FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Jason Myers hit a 31-yard field goal in overtime to lift the Seattle Seahawks to a 23-20 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
The game-winner capped a three-for-three day for Myers, who ensured the game went into OT with a 38-yard field goal with less than a minute left in regulation. Myers also hit from 44 yards in the second quarter.
“Just sticking to my routine. That’s my goal on every kick, whether it’s the first kick of the game or the game winner. It’s about trying to stay the same,” Myers said. “Coming across the East Coast is never easy for anybody but grinding it out and getting a ‘W’ in the NFL is hard.”
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith led Seattle on an eight-play, 71-yard drive to the New England 13 to set up the winning score. Smith was 33 of 44 for 327 yards on the day, with a 56-yard touchdown to DK Metcalf in the first half.
“He put the team on his back,” Metcalf said of Smith, a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
Metcalf finished with 10 catches for 129 yards.
The Seahawks (2-0) also got a 100-yard receiving game from Jaxon Smith-Njigba (12 catches for 117 yards).
“I want to see the run game lead us just as much as I want to go out there and throw a bunch of touchdowns. However we can get a win, whatever we’ve got to do, I’m just reading the defense and trying to make the right plays,” Smith said.
New England (1-1) won the coin toss heading into overtime but went three-and-out, with Rhamondre Stevenson getting stopped on third and 1.
Playing in their home opener under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots got 81 rushing yards and one touchdown from Stevenson and 96 rushing yards from Antonio Gibson. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett was 15-for-27 for 149 yards and one touchdown to rookie Ja’Lynn Polk.
The Seahawks kept their hopes for a win alive late in the game after Julian Love blocked a 48-yard field goal attempt that would have put the Patriots up by six with 3:59 left in regulation.
“Just heck of a play, but it’s something you practice all the time, and finally when you have the opportunity, it goes and executes it. That was big-time,” said Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald.
Smith subsequently found Metcalf for a pair of completions that got the Seahawks into the red zone. But New England got a stop on third and 1 on the 15-yard line. Seattle was flagged for a delay of game on fourth down and ultimately settled for the game-tying 38-yard field goal by Myers with 55 seconds remaining.
The Patriots marked the 10-year anniversary of their victory over Seattle in the 2015 Super Bowl by welcoming back former players for a halftime celebration. Before the game, Malcolm Butler served as the Keeper of the Light, ringing the bell where the stadium’s lighthouse feature is positioned. Butler sealed New England’s 28-24 Super Bowl win over the Seahawks with a goal line interception with less than a minute remaining.
Though they weren’t present, former players Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Devin McCourty sent video messages. Bill Belichick posted a message to his personal Instagram account, saying, “We all shared a magical ride together.”
Seahawks: LB Derick Hall was evaluated for a concussion but was cleared to return before the start of the second half.
Patriots: LB Ja’Whaun Bentley was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury. … LB Oshane Ximines did not return after suffering a knee injury.
Seahawks: Host Miami on Sunday.
Patriots: Visit New York Jets on Thursday night.
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