The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/98466
■ pack pros Russell Wilson Is At His Best When It Matters Most In comeback victories against three of the NFL's elite teams — Green Bay, New England and Chicago — Wilson threw for 716 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions. O n Sept. 24, Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Russell Wilson became just the fourth NFL rookie quarterback to throw a game-winning touchdown pass with no time left on the clock since 1970. Wilson and his team upended the Green Bay Packers, 24-23, and then he repeated the effort in an overtime win on the road against the Chicago Bears. photo courtesy seattle seahawks The former NC State signal-caller has led a trio of comebacks in the final frame for the 8-5 Seahawks this year, and he has had his team within a score in each of their five losses — many times threatening to steal the game in the waning moments. Wilson and Andrew Luck, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and the only first-year signal-caller with more wins than Wilson, have become the first quarterbacks since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to throw a pair of game-winning touchdowns in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime during their rookie seasons, and Wilson has done it three times. Wilson is also one of just five field generals since the merger to notch wins over a pair of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks during his first season in the pros — and his victories over Aaron Rodgers of the Packers and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots both came in nailbiting comebacks. Wilson has noted that the game is continuing to slow down for him, and it is showing on the field. In the team's last six games heading into week 15 of the season, the Seahawks were 4-2 and Wilson had completed 67.1 percent of his throws (104 of 155) for 1,262 yards with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions. On the year, he had completed 63.0 percent of his passes (208 of 330) for 2,492 yards with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He had a passer rating of 94.9, which ranked seventh in the league, and he had also rushed for 310 yards on 69 carries (4.5 yards per attempt). With three regular season games remaining, Wilson was just six scoring throws shy of tying Peyton Manning's NFL rookie record of 26 touchdown passes, and his 20 scoring tosses were tied for the 12th most in the league and were the most among rookies. He also ranked 12th in the league in completion percentage. Here are recaps of the magic Wilson has worked on the three comebacks he successfully engineered — a 14-12 upset of the Packers at home Sept. 24, a 24-23 victory over the Patriots at home Oct. 14 and a 23-17 overtime triumph over the Bears in Chicago Dec. 2. In the three games, Wilson threw for 716 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions, while he also rushed for 106 yards. In the fourth quarter and overtime of those comebacks alone, he totaled 298 yards and five scores through the air. Seahawks 14, Packers 12 Wilson did not have a great game against Green Bay — he completed less than 50 percent of his passes and threw for just 130 yards — but he did connect for two scores and didn't turn the ball over. He was also on the money when it 74 ■ the wolfpacker 74,76.Pack Pros.indd 74 12/11/12 2:29 PM