Special, but unknown, heroes for Hawks

Alvin Pearman tore downfield on kickoff coverage late in the fourth quarter, slipped a block and smacked into the returner hard and low.

On that same play, Lance Laury pounced from outside the Cincinnati Bengals' wedge, slid back inside and pummeled the returner hard and high.

Cincinnati's Glenn Holt never saw this coming, running into a Seahawks sandwich, and when Laury's helmet met the football in the returner's hands, the ball popped out, onto the turf and then into the arms of Laury's teammate, Deon Grant, preserving Seattle's victory.

"A game-changer," Laury called it.

Funny how football works. Ocho Cinco runs his mouth, Shaun Alexander gains his yards, Matt Hasselbeck tosses the winning touchdown, and two anonymous guys on special teams make arguably the biggest play. Household names these are not.

Bonus points for those who knew Laury was drafted by the Chicago Cubs, or that he walked onto the football team at South Carolina, or that he started last season on the Seahawks' practice squad.

Double bonus points for Pearman fans who were able to track him the past three weeks. The journey of a vagabond: traded from Jacksonville to the Seahawks eight days before the season started. Moved across the country. Slept in spare bedrooms of two teammates. Shipped his car last week. Found his new apartment Saturday in Kirkland.

"Kind of a big adventure," Pearman said.

After the game ended, the Bengals' gabby receivers continued talking loudly and proudly and often, more than anything, saying, without a doubt, their offense would have scored on that last drive.

They never got the chance. Because of the special-teams linebacker and special-teams running back, owners of 18 combined career NFL tackles before this game started, who collided with fate and an unfortunate returner to seal the Seahawks' victory.

Reporters didn't surround Laury or Pearman. Both dressed in the relative anonymity they are accustomed to, comforted by the money they are due from Kangaroo Court proceeds for the game-changer and the video evidence of arguably the biggest play either of them ever made.

"It just proves you can't take any play lightly," Pearman said. "At any time, any move, any subtle reaction, can really change the outcome of a game."

Greg Bishop: 206-464-3191 or gbishop@seattletimes.com