It may still be winter, but snow in late February isn’t exactly usual weather for Seattle. As the Emerald City enjoys a fresh white coat, perhaps it is time to think back upon the last two snow games the Seahawks played. After all, aren’t we missing football already?
Many fans will remember the latest, which was a Week 16 home showdown with the lowly Chicago Bears in 2021. Seattle’s season was mostly derailed by an injury to then-quarterback Russell Wilson’s throwing hand, but they still had a mathematical shot at the playoffs. Chicago was supposed to an easy victory for a Seahawks team looking to stay alive, unfortunately it was the Bears who put Seattle on ice.
The Seahawks held a 17-7 halftime lead and a 24-14 lead going into the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles – making his only start for Chicago – engineered an 80-yard game-winning drive, with a touchdown pass to former Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham. The Bears eliminated the Seahawks from playoff contention with a 25-24 win.
Life in the NFL is cyclical. While the 2021 Seahawks had their season effectively ended by a bad Chicago team, in 2008 it was a bad Seattle team that helped freeze out a decent New York Jets squad.
The 3-11 Seahawks hosted the 9-5 Jets who still had a shot to win their division. Ultimately, New York quarterback Brett Favre was cold all game, throwing two interceptions, and being outdueled by Seneca Wallace – yes, this really happened – in a 13-3 Seattle victory.
Interestingly, both snow games heralded the closing of specific eras in Seahawks history. The 13-3 win was Mike Holmgren’s final victory as Seattle’s head coach, and he got to do so in front of the 12th Man. As for the 2021 loss to the Bears, it was perhaps the final straw to break the proverbial camel’s back in the ongoing Russell Wilson drama at the time.
Wilson took an unnecessary 13-yard sack in the fourth quarter which led to a more difficult field goal attempt, resulting in a miss by kicker Jason Myers. Was it the play that ended the game? No, but with a 24-14 lead, an extra three points would’ve been crucial, especially since Seattle lost by one.
What is notable about this sack in particular is how Wilson and head coach Pete Carroll publicly differed about it afterwards. ESPN’s Brady Henderson detailed this in his write up about the divorce between Wilson and the Seahawks, and how some in the organization viewed the sack as an example of his decline as a player.
So the next time there is a rare snow day for the Seahawks at Lumen Field, keep your eyes open. Jack Frost just might be a harbinger for seismic changes in Seattle.
