addition to the missed field goal, the Cardinals went for it on fourth-and-1 in the first half and failed.
“I wanted our guys to have the chance to do something, and we didn’t get it done,” Arians said. “We didn’t block the right side of the line. I’ve been known to go for it quite a few times.”
In the final seconds of the first half, the Cardinals moved within field goal distance, but the clock ran out after Palmer was sacked. Arizona would have had a timeout had Arians not been charged with one when he challenged Wagner’s block, which was not reviewable.
Speedy J.J. Nelson couldn’t outrun the defense on a 40-yard pass play in overtime. David Johnson ran from the 5-yard line to the 1. His foot knocked over the pylon but it was ruled the ball didn’t cross the goal line. The play was not reviewed, and two plays later, Catanzaro missed the short kick.
One of the stranger statistics to this game: Palmer outrushed Russell Wilson. Palmer carried once for eight yards, and Wilson carried once for minus-2 yards.
Wilson has had problems with his ankle and knee but refuses to say that’s still bothering him.
“I feel fine,” Wilson said. “You guys keep asking me. I feel great. There’s times where some games I run, scramble and make a play. Sometimes I don’t, and that’s whether I’m healthy or not.”
The Seattle offense was stuffed by the Arizona defense throughout regulation. Until overtime, the only time the Seahawks got past midfield was when Tanner McEvoy blocked Ryan Quigley’s punt to set up the field goal that tied it 3-3.
“We just couldn’t get in sync at all,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said.
The coaches had different reactions to the misses by their kickers.
“He has been making kicks for us for years,” Carroll said. “I love him and he’s our guy.”
Arians said he had simple advice for Catanzaro.
“Make it. He’s a professional,” Arians said. “This ain’t high school. You get paid to make it.”
AP
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