‘Love and Lock Save the Day’

The Seattle Seahawks needed something — anything — to put an end to their four-game slide and save their fading playoff hopes on Monday Night Football.

They ended up with “Love and Lock” on their side, literally.

NFL World Reacts to Seahawks’ Thriller Over the Eagles

Backup QB Drew Lock and DB Julian Love, a newcomer to Seattle’s defense, delivered the final pulsating plays to end Seattle’s skid and stun the favored Philadelphia Eagles 20-17.

With Seattle staring at a 6-8 mark, Lock didn’t throw a single touchdown pass throughout the game and struggled in the rain. But along came two ridiculous connections, the first one featuring a leaping WR DK Metcalf sideline grab between two Eagles defenders.

DK Metcalf does it again 🤯 pic.twitter.com/0F5EqQz9wi

— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 19, 2023

Then, Lock had trust in rookie WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, even if it involved using his fingertips with the rain coming down.

FINGERTIPS❕

The rookie puts the #Seahawks ahead on their longest TD drive of the season.

What a play by Jaxon Smith-Njigba! pic.twitter.com/uNKGKDDQYA

— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 19, 2023

That strike also got Super Bowl-winning brothers Peyton and Eli Manning reacting exuberantly during their ManningCast broadcast, including letting out a loud “What a catch!” from both former quarterbacks.

Peyton and @EliManning react to the Seahawks crucial go-ahead 4th quarter TD: pic.twitter.com/QkWmBDj8oN

— Omaha Productions (@OmahaProd) December 19, 2023

The Seahawks’ X (formerly known as Twitter) account then rubbed it in — by describing how “Love hurts” for Philly with the Love interception.

Love hurts#ProBowlVotes + @_jlove20 pic.twitter.com/Gp0M0Omap2

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 19, 2023

It became the second pick of the night for Love. The former New York Giants safety had an instant idea of where the ball was heading.

“I just had a good feeling of they were going to go to No. 11, A.J. Brown,” Love broke down with reporters postgame. “A.J. Brown is the real deal receiver. And I just honestly watching him the entire play. I was in the post, I saw the double move, and I just took off.”

Afterward, Love said, “Then I saw the ball floating, and I must be living right…because I kept my feet in, thankfully.”

As NFL Network personality Rich Eisen coined it, the Seahawks had Love and Lock saving the day — and their postseason hopes.

Love and Lock save the day…for Seattle AND Dallas.

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) December 19, 2023

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Describes Winning TD Moment

The rookie wide receiver was brought into an offense featuring two wideouts who could pass as WR1s elsewhere in Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

The former Ohio State Buckeye was likely told by several that he had to accept the fact he wasn’t going to be his team’s weekly top receiver.

Still, he was also likely told to be prepared to snatch the final touchdown, if needed. Sure enough, he proved he was built for the moment.

“The Ohio State — they prepared me for these moments,” Smith-Njigba told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt postgame.

There’s another aspect that had the rookie prepped for this moment — running two-minute drills with the offense in practice.

“We work on two-minute drills every single day. For us to execute, it’s huge,” Smith-Njigba said.

MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor

Lastly, he and the ‘Hawks knew the magnitude of this game.

“This is a playoff game, and this is a must-win game. That’s our mindset,” Smith-Njigba said.

Drew Lock Shares Emotional Postgame Moment

Meanwhile, Lock faced the possibility of not being able to run the Seahawks’ offense with QB Geno Smith cleared to play.

Still, HC Pete Carroll opted to roll with Lock as a precaution. That decision eventually became a smart one for Seattle.

But for Lock himself, being given trust by his team got him to share an emotional moment postgame.

“Amazing won’t do justice. But the offensive line, DK doing that catch, what the receivers did, what Kenneth Walker did, Zach Charbonnet did all game long, the tight ends…it takes a special group to rally around a guy who was coming into his second game of the year. For a team like that to rally around me like that tonight, it was amazing,” Lock told ESPN’s Lisa Salters.

The sideline reporter noticed Lock’s voice cracking. Viewers felt the emotions of what Lock was feeling in that moment.

“It’s been a long time. I’m just blessed,” Lock continued. “Blessed with a great group of guys, a great city, great coaching staff…it’s awesome.”

He even got asked the burning question. Was he really supposed to be QB1? This MNF game provided high drama on both sides regarding whether both original starters would play.

“There’s a long story going into that one,” Lock began. “But I kept the mentality that I was going to play, regardless of what was going on. I said ‘You know what, you’re going to go out and play.’ And I found out when we got here that I was going to get the nod.”

Then it was “roll the dice, baby. Let’s go.”

Lock spilled his emotions in a journey that saw him flame out with the Denver Broncos, then lose out to Smith when he was involved in the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade last season. He admitted he had doubts he would get another start.

“You sit there and you watch games wondering, ‘Can I do this still? I haven’t been out there on the field.’ That’s the human nature of it,” he explained. “And the boys rallied around me tonight.”

Lock gave Seattle the lead, and Love sealed it. In the process, “Lock and Love” became the theme of the night for a Seahawks team that needed to save their season.

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