1 of 3 | Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) leads the NFL with 22 touchdown passes this season. Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI |
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Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson increased his touchdown-to-interception ratio this season to 22-1 with five scoring tosses in an overtime victory Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The NFL MVP candidate also passed for 378 yards and posted a quarterback rating of 133.7 in the 40-34 win at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett had 152 yards and two scores on 13 receptions in the win. Wilson's counterpart -- Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston -- passed for 335 yards and two scores in the loss.
"It was a tough battle all game, back and forth, back and forth, but we found a way to win," Wilson told reporters.
Wilson connected with fullback Jacob Hollister for the game-winning touchdown on the first drive of overtime after the Seahawks missed what would have been a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation.
"Russ has done this so many times," Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said. "You can't have a better guy, almost in the history of ball, doing it. So, we were thrilled [to win the coin toss in overtime], because we think we're going to go down to win."
Ronald Jones scored an eight-yard rushing touchdown on the game's opening drive, giving Tampa Bay a 7-0 edge. Wilson answered with a 19-yard touchdown toss to Lockett to tie the score.
The Buccaneers (2-6) responded with Winston touchdown tosses on back-to-back drives at the end of the first quarter and into the second frame. Winston found Breshad Perriman for a 15-yard score on the first throw and hooked up with Mike Evans for a five-yard score for a 21-7 lead 4:37 before halftime.
Wilson connected with Hollister for a one-yard touchdown 34 seconds before the break, making the score 21-13 at intermission. The Buccaneers and Seahawks (7-2) exchanged punts in the third quarter before Wilson conducted a five-play, 85-yard scoring drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown to Lockett, tying the game at 21-21.
Matt Gay and Jason Myers exchanged field goals twice, to tie the score at 27-27 with 5:27 remaining. Wilson gave Seattle a 34-27 lead by hooking up with D.K. Metcalf for a 53-yard touchdown. Winston responded by leading the Buccaneers on a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Dare Ogunbowale tied the game with a one-yard rushing score with 48 seconds remaining. Myers missed what would have been a game-winning field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime.
After the Seahawks won the coin toss to start overtime, Wilson capped off a 10-play, 70-yard drive by finding Hollister for a 10-yard score to win the game.
Metcalf had six catches for 123 yards and a score in the win. Chris Carson ran for 105 yards on 16 carries for the Seahawks. Evans had 180 yards and a score on 12 catches for the Buccaneers.
"We've just got to grow up," Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said. "We're really, really, really young. Just keep growing. But I love the way they competed. It's a bright future, yet we're pissed off about losing a game that went to overtime that we thought we should win, just like last week. But I see the growth. I see us getting better."
The Seahawks face the San Francisco 49ers at 8:15 p.m. EST next Monday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The Buccaneers host the Arizona Cardinals at 1 p.m. Sunday.
