He knew the score

Despite late lead, Branch never felt comfortable

Seattle's Deion Branch scores the first of his two touchdowns against his former team. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)

SEATTLE - With 12 minutes, 30 seconds left in the second quarter, the Seahawks appeared in command of their matchup with the Patriots yesterday. The Seahawks had a 14-3 lead but it wasn't enough to convince former Patriot Deion Branch. The Seattle receiver paced the sideline urging his teammates, "Please don't relax! That team over there will not give up, they will not give up."

Branch knows all too well about the Patriot mentality, having played in New England for the first four years of his career and having won Super Bowls after the 2003 and 2004 seasons, winning MVP honors in the latter game. Branch was traded to Seattle for a first-round draft pick following that season and yesterday was the first time he faced his former team. He finished with four catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns but found himself on the opposite end of the Patriots' come-from-behind 24-21 victory.

With 8:47 remaining and trailing, 21-16, Patriots marched 71 yards in 14 plays, gnawed 6:03 off the clock, converted three times on third down and once on fourth down - a Sammy Morris dive into the end zone that gave the Patriots the lead for good.

"That's typical of the Patriots," Branch said. "I was just praying our defense could hold up but it wasn't nothing new."

Since arriving in Seattle, Branch has been plagued by injuries, having yet to play a full season. Yesterday, in just his fifth game of the season, Branch had his biggest game. He set up the Seahawks' third touchdown with a wild, 63-yard catch-and-run. With 2:06 remaining in the third quarter and Seattle on its 28-yard line, quarterback Seneca Wallace was forced to dump the ball to Branch behind the line of scrimmage to avoid being sacked. Branch spun, gave linebacker Junior Seau a fake near the right sideline, and weaved through tackles across the middle of the field before running up the left side to the New England 9-yard line.

"I was so tired," Branch said. "I ran about 30 yards before I even touched the ball. Once I looked up I saw Junior. I remembered he had just been signed back, so I knew I was going to beat him."

After a video review upheld the play - the Patriots thought Branch's foot was out of bounds - Branch found himself in the end zone two plays later on a 4-yard pass from Wallace. On the play, Branch reached over Ellis Hobbs and tipped the ball back to himself.

"Everyone has had a little something going on this season," Wallace said in regards to Seattle's myriad injuries. "I think Deion is starting to feel more like himself."

The last three years have been emotionally trying for Branch. The Seahawks signed him to a six-year, $39 million contract but injuries have affected his play.

"It's not what I wanted but this is football, guys get hurt on the field," Branch said. "It would be one thing if I were hurt at home moving furniture but I was hurt on the field."

It was his ex-team that stoked Branch's emotions this weekend. On Saturday, Branch went to the Patriots hotel to reunite with old friends.

"There were a lot of emotions running early on," Branch said. "I got half the emotions out when I got to shake hands and hug all the guys. It was a reality check."

Yesterday, he waited until the Patriots finished their pregame warmups before stepping onto Qwest Field.

"I didn't want to go out early and [have] it turn into a circus with me and all the guys laughing and joking and hugging," Branch said. "I don't think coach [Bill] Belichick would have been too fond of that."

Branch and the Seahawks came close to recapturing their lead. Seattle drove to the New England 43-yard line with 1:59 remaining. The final play was designed for Branch, who appeared to beat his coverage, but never got his hands on the ball after Brandon Meriweather sacked Wallace and Richard Seymour recovered the fumble.

Ironically, it was Meriweather whom the Patriots drafted with the first-round pick the Seahawks traded to acquire Branch.

"I wanted this game so bad," Branch said. "So bad."