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Browner's late interception helps Seahawks beat Giants

Oct 9, 2011 - 11:15 PM East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - Brandon Browner's 94-yard interception return for a touchdown in the final minutes of the game sealed a 36-25 victory for the Seattle Seahawks over the New York Giants.

Tarvaris Jackson threw for 166 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 15-of-22 passes for Seattle (2-3), but left the game in the third quarter with a bruised right shoulder.

Charlie Whitehurst took over at quarterback and completed 11-of-19 passes for 149 yards, including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.

"Well, there are 32 guys who are in that situation so you go in and do the best you can," Whitehurst said about coming off of the bench. "Luckily, we came out of here with a win and it will be a fun flight back."

Marshawn Lynch totaled 98 yards on the ground with a touchdown on 12 carries, and Doug Baldwin hauled in eight passes for 136 yards and a TD for Seattle, which snapped a streak of six straight losses on the road.

Eli Manning completed 24-of-39 passes for 420 yards and three touchdowns, but also tossed three interceptions for New York (3-2).

Victor Cruz caught eight passes for a career-high 161 yards and a score in a losing effort.

Trailing by five in the fourth quarter, New York was faced with a 3rd-and-13 inside their own territory. Manning tossed up a deep pass to Cruz and Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor jumped up and got a hand on the ball, but it deflected right to Cruz. He corralled the bouncing ball with one hand and ran into the end zone for a 68-yard touchdown. Ahmad Bradshaw ran the two-point conversion in for a 22-19 lead.

After the Seahawks were forced to punt, Cruz caught a pass over the middle on third down. As he tried to fight for the first, Walter Thurmond ripped the ball out of his hands and Seattle took over at the Giants' 25-yard line.

New York's defense held, though, and Steven Hauschka nailed a 43-yard field goal to knot the game at 22.

On the ensuing drive. Manning hit Bear Pascoe for a 17-yard gain before finding Jake Ballard on a 32-yard strike to get into the Seahawks' red zone. Bradshaw's nine-yard run put the Giants inside the 10, but they were held to a 26-yard Lawrence Tynes field goal with 4:49 left in the game.

Whitehurst then led an 80-yard drive down the field to take the lead. Baldwin's 22-yard reception and Anthony McCoy's 20-yard catch preceded Baldwin's uncovered 27-yard TD catch, giving Seattle a 29-25 lead.

It then took New York just four plays to get to the Seattle five-yard line, but on the next play, Manning's pass deflected off the hand of Cruz as he was falling to the ground, off of Chancellor and into the hands of Browner, who returned it 94 yards for a score, sealing the win for the Seahawks.

"You're not going to win football games when you're handing people the ball," Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said. "It's probably the most miserable feeling we've had around here in a long time."

Seattle took the opening drive of the game 80 yards down the field for a touchdown. Ben Obomanu capped the eight-play drive by taking a swing pass from 11 yards out and running it in for the score.

New York answered with a seven-play scoring drive. Manning found Ballard over the middle at the two-yard line and Ballard dragged two defenders into the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown.

After the teams traded fumbles deep in Giants' territory, Seattle took over at the New York 48-yard line after a Giants' punt from their own end zone. Lynch broke a 47-yard run down the right sideline before rumbling in from the one to give Seattle a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.

Jackson hit Baldwin for a couple of 20-plus yard gains on the Seahawks' first possession of the second quarter to move into Giants territory. After converting a 4th-and-1 at the New York 16 with a quarterback sneak, Michael Robinson fumbled at the two-yard line and New York recovered.

Aaron Ross later intercepted Jackson at the Giants' 41-yard line with 51 seconds left in the first half and Manning found Hakeem Nicks for a diving, 19-yard touchdown four plays later to tie the game at the break.

Seattle was forced to punt from its own 47 just after 7 1/2 minutes into the third quarter and the kick was downed at the five-yard line. Anthony Hargrove broke through the line untouched on the Giants first play of the drive and took down Danny Ware in the end zone for a safety, giving the Seahawks a 16-14 advantage.

But on the previous drive, Jackson took off for an 11-yard rush and was favoring his right shoulder when he got up.

He was helped off the field and Whitehurst replaced him for the remainder of the game.

Lynch's 18-yard rush late in the third quarter set up a Hauschka 51-yard field goal early in the fourth to give the Seahawks a five-point lead.

Game Notes

Obomanu's TD catch was the first touchdown the Giants have allowed in the first quarter this season...Lynch caught four passes for 33 yards...With 2 1/2 sacks in the game, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul now has 11 1/2 sacks in his last 11 games...Ballard caught three passes for 72 yards...New York converted just 1-of-12 third-down conversions, while Seattle converted 4-of-15 opportunities.