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The 2010 season was the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
' 35th in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL), their ninth playing home games at Qwest Field and their first under head coach
Pete Carroll Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American professional American football, football coach who is the head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as head coach for the NCAA's ...
after Jim Mora was fired on January 8, 2010. The team exceeded their win total from
2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
and won the
NFC West The National Football Conference – Western Division or NFC West is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Arizona Card ...
with a 7–9 record, and made the playoffs for the first time since
2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
. They became the first team in a full season to finish with a sub-.500 record and make the playoffs, a berth which was by virtue of winning the division. The 2010 Seahawks also became the first sub-.500 team to win a playoff game with their home win against the defending
Super Bowl champion The Super Bowl is the annual American football game that determines the champion of the National Football League (NFL). The game culminates a National Football League regular season, season that begins in the previous calendar year, and is the ...
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
remembered as the Beast Quake game, but then had their season ended by the second-seeded
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
in the divisional round. Statistics website
Football Outsiders Football Outsiders (FO) was a website started in July 2003 which focused on advanced statistical analysis of the National Football League (NFL). The site was run by a staff of regular writers, who produced a series of weekly columns using both t ...
calculated that the 2010 Seahawks were the worst team that they had ever rated to qualify for the playoffs.


Offseason


Front office changes

General manager Tim Ruskell resigned from his position two weeks before the 2009 regular season ended. Interim GM Ruston Webster took over until the season ended, but was not retained as GM. However, Webster left the team for a similar position for the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
instead. Surprisingly, the head coaching vacancy created by Mora's departure was actually filled first by the Seahawks through
Pete Carroll Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American professional American football, football coach who is the head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as head coach for the NCAA's ...
. Seahawks CEO
Tod Leiweke Tod Leiweke (born January 12, 1960, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American sports executive who is currently part-owner, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Seattle Kraken. Career In the early 1980s, Leiweke was vice president of t ...
suggested that Carroll and the GM would have a "collaborative relationship" over control of the team. Among candidates interviewed for GM were former
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
General Manager Floyd Reese and
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
scouting director Marc Ross. On January 19, 2010, the Seahawks officially signed
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
director of football operations John Schneider as their official General Manager.


Staff changes

Following a disastrous 5–11 season in his first season with the Seahawks, Jim Mora was fired on January 8, 2010. Mora was apparently surprised and disappointed about the news, but Seahawks CEO
Tod Leiweke Tod Leiweke (born January 12, 1960, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American sports executive who is currently part-owner, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Seattle Kraken. Career In the early 1980s, Leiweke was vice president of t ...
stated that the franchise was moving to a new direction to become successful. Within days after Mora was relieved as Head Coach, the Seahawks began to interview candidates such as
USC Trojans football The USC Trojans football program represents the University of Southern California in the sport of American football. The Trojans compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate ...
head coach
Pete Carroll Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American professional American football, football coach who is the head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as head coach for the NCAA's ...
,
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
defensive coordinator
Ron Rivera Ronald Eugene Rivera (born January 7, 1962) is an American football executive and former professional player and coach who is the general manager for the California Golden Bears. He played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL) as ...
. Controversy arose when news broke out that Carroll was in preliminary agreements to sign a contract as head coach and have full control of the franchise when neither Frazier nor Rivera were interviewed, thus potentially breaking the
Rooney Rule The Rooney Rule is a National Football League policy that requires league teams to interview Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs. Initially, the program mandated ...
, however Frazier agreed to an interview before the Seahawks signed Carroll as coach, thus fulfilling the rule. Two days later, Carroll officially became the 8th head coach in franchise history. Within days after Carroll was hired, the rest of the coaching staff was revamped. With the exceptions of
Gus Bradley Paul Casey "Gus" Bradley (born July 5, 1966) is an American football coach who is the current assistant head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Indian ...
and Dan Quinn, none of the coaches from Mora's tenure returned. USC Football offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates joined as the Seahawks offensive coordinator, while Alex Gibbs from the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
would serve as offensive line coach and assistant head coach. Weeks before the start of the NFL regular season, however, Gibbs would suddenly retire from the position, with Carroll's former USC assistant Pat Ruel taking his spot.


