SEATTLE (AP) — Rookie Tory Horton returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown — the longest punt return in Seahawks franchise history — and caught one of Sam Darnold's two TD passes in Seattle's 44-13 rout of the winless New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Kenneth Walker III ran for two TDs for the Seahawks (2-1), with the first set up by another big play on special teams. D’Anthony Bell blocked a punt by Kai Kroeger deep in New Orleans territory, and Walker's 3-yard run gave Seattle a 21-0 first-quarter lead.
Horton, who had his first career TD catch a week earlier in a 31-17 win at Pittsburgh, gave the Seahawks a 14-0 lead with his punt return midway through the first quarter. Early in the second, Horton hauled in a 14-yard fade from Darnold to put Seattle ahead 28-3.
The Seahawks didn't let up. Walker's second short TD run capped a four-play, 76-yard drive that made it 35-3, and Jason Myers added a 56-yard field goal before halftime. Seattle led 38-6 at the break for the second-highest-scoring half in franchise history. For the Saints, it was the most points allowed in a half since they also gave up 38 in the second half of a 62-7 loss to Atlanta on Sept. 16, 1973.
After opening the season with two straight one-score losses, first-year coach Kellen Moore's Saints (0-3) were overwhelmed at Lumen Field. New Orleans did not reach the end zone until the beginning of the fourth quarter, when Spencer Rattler found backup tight end Jack Stoll for a 13-yard touchdown.
The second-year quarterback fell to 0-9 as a starter, and the Saints lost their seventh straight dating to last season. He threw for 218 yards with one interception.
Bell's blocked put ended a streak of 233 straight regular-season games for the Saints without allowing one, the second-longest streak since at least 1960.
Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba had five catches for 96 yards and a score, and Darnold was an efficient 14 of 18 for 218 yards, finishing with a QB rating of 154.2.
Injuries
Saints safety Justin Reid was evaluated for a concussion in the first half but returned.
Seahawks All-Pro cornerback Devon Witherspoon did not play. Safeties Julian Love and Nick Emmanwori and running back Zach Charbonnet also sat out.
Up next
Saints: Visit Buffalo next Sunday.
Seahawks: Visit Arizona next Sunday.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.