SEATTLE -- What initially began as another disjointed offensive performance that allowed a poor Indianapolis Colts team to hold a halftime lead, quickly developed into the rout that was expected in the second half.
The Seahawks scored 36 points after halftime to cruise to a 46-18 win over the Colts.
The Colts managed just 32 yards of offense in the second half as Seattle's offense took full control of the game. Justin Coleman and Bobby Wagner each scored defensive touchdowns as well to add to the total.
Russell Wilson completed 21 of 26 passes for 295 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also scrambled for a 23-yard touchdown as well.
Seattle's offense put up 195 rushing yards to complement the passing game too, averaging 5.9 yards per carry in the process.
While it was a clean performance from start to finish, the Seahawks looked like the dominant team Seattle has come to expect in the second half. The signs that Seattle is improving are there. The question is how do they find a way to sustain it more frequently? Time will tell.
For now, here's five takeaways from tonight's game:
1 Chris Carson injury is a massive damper to an encouraging night overall.
The brightest surprise of the season for Seattle has been the terrific start to the year by seventh-round pick Chris Carson. However, a significant ankle injury sustained by Carson in the fourth quarter tarnished an otherwise
Carson was injured with just over six minutes remaining in the game. Linebacker Jon Bostic landed on Carson's left leg and then he was bent backwards on top of Bostic. An air cast was immediately dispatched from the sidelines and Carson was carted off the field.
Carroll said after the game that Carson had a significant ankle injury but didn't have any further details on the extent of the injury. Carson will have an MRI done on Monday to determine the extent of the damage.
"(He) hurt his ankle and he hurt it pretty significantly," Carroll said. "We had a couple different reports here but now we know that he did hurt his ankle significantly."
Carson was in the locker room after the game as well and the belief is that the injury is not as significant as it first appeared. He was not in a boot at the time, though crutches were at his disposal. What that means is still uncertain. The tests on Monday will give the team a clearer picture of the injury.
"I'm happy that it's not as bad as they initially thought," cornerback Richard Sherman said afterward.
The fact there is even a glimmer of possibility that Carson's injury is not season-ending is a pretty encouraging sign given how serious it looked in the moment.
2. Rees Odhiambo had scary moment in locker room after game, taken to hospital for evaluation.
Seahawks left tackle Rees Odhimabo was attended to by physicians and ultimately taken out of the locker room on a stretcher after experiencing discomfort after Sunday night's game.
Odhiambo was injured on an interception return by Malik Hooker in the third quarter. Colts defensive lineman Jabaal Sheard blocked Odhiambo and knocked the wind out of him. After the game, Odhiambo was struggling to catch his breath in the locker room.
"He got hit in the chest and he had some trouble breathing, so they had to take care of him tonight and make sure he's OK and do all the precautionary stuff," Carroll said. "So he will be in the hospital for the night just to be checked out."
Odhiambo was tended to for a significant period of time in the locker room before being taken to the hospital. It was a scary scene and not something I've ever witnessed in the NFL locker room after a game.
3. Shaquill Griffin, Justin Coleman make pitch to take Jeremy Lane's playing time.
Richard Sherman earned his starting job with the Seahawks in 2011 after injuries to Marcus Trufant and Walter Thurmond in back-to-back weeks gave him the opportunity. After intercepting a pass and tipping another interception to Kam Chancellor against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sherman has started every game since.
Jeremy Lane's groin injury that forced him out of Sunday night's game could provide that same opportunity to Shaquill Griffin and Justin Coleman.
Griffin has been quite good in his time replacing Lane, both against the Colts on Sunday night and in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers. Griffin did allow a touchdown pass to Donte Moncrief at the end of the first half, but was in tight coverage with him the whole way.
"It happens and I got to bounce back," Griffin said. "It's something that I can't dwell on and that's something I'm ready to move forward, but it woke up something that I needed to wake up. When it came to the second half and they barely had any yards at all, that's something that I need. I'm glad it happened early in the season because that's something that I don't want to experience again. It's something that I needed to be waken up going into the rest of the season."
Coleman intercepted Jacoby Brissett in the second quarter and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown to give the Seahawks a 10-2 lead.
Coleman said it was his first interception since college and it came against his former teammate with the New England Patriots.
"I thought he did really well," Carroll said. "He defended a number of balls. We have to see the film to really know, but you make a play like that and score a touchdown, that's big time.
"He looked very comfortable. He was very comfortable playing the position; if Jeremy's going to take a little bit, we'll be in good shape."
The pair have played very well in their opportunities they've had so far. While Lane hasn't explicitly done anything to lose is job, Griffin and Coleman have a chance to show they should have it anyway. If Lane is going to miss time, that would give the duo the chance to show that they can do.
4. Seahawks need more out of Jimmy Graham.
Whatever the reasons may be, the Seahawks are just not getting enough out of Jimmy Graham.
Russell Wilson was intercepted twice on passes intended for Graham. While the first pass may have been slightly underthrown by Wilson, Graham didn't give great effort in fighting for the ball with safety Matthias Farley.
In the third quarter with Seattle facing a third-and-7, Wilson fired a pass to Graham that deflected off Graham's hands and into the arms of safety Malik Hooker. The interception set up the Colts' only points of the second half, a 40-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri.
Graham did come back and make a few catches down the stretch. He finished with four catches for 61 yards in the game.
But Graham does not have a touchdown this season, he's been relatively invisible early in games, he's had a few drops and hasn't been as aggressive fighting for the ball in a few situations as he should be with his size.
Graham, Wilson, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and Carroll all have to figure out some way to get Graham to produce at the level he's capable of performing at. If that's not possible, there's little reason to expect him to be a part of the team's future long-term.
5. J.D. McKissic needs to be more involved with the offense.
In the risk of making too much out of two plays, the Seahawks will almost certainly want to see more of J.D. McKissic after he galloped for a 30-yard touchdown and caught a 27-yard touchdown against the Colts.
The injury to Carson also increases the likelihood of an increased role as well.
McKissic rushed for 38 yards and a touchdown on four carries for Seattle and caught one pass for 27 yards and a touchdown against Indianapolis. It was his first action of the season after being inactive for the first three weeks of the year.
But with C.J. Prosise out with an ankle injury, McKissic got a chance to play and took advantage.
"I was kind of thrilled by the way J.D. McKissic jumped on the scene," Carroll said. "This guy has been practicing great for us. We've seen it all along. We've seen nothing but good stuff from him. He's been a great kid, he just hasn't got his shot yet.
"When he got his shot, he did great. I was really excited."
McKissic brough a speed element to the position that provided a great change of pace to Carson. Eddie Lacy is not capable of the type of plays McKissic made on Sunday. Thomas Rawls was a healthy scratch for the game as well, giving McKissic more opportunity for snaps.
With 65 yards on five touches, he's bound to get more opportunities as well.
Photo Credit: SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 1: Running back J.D. McKissic #21 of the Seattle Seahawks scores a touchdown against Malik Hooker #29 of the Indianapolis Colts in the third quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on October 1, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)