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Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson delivers meaningful touchdown

By Lauren Smith, The Sports Xchange
Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham (88) fist bumps quarterback Russell Wilson (3). Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI
Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham (88) fist bumps quarterback Russell Wilson (3). Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI | License Photo

SEATTLE -- Russell Wilson's final touchdown pass of the season couldn't take the Seattle Seahawks back to the playoffs, but it did have meaning.

Wilson's 29-yard strike to Doug Baldwin in the fourth quarter Sunday at CenturyLink Field was his 19th of the season in the final period, extending an NFL record he set against Jacksonville in December.

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With 10:24 left to play in Seattle's 26-24 loss to Arizona, the six-year veteran quarterback found Baldwin for his second touchdown of the game.

Baldwin hauled in Wilson's deep pass, touching down both toes as he fell out of the end zone, to give the Seahawks their only lead of the game.

"That was great execution by both guys," Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said. "The throw and the catch, and the finish and staying in bounds was just extraordinary.

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"Those two guys are so connected and all, and you could see it in their look on the sidelines following that. It was really special."

Earlier in the game, Wilson hit Baldwin -- who finished the season with eight touchdown receptions -- for 18 yards for Seattle's only other offensive score.

"We've got great chemistry together," Wilson said of Baldwin. "He's special."

Wilson finished 18 of 29 for 221 yards and the two touchdowns. He finished the regular season with 34 passing touchdowns, jumping injured Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (33), to lead the NFL.

"It's a testament to a lot of the guys making a lot of great plays," Wilson said. "In terms of guys catching the ball and making great plays all year."

Baldwin (991 receiving yards) was nine yards short of becoming the second receiver in Seahawks history to post three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

Steve Largent, who accomplished that feat twice from 1978-81 and 1983-86, is the only receiver in franchise history to hit that mark.

--Arizona's Chandler Jones sacked Wilson twice during the Cardinals' win, finishing the season with 17 and setting a franchise record.

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He sacked Wilson for losses of six and 13 yards in the first half, including forcing the second of eight Seattle punts on his first sack of the game.

Jones' second sack came on Seattle's final drive of the half -- during which Wilson was sacked twice -- helping Arizona to a 20-7 lead at the break.

"He was getting held the whole game, and he finally got there and that was fantastic," Arizona head coach Bruce Arians said of Jones' record.

--For the first time since he broke his leg last December, Seattle's Tyler Lockett returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

Seconds after Arizona took an early 7-0 lead, Lockett burst up the middle and then cut to the left sideline for a 99-yard touchdown return - Seattle's only score of the first half.

"The hole was, you know, wide open and so I did my part," Lockett said.

Lockett avoided a late ankle tackle to trot into the end zone untouched, and was later asked if his speed matched what it was before his injury last season, which came on a touchdown catch against the Cardinals where he broke two bones in his right leg.

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His answer: he didn't get caught, and he was running away from speedy players.

"To me that says a lot," Lockett said. "To me that's a blessing to continue to play and still be able to play my role and do whatever it is that they would want me to be able to do on special teams and (at) receiver.

"To me it's just a blessing to keep playing because you never know how long you can play."

Lockett has two other special teams touchdowns in his career -- both in his rookie season in 2015 on a punt return (66 yards) and kickoff return (105).

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