Key departures

Wide receiver Nate Burleson, after a four-year stint with the Seahawks, signed with the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
on March 5, 2010, after 24 hours of free agency. Backup quarterback Seneca Wallace, known for his versatility as a wide receiver, was sent to the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
on March 8, 2010 in exchange for a conditional 2011 NFL Draft pick. Guard Rob Sims, who started regularly for the Seahawks for the past four years, was traded to the Lions in exchange for defensive end Robert Henderson and a fifth-round pick in the
2010 NFL draft The 2010 NFL draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 NFL draft, draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first ...
. Veteran defensive End Darryl Tapp was also traded to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
in exchange for Chris Clemons and a fourth-round pick. On April 13, 2010,
Defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Patrick Kerney announced his retirement after 11 NFL seasons. Kerney made the
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
in 2007 and led the team in sacks on two occasions (2007 and 2009). On April 29, 2010, Four-time All-Pro Left Tackle Walter Jones also announced his retirement after a 13-year career during which he became a cornerstone of the Seattle Seahawks organization. During training camp, the Seahawks continued to cut ties with many players. Former first-round pick Lawrence Jackson, who Carroll coached with at USC, was traded to the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
for a sixth-round pick. The previous year's starters including fullback Owen Schmitt and wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh were released from the team. Defensive back Josh Wilson was traded to Baltimore for a conditional fifth-round pick.


Key additions

Former
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
quarterback Charlie Whitehurst was acquired by Seattle on March 18, 2010. Whitehurst competed for the starting job with
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
. Also, the Seahawks acquired defensive ends Chris Clemons and Robert Henderson respectively from the
Eagles Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
and Lions. Wide receiver Reggie Williams, a former first-round pick with the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
and a former
Washington Huskies The Washington Huskies are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Washington, located in Seattle. The school competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) N ...
standout, signed with the Seahawks on April 16, 2010. On the last day of the
2010 NFL draft The 2010 NFL draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 NFL draft, draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first ...
, the Seahawks acquired
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
LenDale White LenDale Anthony White (born December 20, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round (45th overall) of the ...
and
defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...
Kevin Vickerson from the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
. With the trade, White would have been reunited with his college coach Pete Carroll from USC, but was cut on May 28. Also, the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
traded former Pro Bowler Leon Washington to Seattle.


2010 NFL draft

After finishing the 2009 season with a record of 5–11, the Seahawks held the 6th overall pick in the
2010 NFL draft The 2010 NFL draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 NFL draft, draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first ...
. They also held the 14th overall pick as a result of a trade in the 2009 NFL draft that gave their second-round pick 2009 to the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
for their first-round pick in 2010. The Seahawks traded their third-round pick to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
as part of a trade from the 2009 draft and gave up their second-round pick in the Charlie Whitehurst deal but also received another second-round pick from the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...


Staff


Final roster


Preseason


Schedule


Game summaries


Week 1: vs. Tennessee Titans


Week 2: vs. Green Bay Packers


Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings


Week 4: at Oakland Raiders


Regular season


Schedule

Divisional matchups: the NFC West played the NFC South and the AFC West. :Bold indicates division opponents. :Source: 2010 NFL season results


Standings


Game summaries


Week 1: vs. San Francisco 49ers

The Seahawks began their season at home for an NFC West rivalry against the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
. In the first quarter, Seattle trailed early when 49ers kicker Joe Nedney made a 23-yard field goal, which was extended in the second quarter when Nedney made another 23-yard field goal. Then, the Seahawks fought back and took the lead when quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
got a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by him making a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deon Butler. In the third quarter, Seattle continued to dominate when cornerback Marcus Trufant returned an interception and ran 32 yards for a touchdown. This was followed by Hasselbeck's 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deion Branch. In the fourth quarter, the Seahawks scored again when kicker Olindo Mare made a 35-yard field goal. With the win, Seattle began the season at 1–0.


Week 2: at Denver Broncos

Coming off an easy win over the 49ers, the Seahawks flew to
INVESCO Field at Mile High Empower Field at Mile High is an American football stadium in Denver, Colorado. Its primary tenant is the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). It opened in 2001 to replace the Broncos' original home, the old Mile High Stadium. T ...
for an interconference duel with their former division rival, the Broncos. In the first quarter Seattle trailed early as quarterback Kyle Orton made a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eddie Royal, followed in the second quarter by running back Correll Buckhalter getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Then kicker Matt Prater made a 20-yard field goal to put the Broncos up 17–0. In the third quarter Seattle tried to cut the lead when quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ben Obomanu, but Denver scored with running back Knowshon Moreno getting a 1-yard touchdown run. In the fourth quarter Seattle fell further behind when Orton found wide receiver Demaryius Thomas on a 21-yard touchdown pass. Seattle would make the final score of the game when Hasselbeck scrambled 20 yards to the endzone for a touchdown. With the loss, Seattle fell to 1–1.


