I stole this comment from the Times
Baffled? What is there to be baffled about? You could see this coming a mile away when the Hawks decided to try to run out the clock with half the 3rd quarter remaining. I'd say this team isn't going anywhere as long as Bevell is the OC but I'm not sure it matters - Carroll's conservative style is killing them. They've lost 4 of their last 6 and held a 4th quarter lead in every game (and, realistically, it should probably be 5/6 if not for a stroke of luck against Detroit). The only lead they've been able to hold was against the Bears and their hapless JV offense. They've been remarkably consistent at losing leads and the one thing they refuse to do? Try something different. "We're going to a be a running team that controls the ball". No, your not - your going to TRY to be a running team but instead you'll just go 3-and-out over and over and over again. But, hey, don't let that stop you. Just stick with two runs up the middle on every 1st & 2nd down and then have Wilson scramble for his life on 3rd & long when everybody knows it has to be a pass.
It's easy to blame the defense for letting these leads slip away but really, it's almost all on their offense. How many defenses in this league can hold up repeatedly when the offense can't stay on the field for more than 4 downs for almost the entire game. Seattle had one good drive the whole day (the opening one). After that, they scored a field goal with time running out in the half after Cincy went into prevent mode (which just about every team in the league can score against these days) and then Rawls broke a run and they luckily weren't forced to sustain a drive. And that's it. Just pathetic. This team simply cannot play with the lead because every time they get ahead, Carroll suddenly thinks it's 2013 and they can just run out the clock no matter how much time remains - this despite the fact that their run game is almost always ineffective (and it's particularly bad when the defense knows a run is coming - pretty much the final 20 minutes of this game). Even Rawls' numbers were deceptive - he had 90 yards on 2 runs. That didn't stop Seattle from running 21 other times for a grand total of 79 yards.
I would have actually felt better had Cincy scored with about a minute left and Seattle would have been forced to go with the hurry-up and stop effing running it - as least then they would have had a chance. Once it got to OT they were doomed because with no time pressure, they went right back to conceding every 1st and 2nd down with runs up the middle. Seriously, how many times does something not have to work before they stop doing it?