How the West Was Won: Seahawks inch closer to division crown

The Seattle Seahawks maintained their three-game lead in the NFC West by putting forth maybe their best complete-game effort of the season in a win over the Carolina Panthers.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals got back into the win column and damaged Washington’s playoff hopes in the process, while the Rams and 49ers looked like, well, the Rams and 49ers.

Here’s a closer look at what went down in the NFC West in Week 13.

Seattle Seahawks 40, Carolina Panthers 7

Things got off to a bad start for Carolina and only got worse.

Panthers head coach Ron Rivera benched star quarterback Cam Newton for the beginning of the game because of a uniform violation (the reigning MVP didn’t have a tie). So Derek Anderson started and threw an interception to linebacker Michael Morgan on the first play of the game. The Seahawks turned that into a field goal and were off and running.

Russell Wilson threw for 277 yards and a touchdown and the Seahawks, powered by Thomas Rawls and a long run by Tyler Lockett, amassed 240 yards on the ground in handing the defending NFC champions their worst loss since a 34-3 defeat to the New Orleans Saints in Week 9 of the 2010 season.

It wasn’t all good news for the Seahawks, who lost All-Pro safety Earl Thomas to a broken leg in the first half. Thomas is out for the remainder of the season, and as he intimated on Twitter Sunday night, maybe longer.

This game has been so good to me no regrets.. A lot is running through my mind including retirement thanks for all the prayers.

— Earl Thomas (@Earl_Thomas) December 5, 2016

Quotable: “The guys had a blast. This was really fun playing football tonight. You hope to have games like this every once in a while; you can’t get them every week. Our guys enjoyed the heck out it.” — Seattle head coach Pete Carroll

Stat of the Game: Lockett’s 75-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep on the first play of the second half was tied for the second-longest run from scrimmage in an NFL game this season. Only Cleveland’s Isaiah Crowell, who had an 85-yard touchdown jaunt in a Week 2 loss to Baltimore, has a longer run.

Arizona Cardinals 31, Washington Redskins 23

The Cardinals actually looked like the Cardinals win their Week 13 home win.

Leading by a point in the fourth quarter, head coach Bruce Arians opted to go for it on 4th-and-1 from his own 32-yard line with under four minutes to play. David Johnson uncorked a 14-yard run to extend the drive. Four plays later, Carson Palmer delivered the dagger — a 42-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Nelson that put Arizona up by eight.

The Cardinals’ defense made it official when Patrick Peterson intercepted a Kirk Cousins pass at the Arizona 18-yard line.

With the win, the Cardinals kept themselves in the playoff conversation and damaged Washington’s hopes.

Quotable: “Overall I thought our defense did a heck of a job of keeping a really good offense in check, especially in the red zone. Offensively, we finally found a big play at the end that we needed desperately.” — Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians

Stat of the Game: Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald had 10 catches in the game, enough to move him up to third place on the NFL’s all-time receptions list behind only Jerry Rice and Tony Gonzalez.

New England Patriots 26, Los Angeles Rams 10

Tom Brady hit Chris Hogan with a 14-yard touchdown pass, LeGarrette Blount rumbled 43 yards for a score and Steven Gostkowski booted four field goals in New England’s easy victory over the punchless Rams.

The Patriots led 17-0 at halftime. L.A. got on the board thanks to a 44-yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein midway through the third quarter. But New England answered with nine straight points from Gostkowski’s right foot before the Rams posted a garbage-time touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Kenny Britt.

Quotable: “He already knew my name. I think he knows James and Dion now for sure, though.” — New England running back LeGarrette Blount on Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, who had difficulty naming and discussing the Patriots’ other running backs during a media conference call last week.

Stat of the Game: The Patriots outgained the Rams 402-162. The offensive output for the Rams was a season-low.

Chicago Bears 26, San Francisco 49ers 6

The 49ers nor the snow could slow down Bears running back Jordan Howard, who rumbled for 117 yards and three touchdowns in a convincing Chicago win that snapped a three-game losing streak.

San Francisco, who has now lost 11 straight, actually led 6-0 on two Phil Dawson field goals in the second quarter. Howard, a rookie from Indiana, then answered with three touchdown runs over the next 9:02 of game action.

The 49ers mustered absolutely nothing in the second half offensively, totaling 24 yards and earning two first downs in six possessions.

Quotable: “We didn’t seem like we handled the weather very well from a passing game standpoint.” — San Francisco head coach Chip Kelly

Stat of the Game: The 49ers had 6 net passing yards. Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert combined to complete 5-of-15 passes for 39 yards, but San Francisco gave up six sacks totaling 33 yards. Neither team completed a pass in the first quarter of the game, something that hasn’t happened in an NFL game since 1988.

Standings

Week 13 Award Winners

Offensive Player of the Week: David Johnson, Arizona – The second-year running back racked up 175 yards from scrimmage (84 rushing, 91 receiving) and scored two touchdowns in the Cardinals’ win.

Defensive Player of the Week: Calais Campbell, Arizona – The massive defensive lineman had three tackles, a strip sack that led to a crucial touchdown and a pass defensed vs. Washington.

Special Teams Player of the Week: Stephen Hauschka, Seattle – Connected on four field goals in the Seahawks’ win.

What’s on Tap

• Arizona Cardinals (5-6-1) at Miami Dolphins (7-5) – Sunday 11:00 a.m. @ Hard Rock Stadium

• New York Jets (3-8) at San Francisco 49ers (1-11) – Sunday 2:05 p.m. @ Levi’s Stadium

• Atlanta Falcons (7-5) at Los Angeles Rams (4-8) – Sunday 2:25 p.m. @ Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

• Seattle Seahawks (8-3-1) at Green Bay Packers (6-6) – Sunday 2:25 p.m. @ Lambeau Field

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