Week 3: vs. San Diego Chargers

The Seahawks' third game was played at home ground when they played their former division rival, the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
. In the second quarter Seattle took the early lead when kicker Olindo Mare made a 23-yard field goal. Then quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Carlson. This was followed in the third quarter by running back Leon Washington returning a kickoff 101 yards to the endzone for a touchdown. The lead was broken down with quarterback
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football for the ...
getting a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Malcolm Floyd, followed by Hasselbeck getting sacked by linebacker
Brandon Siler Brandon T. Siler (born December 5, 1985) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida ...
in the endzone for a safety. Then kicker Nate Kaeding made a 29-yard field goal. The Seahawks increased their lead when Mare made a 23-yard field goal, but the Chargers replied and tied the game when Rivers found tight end Antonio Gates on a 12-yard touchdown pass (with a successful two-point conversion as Rivers found wide receiver Legedu Naanee). Before the clock struck zero Seattle took the winning score as running back Leon Washington returned his second kickoff of the game into the endzone running 99 yards for a touchdown. Rivers and the Chargers attempted to make a comeback with less than a minute left, but was picked off by rookie Earl Thomas to seal the win for Seattle. With the win, Seattle improved to 2–1.


Week 4: at St. Louis Rams

The Seahawks' fourth game was played at Edward Jones Dome where they played an NFC west rivalry match against the Rams. In the first quarter the Seahawks trailed early as quarterback
Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Bradford attended Putnam City North High School, where he starred ...
completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Gibson. The Seahawks cut the lead with kicker Olindo Mare nailing a 22-yard field goal, but the Rams increased their lead when kicker Josh Brown made a 30-yard field goal, followed in the 3rd quarter by Bradford completing a 21-yard touchdown pass to running back Kenneth Darby. Then Josh Brown made a 31-yard field goal to put the Seahawks further behind. With the loss, Seattle fell to 2–2 coming into their bye week and their 10-game winning streak against the Rams was snapped.


Week 6: at Chicago Bears

Following a bye week, the Seahawks traveled to Soldier Field and face the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
with a new weapon in running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American actor and former professional American football, football player who was a running back for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majori ...
. Chicago quickly scored in the first quarter with a Matt Forte 6-yard run, but
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
and the offense would respond quickly with a 22-yard touchdown reception by Deon Butler. Seattle would extend the lead to 14–7 with a Justin Forsett touchdown run near the beginning of the 2nd quarter, but two Chicago field goals made by Robbie Gould would bring the Bears to a one-point deficit at halftime. However, Chicago's offense was continuously hampered by the Seahawks' blitzes, roughing up
Jay Cutler Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. A member of the Chicago Bears for most of his career, he is ...
for 6 sacks and a safety in the 3rd quarter. Lynch would score his first touchdown as a Seahawk later in the game, extending Seattle's lead to 23–13. The Bears tried to rallied within the last few minutes of the game as Devin Hester scored on an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown (his 13th, which tied an NFL record for most punt/kick return touchdowns by a single player), but an onside kick recovered by tight end John Carlson sealed Seattle's first non-division road victory since 2007. With the win, the Seahawks moved to 3–2.


Week 7: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Coming off their win over the Bears the Seahawks played on home ground for an NFC West rivalry match against the Cardinals. In the first quarter the Seahawks took the lead as kicker Olindo Mare got a 20-yard field goal. Followed in the second quarter by quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
making a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Williams. The Seahawks increased their lead in the 3rd quarter with Mare nailing a 31 and a 51-yard field goal. The Cardinals replied with running back Beanie Wells getting a 2-yard touchdown run. The Seahawks continued to score with Mare hitting a 24-yard field goal, but the Cardinals responded in the fourth quarter with kicker Jay Feely getting a 24-yard field goal. The Seahawks pulled away with Mare making a 26-yard field goal. With the win, the Seahawks improved to 4–2.


