The Sports Xchange

RENTON, Wash. — The ability to finish football games is one of the biggest mantras of head coach Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks.

They’ve had T-shirts with “FINISH” written across the chest that they’ve worn in recent seasons as a reminder of their focus on closing out games.

But through five games this season, Seattle has failed to hold fourth-quarter leads in all three of their losses. Seattle squandered a 17-point fourth-quarter lead to the Cincinnati Bengals and lost 27-24 in overtime.

“No matter how many times I look at it, I can’t get the end to change,” Carroll said on Monday.

Carroll didn’t feel there was a common thread between the three defeats other than they just aren’t getting the necessary results.

“It’s common that we’re not getting that done. That’s all. We’re looking hard at it,” Carroll said.

For three quarters, the Seahawks played their best football of the season.

Seattle scored on its opening drive for the first time all season. Thomas Rawls sparked the running game with 169 yards on 23 carries, including a 69-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that gave Seattle a 17-7 lead. The defense added a touchdown on the next possession as linebacker Bobby Wagner returned a fumble forced by defensive end Michael Bennett for a 23-yard touchdown to give Seattle a 24-7 cushion.

Then it systemically began to fall apart for Seattle.

A 35-yard punt return gave the Bengals strong starting field position as quarterback Andy Dalton led a touchdown drive that culminated in a touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Eifert.

The Bengals followed with an 11-play, 71-yard scoring drive with Dalton scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run to close within a field goal. Kicker Mike Nugent then capped the rally with a 31-yard field goal on the final play of regulation after the Bengals marched 69 yards on seven plays.

Meanwhile, Seattle’s offense couldn’t stay on the field. They converted just three total first downs in their final six possessions of the game. They also converted just one of their final seven third-down opportunities despite being in mostly favorable down-and-distance scenarios. Three of the four times quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked in the game came on third downs in the fourth quarter and overtime.

“Everybody’s pretty quiet,” Carroll said. “Everybody’s pretty disappointed for obvious reasons. The whole room feels it.”

Ultimately, Seattle was unable to find the few more successful plays on either side of the ball needed to put the game away and return home with a big road victory.

“Unfortunately, we needed a first down or two in the first quarter, in the second half there, to give us the clock and a chance to put the game away,” Carroll said.

REPORT CARD VS. BENGALS

–PASSING OFFENSE: C-minus. Looked at times the best they’ve been all season. Offensive line provided protection for Wilson until the fourth quarter and overtime. Were just one for last seven on third down, which were all pass plays.

–RUSHING OFFENSE: A-minus. The Seahawks rushed for 200 yards against the Bengals, their best output of the season on the ground.

–PASS DEFENSE: C. Seattle sacked Andy Dalton four times and had limited the league’s most explosive offense to just seven points through three quarters before conceding three straight scoring drives to end regulation.

–RUN DEFENSE: B-plus. Seattle kept starter Jeremy Hill from finding any success and kept the Bengals in check for most of the afternoon, but Giovani Bernard gained 37 yards on just six carries in the fourth quarter.

–SPECIAL TEAMS: B-minus. The Bengals kept Tyler Lockett from finding success in the return game. A 35-yard Adam Jones punt return helped set up the Bengals’ first fourth-quarter touchdown. In eight punts, Jon Ryan was unable to pin the Bengals inside their own 20-yard line.

–COACHING: D. The ability to finish games is one of the core tenants of Pete Carroll’s coaching philosophy. To blow a 17-point fourth-quarter lead, all areas of the game had to go awry for the Seahawks down the stretch.