"The game didn't decide the fate of this Seahawks season.

It mirrored it almost perfectly, though, from a first half that was packed with Seattle penalties but not much offense, to a second-half comeback that was impressive and unexpected, but ultimately futile

That story line of the Seahawks' 23-20 overtime loss at Arizona on Sunday was pretty much the story of this whole year.

"Typical of our season," quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said. "A slow start, us picking it up in the second half. Unfortunately we came up short, but I'm very proud of the guys in the locker room."

He should be, and there will be time in the next few days to enumerate all the ways the Seahawks made progress this season — from an offense that restored its running game to a defense that hits like a heavyweight to the youth-laden roster that figures to get better.

All that was on display Sunday as Seattle rallied from second-half deficits of seven and 10 points. The Seahawks ran the ball right at Arizona in the third quarter, driving inside the Cardinals' 20 on their first two possessions of the third quarter and tying the score 10-10 on Leon Washington's 48-yard touchdown run.

Arizona reclaimed the lead on Todd Heap's 13-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter, then tacked on a field goal in the fourth. But Seattle came back with 10 points in less than 3 minutes.

When undrafted rookie receiver Ricardo Lockette caught a 61-yard touchdown pass that tied the score with just under eight minutes remaining, the Seahawks were in position to conclude a season that will be remembered for a second-half turnaround with their biggest comeback of the year."