The Setup
Seattle had dug their way out of a deep W & L pit to earn a playoff spot.

and HC Pete Carroll earned a 3-year contract extension.

Carroll might be best known for the positive and winning culture he has created in Seattle, one that balances the ability to celebrate individualism while also having a disciplined team that always plays with a high level of effort...

“There is just a real upbeat aura about this team. They’re real hungry to learn, they’re hungry for the challenges. They’ve just been real competitive throughout and they’ve enjoyed the challenges. They have not allowed themselves to go downward at any time, they keep looking to the future and what’s up and what’s coming. It’s just been a really good group to work with.”

For all Carroll has accomplished, this season might go down as one of his best coaching jobs. In the offseason, Carroll made some tough decisions to overhaul his coaching staff, and the addition of defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and offensive line coach Mike Solari have all paid dividends. Carroll and Schneider also oversaw a pretty significant amount of roster turnover, particularly on defense, but they said all along that the Seahawks weren’t rebuilding, and indeed the Seahawks are back in the playoffs despite the loss of a number of Pro-Bowl defensive players.

The Cards have continued to lose and, instead of an extension, HC Steve Wilks was expected to receive a bunch of twigs and coal in his Christmas stocking. In normal times this contest would figure to be a lopsided affair with Seattle winning big at home. But having clinched a playoff spot, there's little incentive for Seattle to risk injury to win a relatively meaningless game. Meanwhile, all Arizona has to look toward is a higher (maybe the highest) 2018 Draft pick.

Lede
Cardinals Fall Short 27 - 24 to Seattle

The Bottom Line:
A roller coaster kind of contest with both teams fumbling away opportunities only to come back to make it a close contest decided by a Janikowski FG with 0:00 lett to play. No news on the Coaching or GM Change front. Players are said to love playing for Steve Wilks. Fans would like to see him long gone. Michael B has been unusually tight-lipped about his plans.

Other questions remain: What are Fitz's post-season (non-golfing) plans? What will the Cardinals do with their #1 Draft pick and top pick in each round (tantamount to having a high pick the top of each round (tantamount to a second (late) pick in each previous round)?

Meanwhile, Larry Fitzgerald made fans forget about that iconic play - where he threw a TD pass off a jet sweep reverse when he made a sensational one-handed finger-tipped catch in the end zone to turn a slightly overthrown Rosen pass into a sensational TD grab.

It all came down to a tie-score late in the the 4Q decided with 0:00 on the clock when Janikowski (for the second time this year) put points on the board to edge out the Cardinals.

Meaningless game, but you know what? I feel much better when we win.

Game Log
Here's the scoring summary.

Cards - Gonzalez - 36 Yd FG. Cards 3 - Seattle 0.;

Seahawks - Lockett - 27-Yd TD pass from Wilson (Janikowski XP Good). Seattle 7 - Cards 3

1st Quarter Score: Seattls 7 - Cards 3

2nd Quarter

Seahawks - Carson - 7 Yd TD Run (Janikowski - XP Good). Seahawks 14 - Cards 3

Cards - Fitzgerald - 15-Yd TD pass fr Rosen (Gonzalez - XP Good) - Seahawks 14 - Cards 10

Cards - Gonzalez - 50 Yd FG Seahawks 14 - Cards 13

Halftme Score: Seatte 14 - Cards 13

Seattle - Davis 0 17 Yd TD run (Janikowski XP Good) -Seattle 21 - Cards 13

Cards - Gardeck - Blocked Punt Recovered in End Zone - (2 Pt Conversion - Johnson run - Good) - Seattle 21 - Cards 21

• Third Quarter Score: Seattle 21 - Cards 21

Seattle - Janikowski 42 Yd FG. Seattle 24 - Cards 21

Cards - Gonzalez - 55 Yd FG. Seattle 24 - Cards 24

Seattle - Janikowski 33 Yd FG Seattle 27 - Cards 24

Final Score: Seattle 27 - Cards 24

Last Word:
Still checking out the motor-weakness problem - nothing good (or bad) to report). Will keep you posted.

As of now, I'm just logging onto Cardinal web sites to check on the coaching situation. That plus watching a lot of post-season college football. Later. - JGG