INSIDE SLANT

The Seattle Seahawks may not like having a bye in Week 4 -- the earliest a team can get one in the NFL.

But they do like the way they are entering their week off, with a 2-1 record in a season-opening three-game stretch against three teams that all made the playoffs a year ago.

Seattle concluded that gauntlet Sunday with a 26-20 overtime win against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Seattle led 17-3 heading into the fourth quarter before a turnover led to a 19-yard drive, and then allowing a surprising 80-yard drive in 41 seconds to tie the game with just 18 seconds left.

But Seattle won the coin toss to start overtime and drove 80 yards for a touchdown to win it before Manning and the Broncos could get the ball back.

Seattle also easily dispatched Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay in Week 1, stumbling only in the sweltering heat of San Diego against Philip Rivers and the Chargers.

"Just about the best three you could throw at us quarterback-wise," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Monday. "And I think we learned that when we don't fly around the field like we normally do that we can have a bad day, like happened in San Diego. We just couldn't get our game going the way we wanted to play it -- didn't look anything at all like what you saw against the Packers or Denver.

"We have to maintain that tempo. Our guys tried really hard but they just didn't have it against San Diego. So we have a real style that we play to, a real mentality that we play to, and when we do it we can control football games and I think we felt that throughout the Denver game. We really felt very much in control of that game."

Indeed, Seattle allowed Denver just 36 rushing yards on 20 carries and only one drive of more than 35 yards until midway through the fourth quarter.

"I was anxious to see if we would play and look like we played back in the Super Bowl against these guys as far as breaking on the ball and running and hitting, and I thought we did better," Carroll said. "I really thought that we played routes better and some things that they threw at us, the perimeter screen game which is phenomenal for them, we really eliminated it. Our guys did a fantastic job and allowed us to play a dominant day of defensive football."

Carroll said the team simply had some breakdowns in coverage responsibility on two plays on Denver's final drive that led to completions of 42 and 26 yards, the latter tying the game on a Manning pass to tight end Jacob Tamme.

But Russell Wilson then expertly led an 80-yard drive to start overtime to win it, making Wilson now 7-0 against Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Rodgers in his career.

Seattle doesn't have any injury issues heading into the bye. But Carroll said he wants his players to take the week off to rest up as much as possible; the Seahawks won't practice again until next Monday when it will begin preparations for a game at Washington on Oct. 6.

NOTES, QUOTES

--Defensive back DeShawn Shead, a backup cornerback and safety and key member of special teams, made headlines after the Denver game when he proposed to his girlfriend on the field in front of numerous family members and teammates. His girlfriend, Jessica Martinez, said yes.

--Bryan Walters appears to have solidified the punt return job after handling five attempts against Denver with an average of 7.2 per return without any hiccups.

--Punter Jon Ryan had one of the best days of his career with a 50.2-yard average on six attempts leading to a net punt of 47.7. He also had a 79-yarder on a free kick following a safety.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "You don't have a choice so we are going to try to make it as good of a factor as possible. Come back (next Monday) get two days work before we will break on Wednesday and then right through a normal week. So we will have an advantage going into the (Washington) game, a physical advantage. We should be up and really on our feet and in great shape." -- Seattle coach Pete Carroll on having a Week 4 bye and then preparing for a game at Washington on Monday, Oct. 6.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

PLAYER NOTES

--S Kam Chancellor is battling an ankle injury that could last all season, said coach Pete Carroll. Fox Sports reported after the game that Chancellor debated having surgery to repair bone spurs in his ankle following the San Diego game. Carroll said only that the injury "really got in the way" of Chancellor's play in the loss to the Chargers and said it's possible it's something Chancellor will be dealing with all season. "We'll see," Carroll said. "Managed it really well (against Denver)."

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