Setting the Stage
Thursday night game.
Seahawks lost Sunday vs. Rams. The "Hail Murray" TD pass from Murray to Hopkins with 0:02 on the clock (after the Bills took the lead at 0:34 (on a 15-yd Allen to Diggs TD hookup) won it for the Cards who are no atop the NFC West standings (ahead of the Seahawks).
Seahawks took a huge ego hit after their loss to the Rams. Cardinals are again being saluted as NFL "flavor of the month") after their win vs. the Bills.
Although the Cardinals last-second heroics grabbed considerable attention, in this writer's opinion, they did not put together anywhere near 60-minutes of winning football. Play calling was too predictable, and lacked the killer instinct needed to keep the proverbial heel on the Buffalo throat.
Game is in Seattle. Pandemic challenges should all but neutralize Seattle's home field advantage.
Most Recent Seattle Game
Searttle lost to the Rams 23 - 16,.
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
LA 5:23 FG Kai Forbath 23 - LA 3 - Sea 0
Sea 9:00 Alex Collins 13 run (Jason Myers Kick) - LA 3 - Sea 7
LA 12:36 Darrell Henderson 1 run (Kai Forbath Kick) - LA 10 - