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Brady HendersonESPN
Russell Wilson continued to etch his name in the NFL record books Sunday.
Wilson threw two more touchdown passes in the Seattle Seahawks’ 31-23 win over the Miami Dolphins. That gives him 16 TDs this season, tying Peyton Manning’s record from 2013 for the most through a team’s first four games. Wilson set the record through three games last week with 14.
The Seahawks improved to 4-0 for just the second time in franchise history. They also did so in 2013, the season they won Super Bowl XLVIII.
Seattle leaned on Wilson over the first three games, partly by design and partly out of necessity as their pass defense was gashed at a historic rate. The 1,292 passing yards Seattle allowed were easily the most through three games of a season in NFL history, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
But they held up Sunday despite missing two starters in their secondary in All-Pro safety Jamal Adams and right cornerback Quinton Dunbar as well as linebacker Jordyn Brooks, their first-round pick. Adams’ backup, Lano Hill, was also out, leaving third-stringer Ryan Neal to start at strong safety. He picked off Dak Prescott to seal Seattle’s win over the Dallas Cowboys last week and came down with an interception of a tipped Ryan Fitzpatrick pass on Miami’s opening possession Sunday.
Cornerback Shaquill Griffin also picked off his second pass in as many weeks. Seattle held Miami to five field goals before they reached the end zone on a Fitzpatrick run with under two minutes left. The 415 total yards Seattle allowed was a slight improvement from the first three weeks, when opponents totaled at least 450 yards.
Wilson finished 24 of 34 for 360 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. His interception came on an off-balance throw into the end zone that was intended for DK Metcalf but was picked by Xavien Howard. Wilson’s only other interception was a pick-six in Week 2 that bounced off Greg Olsen’s hands.
Wilson now has 18 career games with at least 300 pass yards, one shy of tying Matt Hasselbeck for most in Seahahwks history, according to ESPN Stats & Information.