SEATTLE — More than an hour after watching Steven Hauschka kick the winning field goal in overtime, Russell Wilson stood behind the interview podium after getting beaten and battered again.
Overcoming a 21-point deficit, even against the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, took another showcase performance from Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks in the second half.
It was an ugly way for Seattle to remain on top of the NFC and for the best start in Seahawks history to continue.
“That was a huge win. You think about the deficit we were under and to be able to comeback in that fashion … that’s big time,” Wilson said.
Hauschka kicked a 27-yard field goal with 8:11 left in overtime, and the Seahawks overcame a 21-0 deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-24 on Sunday.
Wilson threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin with 1:51 left in regulation to pull the Seahawks even then led Seattle on a nine-play, 51-yard drive in overtime capped by Hauschka’s winner.
Seattle tied the franchise record with its 12th straight home victory, which coincides with Wilson being a perfect 12-0 at home as Seattle’s starter.
After being pushed to the final yard on the final play last Monday at St. Louis, the Seahawks had to fight through another sloppy effort to knock off a double-digit underdog.
“I’m kind of (upset),” Seattle safety Earl Thomas said. “But I’m ready to get back on the field. I’m ready to get back to work. Ready to correct those mistakes.”
Seattle rallied from 20-0 down at Denver in 1995 for a 31-27 victory.
Tampa Bay fell to 0-8 for the first time since 1985 when the Buccaneers started the season 0-9. They pushed Seattle around at the line of scrimmage, watched Mike Glennon manage the game well and saw Mike James rush for a career-best 158 yards.
But Seattle’s defense started getting stops in the second half, the Seahawks overcame two interceptions in the red zone and Marshawn Lynch overcame a sore knee and feeling ill in the first quarter to have his best game of the season.
Wilson finished 19 of 26 for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He stood in against countless blitzes from the Bucs defense and made key completions in the second half. Tampa Bay never sacked Wilson, even though he was hit officially six times.
“He’s just making the plays. I tried to stay all over him, all day. I tried,” Tampa Bay defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said. “The dude is 5-6. It’s not fair, man. But whatever. He’s sneaking here and there. He’s just making plays.”
Lynch finished with 125 yards on 21 carries. Lynch rushed for 43 yards on Seattle’s first possession of the game and then had runs of 10, 14 and 13 yards in overtime that set up Hauschka’s winning kick.
“He wanted every single yard. He was in beast mode today,” Seattle fullback Michael Robinson said. “He was upset and he was running mad.”
Glennon was 17 of 23 for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He managed the game almost flawlessly in the first half, but could not sustain drives in the second half and gave Seattle a chance to rally.
Glennon hit 10 of his first 11 passes, including touchdown passes of 12 yards to Tim Wright and 20 yards to Tiquan Underwood as the Bucs dominated the first half. Glennon’s first two TD passes capped the Bucs’ two longest touchdown drives of the season.
Tampa Bay scored on four of its first six drives and gained 274 total yards. The Bucs gained just 76 yards on its final five drives and never ran a play in Seattle territory.
“When you have a team down like that, you’ve got to choke them out,” Bucs cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “Because great teams come back. And they are a great team.”
Wilson was 15 of 18 passing in the second half and overtime and ran for a 10-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. He threw a bad interception on Seattle’s first drive at the Bucs 14 and was intercepted at the goal line in the fourth quarter when Keith Tandy tipped Wilson’s pass for Baldwin and pulled in the interception.
Despite the mistakes, Wilson was steady. He got started at the end of the first half by hitting Jermaine Kearse on a 16-yard touchdown then found Baldwin beating a blitz by the Bucs to pull Seattle even at 24.
Seattle also got an electric 71-yard punt return from Golden Tate to set up Hauschka for a 36-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
“It doesn’t matter what the situation is, what adversity we face, we’re going to come out on top,” Baldwin said.
Notes: Seattle C Max Unger left in the fourth quarter with a concussion. … James had 96 yards rushing coming into the game. … Bucs finished with 205 yards rushing. Seattle allowed consecutive teams to top 200 yards rushing for first time since 2002.
