This Wrinkle Helped Seahawks Thrash Patriots Defense

FOXBORO, Mass. -- The Patriots aren't exactly used to giving up chunk plays.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf gave them an unfortunate reminder of what it's like to do so Sunday, however, scoring a 56-yard touchdown in an overtime victory for the visitors at Gillette Stadium.

Metcalf's tuddy goes down as the longest given up by New England in the last three seasons.

How'd he do it?

"I wasn't surprised," Metcalf said. "I'm 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, I was running scot-free. I wouldn't cover me either."

Metcalf, of course, was just kidding. The Patriots had a much more likely explanation for giving up a few chunk plays, one of which was a classic case of miscommunication, and the other an example of no-huddle being implemented by the Seahawks.

"It's a college system," Patriots defensive lineman Davon Godchaux said postgame. "(Seattle) offensive coordinator (Ryan Grubb) came from the University of Washington, so he wasn't going no-huddle to go fast. He was going no-huddle to see what we was in and make his adjustments. It was to keep some of our guys off the field... They did a good job of that."

Grubb implemented the no-huddle offense early, leading to Metcalf's touchdown as there was a late defensive call made by Kyle Dugger that caused him and Christian Gonzalez to sit in the flat. Seattle also ripped off a pair of intermediate passes to Jaxon Smith-Njigba where Keion White and Deatrich Wise Jr. were in coverage. New England surely didn't draw it up that way.

The Patriots' inability to match personnel with the Seahawks, who could not run the ball, no longer proved to be a factor following halftime. New England stayed in a nickel defense throughout the majority of the second half and overtime, limiting Seattle to six total points.

It was just too little, too late.