THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Lockett messed up, but at least he made up for it

Mistakes are everything in the NFL.

Oh, I suppose you can argue that’s true in any sport, but football has so many moving parts, all in action and synchronized (or not), game after game is decided by a goof.

Sometimes, several.

The other thing about pro football is that the margins are so slim — only three or four teams, tops, can blow assignments, turn the ball over, miss chip-shot field goals and still, somehow, walk off with a win.

For most of the league, there is plenty of talent but weaknesses in a few spots.

You can’t really screw up and survive.

On Sunday, though, the Seahawks — specifically, the normally peerless Tyler Lockett — made two ghastly gaffes and, well …

Lived to tell the tale.

More than anything else, that tells you everything about Geno Smith running the show and an evolving defense getting huge stops over and over.

It also tells you that the Seahawks forced the Giants into a couple blunders of their own on botched punt returns.

And, of course, you already know this …

Lockett went somewhere behind the concession stands and found the REAL Tyler Lockett, who caught a 33-yard touchdown pass that launched Seattle to a crucial 27-13 victory.

WE’RE NOT kidding about mistakes deciding so many NFL games, week after week.

Let’s start with Carolina, a team desperate to turn its season around.

With the clock running out and the Panthers down 34-28 to Atlanta, backup quarterback PJ Walker somehow put a 62-yard bomb right on the hands of D.J. Moore in the end zone.

This wasn’t a “Hail Mary” heave into the sky, either. It looked like a routine pattern — just more than 60 yards downfield.

Ecstasy for the Panthers.

Patrick Mahomes, a gentleman who knows just a bit about the forward pass, called Walker’s laser “the throw of the year.”

So, with 12 seconds remaining, the Panthers were an extra point away from winning 35-34.

Except …

In his understandable excitement after the catch, Moore removed his helmet to hoot and holler with fans just a few feet away.

Unfortunately, that’s considered “excessive celebration” No Fun League’s endless list of laws, and Carolina was hit with a 15-yard penalty.

Normally, infractions like that are enforced on the ensuing kickoff, but Atlanta saw a better option and had the Panthers backed up 15 yards for the “winning” PAT.

Instead of converting from 33 yards, Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro had to try from 48 — and his boot sailed to the left.

Speaking of mistakes, Pineiro proved the “games are lost by failure theory” again in overtime, missing a 32-yarder that would have ended things.

By the way, Pineiro had made all 12 PATs this year, and 14 of 15 field goal attempts.

Final point on poor Eddy …

If he’d made either of his two kicks, the entire NFC South – Atlanta, Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Carolina – would have been tied at 3-5.

Nothing to puff out your chest, but still …

As it was, the Falcons are now leading the division at 4-4 while the Panthers have sunk into the mire at 2-6.

SO, THAT brings us back to the Seahawks, who began play Sunday at 4-3 — facing a Giants bunch that was 6-1, and seemed to have perfected the art of winning close games in the fourth quarter.

Enter Tyler Lockett.

The sure-handed receiver first presented the Giants with their only touchdown, when he caught a quick pass at the Seattle 3-yard line — only to have the ball stripped and recovered by corner Adoree’ Jackson.

Then with the game tied at 10-all, Smith dropped a perfect pass over Lockett’s shoulder for what should have been a 33-yard TD.

Instead, the ball hit Tyler in the face mask and bounced away.

Lockett returned to the Seahawks bench, hung his head between his arms and stared at the turf beneath him.

Here was the consummate professional, at that point recipient of 494 passes in the NFL, good for more than 6,500 yards and 47 TDs (plus another four rushing or on kick returns) — and he was crushed.

DK Metcalf, Lockett’s partner in crime on the outside of Seattle’s passing attack, came over to find his pal.

Metcalf asked the obvious question: “Hey, what did you have for breakfast?”

Tyler had to laugh.

Coach Pete Carroll was the next visitor, and he had a different message.

“You’re the best wide receiver I’ve ever seen,” Carroll told Lockett.

Tyler said later that he didn’t know if Carroll really meant that statement, but that it was nice to hear.

Bottom line …

Lockett’s teammates, including Geno Smith, wanted him to know that — no matter what had happened so far — they’d go to war with him anytime.

Smith proved it by letting Lockett beat Jackson with a gorgeous double move (from the exact same 33-yard distance) and dropping the ball perfectly into his hands for the TD that put Seattle up 20-13.

Yep, mistakes can kill you in the NFL, but …

Only if you keep making them.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press each week from Tuesday through Friday.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”