Wilson a wonder

LANDOVER, Md. – Russell Wilson raced ahead to throw the final block on Marshawn Lynch's go-ahead touchdown run, and the Seattle Seahawks finally had a victorious road show.

Robert Griffin III's knee buckled as he tried to field a bad shotgun snap, leaving the Washington Redskins an offseason to worry about their franchise player's health.

The last rookie quarterback standing in the NFL playoffs is Wilson – the third-round pick who teamed with Lynch on Sunday to lead the Seahawks to a 24-14 victory over Griffin and the Redskins.

Lynch ran for 132 yards, and Wilson completed 15 of 26 passes for 187 yards and ran eight times for 67 yards for the Seahawks, who overcame a 14-0 first-quarter hole – their biggest deficit of the season – and will visit the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons this Sunday.

"It was only two touchdowns, but it's still a big comeback and in this setting and the crowd, it's a marvelous statement about the guys' resolve and what is going on," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. "It's not about how you start but how you finish."

Seattle will be riding a six-game winning streak, having left behind any doubts that the team can hold its own outside the Pacific Northwest. The Seahawks were 3-5 on the road in the regular season and had lost eight straight road playoff games, the last win coming in December 1983 against the Miami Dolphins.

The day began with three rookie quarterbacks in the playoffs, but No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck was eliminated when the Indianapolis Colts lost to the Baltimore Ravens 24-9 earlier Sunday.

Lynch's change-of-direction, 27-yard touchdown run – with Wilson leading the way with a block on safety Madieu Williams near the goal line – and a two-point conversion gave the Seahawks a 21-14 lead with 7:08 remaining.

"Marshawn always tells me, 'Russ, I got your back, no matter what,' " Wilson said. "So I just try to help him out every once in a while when he gets downfield."

Then came the play that essentially put the outcome to rest.

On the second play of the Redskins' next possession, Griffin's heavily braced right knee buckled badly as he tried to field a bad shotgun snap on a second and 22 at Washington's 12-yard line. He lay on the ground, unable to recover the ball as the Seahawks pounced on it. Griffin walked off the field, but the Redskins announced he would not return.

The Seahawks followed with a short field goal to give them the insurance they needed.

Fellow rookie Kirk Cousins, subbing for Griffin, was unable to rally the Redskins in the final minutes.

Griffin, the No. 2 overall pick and last season's Heisman Trophy winner who set several rookie quarterback records this season, finished 10 for 19 for 84 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

The Redskins opened the game threatening to make a mockery of the NFL's top scoring defense. Simple toss-to-the-right stretch plays netted eight, nine and 18 yards for Alfred Morris on an 80-yard drive, and tight end Logan Paulsen barreled into linebacker Malcolm Smith after a catch to highlight a 54-yard drive.

Both possessions ended with four-yard touchdown passes: one to Evan Royster for his first NFL touchdown catch and the other to Paulsen. The Redskins led 14-0 in the first quarter against a team that allowed a league-low 15.3 points per game in the regular season, but Griffin tweaked the knee on that second drive.

The Seahawks responded by getting Lynch involved more and scoring on three consecutive drives to pull within a point at halftime. Steven Hauschka, who injured his left ankle during the first half and had to relinquish kickoff duties, nevertheless sandwiched field goals of 32 and 29 yards around a four-yard scoring pass from Wilson to Michael Robinson.

The Seahawks finally took the lead on a 79-yard drive capped by Lynch's touchdown run.

The playoff meeting between the teams was their third but first outside Seattle. The Seahawks won 20-10 in January 2006 and 35-14 in January 2008.

• Read more articles by Joseph White

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