Seahawks 20, Broncos 17
SEATTLE -- Mike Holmgren is pushing all the right buttons.After going 6-2 without Joey Galloway, the Seattle Seahawks went 1-0 with him Sunday night as the star receiver returned from a 100-day holdout in a 20-17 comeback victory over Denver.
With seven games to go, the Seahawks have a two-game lead in their division in a bid to end an 11-year playoff drought.
"Do I have to?" Holmgren replied when asked how he explained his team's record. "Why don't we just say that we're happy about it."
Galloway finally threw in the towel after a long stalemate with Holmgren, coach and general manager of the Seahawks and began working out Wednesday.
On Saturday, Holmgren decided to activate him after seeing how he was doing in practice.
Against the Broncos (3-7), Galloway entered the game on the seventh play, caught a pass on the eighth, contributed two major receptions and finished his first game since Dec. 27 with four catches for 88 yards.
"Big, big, big," said cornerback Shawn Springs, also Galloway's teammate at Ohio State. "That's what Joey has always done, and I've known him for seven years."
"He provided the big plays and the lift that we needed," said Mike Pritchard, another Seahawks receiver. "I think his presence opened it up for Sean Dawkins."
Galloway's 39-yard catch on the final play of the third quarter helped set up a 43-yard field goal by Todd Peterson.
Later in the fourth quarter, Galloway reached back and pulled in a 28-yard catch from Jon Kitna to give the Seahawks the ball on the 20. Two plays later, Kitna passed 20 yards to Dawkins for the winning touchdown.
Holmgren almost apologized for playing Galloway more than he expected.
"He's probably going to be sore tomorrow," Holmgren said.
This is the first time since 1986 that the Seahawks have had a four-game winning streak.