Marshawn Lynch literally caused an earthquake

Marshawn Lynch touchdown shakes ground in Seattle, measures on earthquake scale, scientists say

By Tom Landry
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Marshawn Lynch's 67-yard touchdown on Saturday shook up more than the defending Super Bowl champions.

The audience's reaction was enough to measure shaking equivalent to a small earthquake, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.

Joe Vidale, the director of PNSN, said the seismic tools showed the fan applause beginning at the start of Lynch's pivotal touchdown run and peaked when the Seahawks kicked off to the Saints.

It was possible to see the audience's reaction on the made-for-earthquake scale because of the soft ground surrounding the stadium – and of course the importance of the play, Vidale said.

"The entire season came down to winning that game," he told the Daily News.

The scientist himself said he had fallen off the Seahawks bandwagon after a couple off tough years – but might have to rethink his stance on his hometown team, which earned its fifth consecutive home playoff victory.

They play Chicago on Sunday, looking for their first trip to the NFC championship since 2005.

"I gave up a little too soon," he admitted sheepishly.

Fans for almost half a mile around the stadium probably would have been able to feel the effects of the excitement inside, Vidale said.

"You can actually see the upper sides of the stands were so shaky the video people were shooting were vibrating," he said. "I'm sure the fans could feel it."

While a frightening thought, it's no reason to fret, he said.

"It's a fairly new stadium," he assured the News. "So it's not a structural problem."