SEATTLE -- The Seattle Seahawks had a golden opportunity to improve to 6-2 at the midpoint of the season. All that was standing in their way was a 3-4 Washington Redskins team that came to CenturyLink Field decimated by injuries.

Seattle wasted that opportunity in a 17-14 loss, the Seahawks' first home defeat of the season.

They committed 16 penalties and two turnovers via interceptions from Russell Wilson, who was uncharacteristically off a week after one of the best performances of his career. Blair Walsh missed three field goal attempts in the first half and Seattle's defense, which had been excellent for much of the game, allowed Washington to drive 70 yards on four plays in the final two minutes for the winning touchdown.

Wilson had led the Seahawks on a go-ahead touchdown drive right before Washington's game-winner. Seattle got one last chance, but Wilson's Hail Mary fell incomplete in the end zone.

What it means: The Seahawks (5-3) lost ground in the NFC West standings to the Los Angeles Rams (6-2), who hung 51 points Sunday on the New York Giants. The Seahawks are never out of any game as long as they have Wilson at quarterback. Wilson showed that again when he capped a fourth-quarter drive with a go-ahead touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin. But the Seahawks can't continue to count on late magic to recover from poor starts on offense.

What I liked: Pretty much everything that Bobby Wagner did. The All-Pro middle linebacker gave his team an early lead with a sack of Kirk Cousins in the end zone, another sign of his development as a blitzer. He also broke up a pass and finished with 12 tackles to extend his team lead. Wagner is showing again this season that he's on a short list of the NFL's best inside linebackers. His sack was one of six for the Seahawks, a season-high.

What I didn't like: The Seahawks shot themselves in the foot repeatedly. They committed a season-high 16 penalties, including 10 on offense. That, and three missed field goal attempts (from 43, 39 and 49 yards out) were why the Seahawks trailed 7-2 at halftime. Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor also dropped relatively easy interceptions; wet conditions may have been a factor there.

Fantasy fallout: Eddie Lacy left the game in the first half and didn't return after injuring his groin. He was getting a chance to take over as Seattle's lead back after sharing carries with Thomas Rawls since rookie starter Chris Carson went down in Week 4. Lacy had 20 yards on six carries before the injury. Rawls finished with 39 yards on nine carries. Seattle finished with 148 rushing yards, but 77 of them came from Wilson. Carroll called Lacy's injury a strain but didn't know of the severity.

Freeney's still got it. It has been only two games, but Seattle's addition of veteran pass-rusher Dwight Freeney is already looking like an excellent move. Freeney had a sack in 18 snaps last week in his Seattle debut and added two more Sunday, including one on third down that forced a punt and helped turn field position. Freeney used his signature spin move to beat Washington's left tackle on his second sack. He also tipped a pass on Washington's final drive. He appears to still have something left at 37.

What's next: The Seahawks play the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Arizona, Thursday night. It's a favorable matchup for Seattle with Arizona playing without quarterback Carson Palmer, but the short turnaround could make it harder for free safety Earl Thomas (hamstring) and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (oblique) to play. They both missed Sunday's game after being listed as questionable.