NFL
Seahawks' Wilson says finger not to blame after defeat to Packers
The Seattle Seahawks lost 17-0 to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, but quarterback Russell Wilson said his poor display was not down to his recent injury.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson says he didn't come back to soon from injury, despite enduring one of the worst displays of his career as his team was beaten by the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Wilson registers fourth-worst passer rating in defeat to Packers
Wilson completed just 20 of 40 passes for 161 yards with a pair of interceptions and was sacked three times as the Seahawks fell 17-0 at the Packers.
The 32-year-old had missed the previous three games with an injury to the middle finger on this throwing hand that required surgery.
Wilson's 39.7 passer rating Sunday was the fourth-worst of his 166 career regular-season and playoff games, and Seattle (3-6) were shut out for the first time ever with Wilson at quarterback.
"It was just a bad game" - Wilson says finger not behind struggles against Packers
Despite those ugly numbers, both Wilson and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said they did not believe the quarterback's finger was a factor.
"My finger felt fine," Wilson told reporters. "I know myself really well. I know what I can and can’t do. I felt I could do everything tonight. I had some runs.
"The first third down, for example. If I was second-guessing my hand, I wouldn’t go for that, you know, getting hit like that. So I felt confident in my hand. I felt confident in all the hard work.
"I didn’t play timid, at all ... It was just a bad game. Those two plays, I mean, that really were the defining moments in the game."
The two plays in question were a pair of second-half interceptions nabbed by Packers defenders in their own end zone, back-breakers for the Seahawks' hopes of winning at Lambeau Field for the first time since 1999.
While Seattle's defence negated the first of those mistakes by returning the favour with an interception of Aaron Rodgers in the end zone, the Packers took advantage of the second pick by marching downfield for the touchdown that sealed the win.
The Seahawks did take some measures to protect Wilson, who did not take any snaps under center, working solely from the shotgun formation to minimise the impact on his finger, but they also were up against one of the hottest defences in the NFL.
Facing Wilson, Patrick Mahomes and Kyler Murray the last three games, the Packers have allowed just 34 points.
"It comes on my shoulders" - Wilson takes blame for loss
That track record was no consolation to Wilson, who blamed himself for critical errors Sunday but vowed to bounce back.
"Unfortunately, it comes on my shoulders because I didn’t fulfil those two big plays in those two moments. I don’t want to shy away from it," Wilson said. "When you play this position at the highest, highest level there’s going to be some stuff you have to weigh on your shoulders.
“What I do know is, I’ll be better. I’ll be better. I always believe in myself. My confidence never wavers. It’s not going to waver now. I will be back."