Sidney Rice Touchdown: WR's Tough Catch Defining Moment in Seahawks' Season | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report
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Sidney Rice Touchdown: WR's Tough Catch Defining Moment in Seahawks' Season

Jesse Reed@@JesseReed78X.com LogoCorrespondent IDecember 3, 2012

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 02: Sidney Rice #18 of the Seattle Seahawks drops the ball after crossing the goal line for the game-winning touchdown past Major Wright #21 and Charles Tillman #33 of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 2, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. The Seahawks defeated the Bears 23-17 in overtime. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The Seattle Seahawks absolutely had to win in Week 13 to keep their playoff hopes alive, and Sidney Rice came through in a major way when all the chips were down.

The Seahawks scratched and clawed their way back into the game after the Bears went up by four late in the third quarter, as rookie quarterback Russell Wilson led his team on a touchdown drive that ended with a 14-yard pass to Golden Tate with just 24 seconds remaining in the game.

Then, Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall caught lighting in a bottle and unbelievably moved the Bears into field-goal range with a 56-yard strike with just seconds left on the clock. Robbie Gould then drilled the 46-yard attempt to force overtime.

Wilson and the Seahawks once again buckled up their chinstraps and mounted a 12-play, 79-yard game-winning drive in OT—a drive that culminated with Rice's touchdown grab. 

You know, the one where he got knocked out in the process?

His toughness in the clutch defines what makes this team great.

Winning in the NFL is just as much about will than it is about talent and chemistry, and Rice's effort to catch the ball heading into heavy traffic showed an unquenchable thirst for success.

He knew he would get drilled as soon as he turned towards the goal line. He knew it would hurt. Perhaps he didn't know he'd get knocked out, but he was willing to take the blow for the sake of his team.

That's the kind of will and determination it takes to make it into the NFL playoffs, and Rice's all-out effort to get into the end zone is an appropriate illustration of this team's will to win.

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