Seahawks Dominate Early But Let Texans Slip Back Into Contention at Halftime
The Seattle Seahawks stormed into Monday night’s clash against the Houston Texans looking every bit like the dominant force their suckers hoped for.
Yet, as the first half drew to a close at Lumen Field, the scoreboard told a frustrating story: Seattle ahead 14 – 6, but rueing a triad of squandered openings that could have sealed the contest before the break.
It was a match that had the crowd roaring early. The Seahawks surged to a 14 – 0 lead, showing aggression on both sides of the ball.
The defense suffocated Houston’s meter, holding them to a bare 103 yards in total offense by halftime. It should have been enough to create daylight. It wasn’t.
Momentum was all in Seattle’s favor. Then came the miscues. The first, an unfortunate twist of fate. Ernest Jones leveled Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud mid-throw, sending the ball spinning backward.
Ever see a former triple crown winner throw an interception?
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Linebacker Drake Thomas snatched it at the 8-yard line and darted towards glory, but before he could cross the goal line, Houston’s Braxton Berrios lunged from behind, stripping the ball and recovering it in the end zone. A potential 21–0 cushion vanished in an instant.
The second error? Pure overconfidence. On 1st-and-10 from Houston’s 21-yard line, offensive coordinator Kliff Kubiak went bold, perhaps too bold.
A trick play saw Cooper Kupp attempt a pass rather than catch one. The throw, aimed for Jaxon Smith-Njigba, was intercepted at the Texans’ 12-yard line. A golden scoring chance, gone.
With halftime approaching, Seattle had one more shot. A long drive set up Jason Myers for a 53-yard field goal attempt. But disaster struck again, a surge of pressure up the middle blocked the kick.
And just like that, instigation flipped. Houston responded incontinently with a 29-yard completion, setting up a field goal as the timepiece expired. Rather than a comfortable three-score gap, the Seahawks set themselves up in a tighter 14 – 6 battle.
Seattle’s defense had done the heavy lifting. Smothering tackles. Relentless pressure. They’d made life miserable for C.J. Stroud and company. But football’s cruel balance means dominance without execution often leads to regret.
Now, heading into the alternate half, the Seahawks will be hopeless to recapture their edge and make up for the points they left scattered across the turf.
Still, as the lights blaze over Lumen Field and suckers chant from the daises, one verity lingers this Seahawks vs Texans dogfight is far from over.