Week 8: at Oakland Raiders

Hoping to increase their winning streak the Seahawks flew to
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, often shortened to the Oakland Coliseum, is a multi-purpose stadium in Oakland, California, United States. It serves as part of the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Complex, located next to Oakland Arena. In 2 ...
where they played their former division rival, the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
. The Seahawks immediately trailed on a scoring rally by the Raiders with kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former professional player of American football who was a placekicker for 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college fo ...
nailing a 31-yard field goal. This was followed in the second quarter by quarterback
Jason Campbell Jason S. Campbell (born December 31, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers and was selected by the Washington Reds ...
's 30-yard touchdown pass to FB Marcel Reece. Then in the third quarter Janikowski made a 36-yard field goal. Then he made a 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to put the Raiders up 16–0. The Seahawks struggled further with Campbell getting a 69-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. The Seahawks would make their only score of the game with kicker Olindo Mare hitting a 47-yard field goal. However, they continued to trail as Janikowski made a 49-yard field goal, followed by running back Michael Bush making a 4-yard touchdown run. With the loss, the Seahawks fell to 4–3.


Week 9: vs. New York Giants

The Seahawks' eighth game was an NFC duel with the Giants at home. The Giants took control with running back Ahmad Bradshaw getting a 2-yard touchdown run, followed by
Eli Manning Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning family, he is the youngest ...
's 46-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, followed by Bradshaw's 4-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, quarterback
Eli Manning Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning family, he is the youngest ...
found wide receiver Steve Smith and tight end Kevin Boss on 6 and 5-yard touchdown passes respectively. The lead was expanded by kicker Lawrence Tynes who made a 25 and a 20-yard field goal. Seattle made their only score of the game, with quarterback Charlie Whitehurst completing a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ben Obomanu. With the loss, Seattle fell to 4–4. This also marks the first time that they lost to the Giants at home since 1981.


Week 10: at Arizona Cardinals

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Giants the Seahawks flew to University of Phoenix Stadium for an NFC West rivalry match against the Cardinals. In the first quarter the Seahawks trailed early as running back Tim Hightower got a 2-yard touchdown run. They replied with running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American actor and former professional American football, football player who was a running back for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majori ...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. They took the lead with kicker Olindo Mare getting a 41-yard field goal, but the Cardinals replied with kicker Jay Feely nailing a 23-yard field goal. They took control with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
completing a 63-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deon Butler. This was followed in the third quarter by a 34, 19 and 23-yard field goal from Mare. In the fourth quarter Mare got another 19-yard field goal to put the Seahawks up 29–10. The Cardinals responded with quarterback Derek Anderson making a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Early Doucet (with a successful two-point conversion as Anderson found wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald), but the Seahawks put the game away with running back Justin Forsett getting a 4-yard touchdown run. With the win, not only did the Seahawks improve to 5–4, but they swept the Cardinals for the first time since 2005. This was also their first win at University of Phoenix Stadium.


Week 11: at New Orleans Saints

The Seahawks' tenth game was an NFC duel with the Saints. In the first quarter the Seahawks took the lead as kicker Olindo Mare hit a 20-yard field goal; but the Saints pulled ahead after running back Chris Ivory got a 1-yard touchdown run. The lead narrowed in the second quarter by Mare getting a 43-yard field goal, but the Seahawks fell further behind when quarterback
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...
made a 23 and a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Marques Colston Marques E. Colston ( born June 5, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Hofstra Pride, and was selected by the New Orleans Sai ...
and wide receiver Robert Meachem respectively. The Seahawks cut the lead again after quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
got a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ben Obomanu; but the Saints replied with Brees throwing a 22-yard touchdown pass to Colston. The Seahawks tried to cut the lead with Mare hitting a 43-yard field goal. The lead extended in the third quarter with Brees finding Meachem again on a 32-yard touchdown pass. The Seahawks made the only score of the fourth quarter with Mare making a 20-yard field goal; however, the Saints' defense closed off any more chances. With the loss, Seattle fell to 5–5.


Week 12: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Saints the Seahawks played on home ground where they played their former division rival, the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...
. In the first quarter, the Seahawks trailed early with quarterback Matt Cassel getting a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. They responded after free safety Earl Thomas returned a blocked punt 10 yards for a touchdown. They fell behind as Shaun Smith got a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by Cassel finding Bowe again on a 36-yard touchdown pass. The Seahawks cut the lead when kicker Olindo Mare got a 43-yard field goal, followed by quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
getting a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chris Baker. The struggled further with running back Jamaal Charles getting a 3-yard touchdown run, followed by Cassel throwing to Bowe on a 9-yard touchdown pass. The Seahawks responded as Hasselbeck completed an 87-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ben Obomanu, but the Chiefs increased their lead as Cassel got a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Moeaki. With the loss, Seattle fell to 5–6.


