Seahawks Hold Off Rally to Beat Bills

By ESPN

Jimmy Graham's first one-handed catch was special. His second was even better.

And that doesn't even mention his open-field hurdle of a defensive back.

Graham needed just one hand to catch two first-half touchdown passes from Russell Wilson, and the Seattle Seahawks held off a late rally for a 31-25 win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.

"We talked this week if we get a favorable matchup, throw it," Graham said. "It's one of those things in the National Football League these windows are so small that sometimes when a guy is on you, you just have to throw it up."

Seattle won its 11th straight Monday night game behind a huge game from its tight end. Still less than a year removed from a major knee injury, Graham used his right arm to catch a 17-yard touchdown from Wilson on the first play of the second quarter and later used the same arm to cradle an 18-yard TD pass in the final moments of the first half.

But the Seahawks had to hold on in the final seconds as Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor led the Bills inside the Seattle 10 in the final seconds. Taylor was sacked by Cliff Avril on third-and-goal from the 8 and on fourth-and-goal Taylor's pass into the end zone fell incomplete.

Buffalo would not have needed a touchdown if not for mistakes by the officiating crew at the end of the first half that cost the Bills a chance at a shorter field goal. Dan Carpenter eventually missed a 54-yard attempt on the final play of the half, only after Seattle's Richard Sherman got away with an unnecessary roughness penalty that wasn't called and a delay of game caused in part by the officiating crew standing over the ball.

NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino tweeted during the game that Walt Anderson's crew did not make the correct call.

"Ridiculous. ... From an officiating stand point, I think they can do better than that," Bills coach Rex Ryan said.

Anderson said the play was being "shut down" because Sherman was unabated to the kicker.

"I just didn't feel like the actions and the contact, because we were shutting the play down, warranted a foul (for roughing)," Anderson said.

Graham caught all eight of his targets for 103 yards. It was his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. Wilson was 20 of 26 passing for 282 yards.

Thursday, November 10 Schedule (Time Central)

Cleveland at Baltimore, 7:25 p.m.

Sunday, November 8  Schedule (All Times Central)

Green Bay at Tennessee, noon

Minnesota at Washington, noon

Chicago at Tampa  Bay, noon

Kansas City at Carolina, noon

Atlanta at Philadelphia, noon

Los  Angeles at New York Jets, noon

Denver at New Orleans, noon

Houston at Jacksonville, noon

Miami at San Diego, 3:05 p.m.

Dallas at Pittsburgh, 3:25 p.m.

San Francisco at Arizona, 3:25 p.m.

Seattle at New England, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, November 14 Schedule (Time Central)

Cincinnati at New York Giants, 7:30 p.m.