Hasselbeck leads fourth-quarter comeback against Chargers in 2002
Certain moments in history can be pinpointed as the beginning of an era.
For the greatest era of football in Seattle history, that moment came in the final game of a mostly disappointing season.
By the end of Seattle's 31-28 overtime victory against the Chargers in San Diego in week 17, the Seahawks fanbase had more than enough reason to hope for the future. And their hope would prove to not be misplaced.
To continue...Late-season charge
After a promising 2001 season, much of 2002 was a disappointment. Expected to be a playoff contender, the Seahawks instead limped into week 14 with a 4-9 record.
But then they went on something unheard of previously to the 2002 squad--a winning streak.
With back-to-back victories over a pair of solid teams, the Rams (7-9) and the Falcons (9-6-1), the Seahawks entered the final game of the season hoping to end the year on a high note.
They would get that and more as QB Matt Hasselbeck put an exclamation point on his turnaround and prove himself to be the man in Seattle.
The game
The week 17 game in San Diego would end up being a microcosm of the season for both teams.
The main difference for the 'Hawks thould would be a strong start. As would become the custom for the next several years, Hasselbeck and the offense started hot and scored on the opening drive.
Hasselbeck went 6/6 for 69 yards, including a touchdown pass down the right side to WR Darrell Jackson. The offense very quickly stagnated though and failed to score again until the fourth quarter.
They had opportunities, but K Rian Lindell missed a 52-yard field goal while a Darrell Jackson fumble ended a second-quarter drive at the Chargers 11-yard line.
The Chargers, meanwhile, continued to score on the strong play of QB Drew Brees, in his second year as a pro. While RB LaDainian Tomlinson was held largely ineffective, Brees would finish the game with 332 yards and all three of his team's scores.
The comeback
Seattle entered the fourth quarter down 20-7 with the ball at their own 49 and wasted no time in getting started. Hasselbeck completed a pass to TE Itula Mili, who took the ball all the way down to the Chargers two-yard line. Shaun Alexander finished the drive off with the touchdown.
The Chargers came right back though, and Brees tossed his third touchdown of the game, a one-yard dump-off to FB Fred McCrary. After a good two-point conversion, the Chargers led 28-14.
But Seattle wasn't done and came right back down the field in five plays and just more than two minutes, capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass to WR Koren Robinson.
The Chargers would eventually drive to the Seattle 39, but three-straight incomplete passes forced them to punt with 3:32 left in the game.
Hasselbeck and the Seahawks offense began from their own 12. For 88 yards, it was all Hasselbeck as he made yards with both his arm and his legs.
"We just kept putting our foot on the throttle, our receivers kept making plays and I think it demoralized them," Hasselbeck said after the game.
He would connect on two key third down plays, both times to WR Bobby Engram, who racked up 37 yards on the drive.
Faced with a third and 11 at the Chargers 46 following a sack, Hasselbeck would scramble for 10 yards followed by a four-yard plunge on fourth down. The coup de grace came on a quarterback sneak from the one-yard line with one second to go in the game.
In overtime, FB Mack Strong carried the load, gaining 28 yards on five-straight carries. Lindell finished the game with a 24-yard field goal.
Dawn of a new era
The win was a defining moment for Hasselbeck. While he had been playing well down the stretch, it wasn't until this comeback that he truly seemed to shine and prove himself to be the full-fledged leader of the team.
His 449 passing yards broke his own Seahawk record for passing yards in a game, which he had previously set in the beginning of the month against the 49ers.
"I've always believed in him," HC Mike Holmgren said of Hasselbeck after the game. "I may have made a mistake pumping him up too soon. I think the expectation level may have been too high. He played a great game today."
While the Seahawks would end the season outside of the playoffs for the third-straight year, they finished 2002 with more hope than ever during the Holmgren era. They finished the season having at long-last found a starting quarterback and could enter the 2003 season knowing Seattle possessed one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.
Seahawks football had forever changed, and by 2003, the team would be a fixture in the playoffs, and Hasselbeck and Alexander would make their first of many trips to the Pro Bowl.
Part 10 - "We want the ball, and we're gonna score."
Part 9 - Alexander breaks the record for touchdowns in a half
Part 8 - Jay Feely blows three field goals, Seattle wins in overtime
Part 7 - Qwest Field opens for business
Part 6 - Holmgren trades for Green bay's backup quarterback
Part 5 - Romo botches the snap
Part 4 - Ruskell selects Lofa Tatupu in the second round
Reach Jeff Richards at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
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