Game to game, Seattle fans must have no idea which Seahawks team is going to show up. They’ve scored 16 points or less four times this season and gone over 40 twice. Two weeks ago, the Seahawks defeated the Texans 41-38 in an epic game, with quarterbacks Russell Wilson and DeShaun Watson matching each other touchdown for touchdown. Last week against the Washington Redskins, Wilson and the offense couldn’t get anything going and lost 14-17.
With Green Bay's all-everything quarterback Aaron Rodgers injured and a second-year quarterback (Carson Wentz) at the helm of the top NFC team (Philadelphia Eagles), the conference remains wide open.
But Seattle is going to have to find some consistency on both sides of the ball to earn one of the top two playoff seeds and a bye. Thursday night games are always hard-fought, but the Seahawks did enough against the Cardinals to escape 22-16.
Seahawks' game recap
On the first offensive play for Arizona, running back Adrian Peterson fumbled at midfield on a hit by Cam Chancellor. The ball was recovered by Seahawks’ defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, but Seattle couldn’t take advantage of the field position. Russell Wilson attempted a pass deep, but the ball fell incomplete in the end zone. After the Seahawks and Cardinals exchanged punts, Seattle got the ball again at midfield. This time they struck pay dirt, driving the ball 51 yards in nine plays.
Wilson found Jimmy Graham for a six-yard touchdown pass.
Arizona answered with a nine-play, 75-yard drive. Drew Stanton hit Jermaine Gresham for a 14-yard touchdown pass. After a Seattle punt pinned the Cardinals down on their own one-yard line, the Seahawks’ defensive line stuffed Peterson in the end zone for a safety, making the score 9-7.
With less than two minutes left in the half, Seahawks' kicker Blair Walsh nailed a 33-yard field goal. Walsh missed three kicks last week, so it must have been a relief for Seattle fans, players, and coaches to see him knock one through the uprights. Running their two-minute offense, the Cardinals attempted to get points just before halftime but turned the ball over on downs with 46 seconds left.
On the first play of the series, Wilson hit Paul Richardson for a 43-yard pass down to the Arizona 19-yard line. Walsh kicked another field goal right before halftime to make the score 15-7.
The Cardinals' opening drive of the second half culminated in a 43-yard Phil Dawson field goal. Following two punts by each team, Seattle went on an 80-yard drive in seven plays. Doug Baldwin took a short pass from Wilson 54-yards down to the Arizona two. On the next play, Jimmy Graham caught his second touchdown of the game, overpowering a Cardinals’ defensive back on a fade route. At 22-10, Arizona had a chance to make it a one-score with over four minutes left, but turned-the-ball over on downs on the Seattle 15-yard line.
A late Cardinals' touchdown (blocked extra point) did cut the deficit to six, but Arizona failed to recover the onside kick.
Richard Sherman ruptures Achilles
Richard Sherman went down in the third quarter and didn't return to the game. According to ESPN, Sherman was going for an interception and heard a pop. Head coach Pete Carroll said that Sherman would need surgery and his season is likely over.
