The Seattle Seahawks won a 27-20 thriller over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday thanks in large part to the special teams play of Leon Washington. Washington returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and single-handedly killed any hope the Chargers had of mounting a second-half comeback.
Leon’s first TD return came on the opening kickoff of the second half and put the Seahawks up 17-0. The second return may have been even more crucial. San Diego managed to battle all the way back and tie the score at 20-20 with only 6:39 remaining in the game. Just when it looked as though the game may be shifting in the Chargers’ favor, Washington took another kick to the house that put Seattle on top 27-20. They remained there the rest of the way.
Before a broken leg cut Washington’s season short with the Jets last year, he was an important piece of their offense. Most of Washington’s contributions come via special teams and on third downs, so he’s one of those Kevin Faulk-type players who rarely gets the credit he deserves. It’s nice to see him blowing up the highlight reel again and helping a team win some games after battling back from a serious injury.
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