Week 13: vs. Carolina Panthers

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Chiefs the Seahawks played on home ground for an NFC duel with the Panthers. In the first quarter the Seahawks trailed early as running back Mike Goodson got a 6-yard touchdown run, followed by running back
Jonathan Stewart Jonathan Creon Stewart (born March 21, 1987) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, earning All-American honors. Stewar ...
getting a 3-yard touchdown run. They commanded the rest of the game with kicker Olindo Mare getting a 24-yard field goal, followed by running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American actor and former professional American football, football player who was a running back for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majori ...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run, then with Lofa Tatupu returning an interception 26 yards for a touchdown. The lead was extended with Lynch getting touchdown runs of 1 yard and 22 yards. With the win, not only did the Seahawks improve to 6–6, they surpassed their victory mark of the last 2 seasons.


Week 14: at San Francisco 49ers

After their win over the Panthers the Seahawks flew to
Candlestick Park Candlestick Park was an outdoor stadium located in the Bayview-Hunters Point, Hunters Point area of San Francisco, California, United States. It was originally the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 S ...
for an NFC West rivalry match against the 49ers. The Seahawks trailed early with quarterback Alex Smith completing a 42-yard touchdown pass to tight end Vernon Davis, but they replied with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ruvell Martin. They fell further behind when kicker Jeff Reed hit a 33 and a 44-yard field goal, followed by Smith completing a 15 and a 62-yard touchdown pass to Josh Morgan and Brian Westbrook respectively. This was followed by Reed making a 22-yard field goal, and in the third quarter with free safety Dashon Goldson returning an interception 39 yards for a touchdown. After that, Reed kicked a 36-yard field goal to put the 49ers up 40–7. The Seahawks tried to cut the lead down but only came away with running back Leon Washington returning the kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, and in the fourth quarter with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
getting a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deon Butler. With the loss, Seattle fell to 6–7.


Week 15: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the 49ers the Seahawks played on home ground for an NFC duel with the Falcons. In the first quarter the Seahawks took the lead with running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American actor and former professional American football, football player who was a running back for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majori ...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run, with the Falcons replying with quarterback Matt Ryan making a 3-yard touchdown pass to fullback Jason Snelling. The Seahawks trailed slightly with kicker
Matt Bryant Steven Matt Bryant (born May 29, 1975), nicknamed "Money Matt", is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Baylor Bears, and was signed as ...
hitting a 27-yard field goal, but managed to tie the game with kicker Olindo Mare nailing a 38-yard field goal. They struggled to keep up after Ryan completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Jenkins, followed by quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
losing the ball in the endzone which was picked up by defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux for a touchdown. This was followed by Bryant getting a 25-yard field goal, and then with Ryan getting a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Roddy White. The Seahawks tried to cut the lead, but only came away with quarterback Charlie Whitehurst scrambling a yard for a touchdown. With the loss, Seattle fell to 6–8.


Week 16: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Falcons the Seahawks flew to
Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Tampa, Florida, United States. It opened in 1998 and is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) and the University of South Florida (USF) Bulls college football ...
for an NFC duel with the Buccaneers. The Seahawks took the early lead with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
scrambling 1 yard for a touchdown, but failed to maintain this lead with kicker
Connor Barth Connor Thomas Barth (born April 11, 1986) is an American former professional football placekicker who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs ...
hitting a 46-yard field goal, followed by quarterback Josh Freeman completing a 10 and a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Kellen Winslow Kellen Boswell Winslow Sr. (born November 5, 1957) is an American former professional American football, football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL). A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1995), he is widely recogn ...
and to wide receiver Mike Williams. The Seahawks fell further behind when Freeman connected with Winslow and Williams again on a 21 and a 7-yard touchdown pass. The Seahawks tried to come back with running back Leon Washington getting a 16-yard touchdown run (with a successful two-point conversion as quarterback Charlie Whitehurst connected with wide receiver Ben Obomanu), but struggled to keep up as Freeman made a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Maurice Stovall. With the loss, Seattle fell to 6–9.


