Ex-Jet Leon Washington scores on kickoff returns of 101, 99 yards

SEATTLE - Leon Washington made sure to thank everyone else before taking a moment to think a little selfishly.

How close was he from returning three kickoffs for touchdowns Sunday? "A slip away," Washington said.

Two touchdown returns were good enough for the Seahawks, who held on for a 27-20 win over the Chargers.

Washington returned second-half kickoffs 101 and 99 yards for TDs to tie an NFL record. He is the 10th player to return two kickoffs for a TD in a game.

Pete Carroll's crew is a surprising 2-1. And Washington looks like a colossal steal after Seattle grabbed the versatile back from the Jets for a fifth-round pick during April's draft.

With a metal rod in his right leg, Washington was deemed expendable in New York. Sunday, he was invaluable. "I really truly appreciate the Jets for letting him go, for sending him here for pretty much nothing," receiver Deion Branch said.

When Washington was traded, he was a bit of an unknown. He had 3 1/2 productive seasons with the Jets, but his entire career was jeopardized by the gruesome leg injury.

Thirteen seconds at the start of the second half should put those questions about Washington to rest. He caught the second-half kickoff 1-yard deep in the end zone, and basically went untouched for the longest kickoff return in Seattle history.

His dash midway through the fourth was the clincher. Rivers (career-best and franchise record 455 passing yards) had just pulled San Diego (1-2) even at 20 with a 12-yard pass to Antonio Gates and two-point conversion to Legedu Naanee with 6:39 left. Fifteen seconds later, Seattle was back in front. Washington got lost in a pile, squirted free and raced 99 yards for a TD.

He might have gotten a third, but Washington slipped trying to make a cut during a 33-yard return at the end of the third quarter.