The Sports Xchange

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Seattle Seahawks aren’t about to apologize for an uneven and, some might say, ugly offensive showing Sunday.

The important thing for the defending NFC champions is they won Sunday and they are 4-4 halfway through the season.

“We made it back to even,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “I don’t think it feels much different than last year. It’s very similar.”

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson did just enough with his arm and his legs, and kicker Steven Hauschka provided the foot to lift the Seahawks to a potential season-salvaging 13-12 victory over the reeling Dallas Cowboys.

Hauschka delivered a game-deciding 24-yard field goal with 1:06 remaining to quiet the majority of the 91,486 fans at AT&T Stadium.

The Seahawks won two straight going into their bye week and are currently two games back of 6-2 Arizona in the NFC East.

Wilson passed for 210 yards with a touchdown and ran for another 33 yards. His ability to keep plays alive by getting out of the pocket to either throw or run was never more evident than in the go-ahead drive.

Wilson engineered a 17-play march that covered 79 yards and chewed more than five minutes off the clock. Despite not getting into the end zone, Hauschka came on for a chip-shot field goal.

“We are lucky that we finished the game with a win, with Steven kicking the field goal,” Wilson said. “Offensively, we were moving the ball pretty well. We had some rough plays on third down, but when we needed it we converted and made the plays on the last drive.”

The Cowboys (2-5) are going in the opposite direction. Injuries to quarterback Tony Romo and receiver Dez Bryant started the losing streak that has reached five games.

What we learned about the Seahawks:

1. Seattle is back to .500 at 4-4 and poised to make a second-half run. The Seahawks head into the bye week with the momentum of a two-game winning streak. They play five of their final eight games at home, including the next three coming out of the bye week. Time to make a run? “Where we are right now, I feel like we’re OK,” coach Pete Carroll said.

2. An offensive line of converted defensive lineman looks to be on the upswing. Quarterback Russell Wilson had been sacked a league-high 31 times coming into the game, but he was upright against Dallas. “The offensive line was phenomenal,” he said. “No sacks. They really stepped up.”

3. The defense appeared stout, even though the opposition was the anemic Cowboys. Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman completely took Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant (2 catches, 12 yards) out of the game. The Cowboys managed just 220 yards of offense and 97 passing yards. “That’s what our job is,” Sherman said.

Etc.

–CB Richard Sherman followed WR Dez Bryant all over the field and didn’t give an inch. Whichever side of the field or position Bryant lined up in, Sherman was there all alone. Bryant finished with only two catches for 12 yards on six targets. Of the two targets in the first half, Bryant didn’t have a chance on either as Sherman easily broke up both plays. “Anytime me and Dez play, it is a total battle,” said Sherman, who was credited with four passes defended. “Nothing but mutual respect, but it is a battle every play.”

–QB Russell Wilson was responsible for 243 yards of offense, 210 passing and another 33 yards on the ground. He also threw a touchdown pass and led a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, the 16th of his career and first this season.

–WR Ricardo Lockette was injured on punt coverage late in the first half and was taken off the field strapped to a stretcher. Dallas S Jeff Heath laid out Lockette, who was a gunner on the punt. Lockette was quickly attended to by medical personnel as players and coaches from both sides gathered around him near midfield. After several minutes, Lockette’s face mask was removed from his helmet and he was immobilized on a stretcher. He was eventually lifted and taken off the field by a cart. Lockette’s hands were moving and he pointed his index to the sky to cheers from the crowd. It was announced early in the third quarter that Lockette had a concussion but full movement.