Week 17: vs. St. Louis Rams

Hoping to end their season on a positive note, the Seahawks went home for a Week 17 NFC West rematch with the
St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
, with the division title on the line. Seattle delivered the game's opening strike in the first quarter as quarterback Charlie Whitehurst found wide receiver Mike Williams on a 4-yard touchdown pass. The Rams answered in the second quarter with former Seahawks kicker Josh Brown making a 32-yard field goal. St. Louis continued to pound away at Seattle's lead in the third quarter as Brown got a 27-yard field goal, but the Seahawks replied with a 31-yard field goal from kicker Olindo Mare. Afterwards, Seattle pulled away in the fourth quarter with Mare's 38-yard and 34-yard field goals. With the win, not only did the Seahawks finish the regular season at 7–9, but they also won the NFC West for the first time since 2007 and secured the NFC's #4 seed. Also, Seattle became the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs in a non-strike season and become division champions with a losing record.


Postseason

Seattle entered the postseason as the #4 seed in the NFC.


Schedule


Game summaries


NFC Wild Card Playoff: vs. #5 New Orleans Saints

Entering the postseason as the NFC's #4 seed, the Seahawks began their playoff run at home in the NFC Wild Card Round against the #5
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
in a rematch of their Week 11 duel. Seattle trailed early in the first quarter as Saints kicker Garrett Hartley got a 26-yard field goal, followed by quarterback
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...
completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to fullback
Heath Evans Bryan Heath Evans (born December 30, 1978) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a Fullback (American football), fullback in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for the Aubu ...
. The Seahawks answered with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
finding tight end John Carlson on an 11-yard touchdown pass. New Orleans responded in the second quarter with running back Julius Jones getting a 5-yard touchdown run, but Seattle would take the lead in the 2nd quarter with Hasselbeck connecting with Carlson again on a 7-yard touchdown pass, Mare booting a 29-yard field goal, and Hasselbeck hooking up with wide receiver Brandon Stokley on a 45-yard touchdown pass. The Saints closed out the half with Hartley getting a 22-yard field goal. The Seahawks added onto their lead in the third quarter as Hasselbeck found wide receiver Mike Williams on a 38-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 39-yard field goal from Mare. New Orleans ate away at their deficit in the fourth quarter with Jones' 4-yard touchdown run and Hartley's 21-yard field goal, but Seattle came right back with a 67-yard touchdown run from running back
Marshawn Lynch Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American actor and former professional American football, football player who was a running back for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majori ...
. The Saints tried to rally with Brees completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Devery Henderson (with a failed two-point conversion), but a failed onside kick helped preserve Seattle's victory. With the win, not only did the Seahawks improve their overall record to 8–9, but they became the first sub-.500 team in NFL history to win a playoff game as well as dethroning the defending world champion Saints from further playoff contention. It was later determined that crowd activity and noise was so great, specifically during Marshawn Lynch's game-clinching touchdown run (commonly referred to as the Beast Quake), that a nearby seismic monitoring station registered a small tremor located at Qwest Field.Earthquake measured during Marshawn Lynch touchdown
/ref> With the win, the Seahawks had a 6–3 record at home for the season. Seahawks go to the NFC Divisional Round but lost to the Bears 35-24.


NFC Divisional Playoff: at #2 Chicago Bears

Coming off their win over the Saints, the Seahawks flew to
Soldier Field Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side, Chicago, Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears from the National ...
for the NFC Divisional Round against the #2
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
, in a rematch of their Week 6 matchup. Seattle trailed early in the first quarter as Bear quarterback
Jay Cutler Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. A member of the Chicago Bears for most of his career, he is ...
completed a 58-yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg Olsen, followed by running back Chester Taylor getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Chicago added onto their lead in the second quarter as Cutler got a 6-yard touchdown run. The Bears continued their dominating day in the third quarter as Cutler got a 9-yard touchdown run. Seattle finally answered with a 30-yard field goal from kicker Olindo Mare. The Seahawks tried to rally in the fourth quarter as quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
found wide receiver Mike Williams on a 38-yard touchdown pass, but Chicago pulled away with Cutler completing a 39-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kellen Davis. Seattle continued to try to rally as Hasselbeck connected with Williams again on a 3-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley, but the Bears held on to preserve the win. With the loss, the Seahawks' season came to an end with an overall record at 8–10. Seahawks followed a loss to forget and in 2011 they missed the playoffs 7-9.


References


External links


2010 Seattle Seahawks season at Pro Football Reference

2010 Seattle Seahawks Statistics
at jt-sw.com
2010 Seattle Seahawks Schedule
at jt-sw.com {{DEFAULTSORT:2010 Seattle Seahawks Season
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
NFC West championship seasons Seattle Seahawks seasons
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...