One reason the NFL continues to reign supreme in this country is its inherent unpredictability, which is on full display this morning in Foxboro, MA. The Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium, and many predicted this would be a tough defensive slugfest.
Well, neither team is having much trouble with either defense. After both New England and Seattle punted on their first possessions, the fireworks have begun.
On their second drive of the game, the Patriots managed 60 yards in eight plays and took an early 7-0 lead thanks to former UW receiver Ja’Lynn Polk.
The Seahawks responded accordingly on the next drive when Geno Smith found DK Metcalf for a completely open 56-yard touchdown.
New England regained the lead by driving 59 yards in 15 plays and kicking a field goal for a 10-7 lead. That lead didn’t last long, however, as Smith led Seattle to their second touchdown drive of the morning in similar fashion. Zach Charbonnet got the nod over the injured Kenneth Walker, who also rushed into the end zone and scored his first touchdown of the season.
The Patriots were able to respond somewhat by kicking another field goal on the next possession – their third straight drive, aided by two unnecessary penalties on cornerback Devon Witherspoon, to tie the game 14-13. After New England forced a punt shortly after the two-minute warning, the team was forced to punt back to Seattle with less than a minute left in the first half.
Geno Smith took advantage of the last opportunity and put the ball in Jason Myers’ reach just before halftime, and Seattle’s Pro Bowl kicker sank it from 44 yards out to extend the Seahawks’ lead to 17-13 just before halftime. Interestingly, 17-13 was my final score prediction.
Statistics of the first half:
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Geno Smith: 16 of 19, 169 yards, 1 touchdown
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DK Metcalf: 4 catches, 78 yards, 1 touchdown
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Total: Seahawks lead against Patriots 182-165
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Time of possession: New England 17:53 to Seattle 12:07
The Seahawks get the ball at the start of the second half.
Follow @TheSeahawksWire and @KoleMusgrove23 on Twitter for live updates, analysis and highlights during the game!
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This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: First-half highlights: Seahawks lead 17-13 against Patriots
