MINNEAPOLIS -- A look at the Seattle Seahawks players who were "up" and those who were "down" in Sunday's 10-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in their NFC wild-card game:
UP
Russell Wilson, quarterback: By his own admission, Wilson (13-for-26, 142 yards, one interception) didn't play particularly well, but there were about five plays that were "off the charts," according to coach Pete Carroll. One of them, of course, was the play of the game, Wilson's 35-yard completion to Tyler Lockett on a busted play in the fourth quarter. Wilson tracked down an errant shotgun snap 16 yards behind the line of scrimmage, eluded five defenders and heaved a pass to a wide-open Lockett, setting up the only touchdown of the game. "There's some real magic in there," Carroll said of the sequence.
Doug Baldwin, wide receiver: Wilson called it "the greatest catch I've ever seen, hands down." Channeling his inner Odell Beckham, Jr., Baldwin went up high for a third-and-10 pass early in the third quarter and came down with a 17-yard reception. And he did it with one hand. You try doing that in sub-zero conditions. Afterward, he admitted he underestimated the severe weather conditions. Clearly, he wasn't affected too much. He finished with a team-high five catches for 42 yards, including a 3-yard scoring grab that made it 9-7.
Steven Hauschka, kicker: He didn't pull a Blair Walsh. He was called upon to kick only one field goal, and he made it -- a 46-yarder with 8:04 left in the fourth quarter. They proved to be the winning points.
The run defense: One word -- suffocating. The Seahawks' front seven, with help from box safety Kam Chancellor, dominated NFL rushing champ Adrian Peterson, holding him to 45 yards on 23 attempts. He was hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 10 of his 23 carries, gaining 11 yards on those plays, according to ESPN Stats & Information. It was the second time this season he averaged less than one yard before contact, and both times it was against the Seahawks. Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright were too fast for the Vikings to block.
UP/DOWN
Kam Chancellor, safety: It was an eventful fourth quarter for the Seahawks' big-hitting safety. He made one of the biggest plays of the game, stripping the ball from Peterson in Vikings territory. That set up a Seattle field goal. Later, Chancellor got sloppy on the final drive of the game, committing a pass-interference penalty (19 yards) and missing a tackle on a completion to tight end Kyle Rudolph. Chancellor said the penalty was a "B.S." call. If Walsh had made the chip-shot field goal, Chancellor would've been one of the goats.
DOWN
Clint Gresham/Jon Ryan: The long snapper-punter tandem combined on for a big blunder that set up a Minnesota field goal. In the first quarter, Ryan failed to handle a low snap. He took off running and ... well, let's just say he's not Russell Wilson. He had some open space, but he went the wrong way. He ran 4 yards, well short of the first down, giving easy points to the Vikings.
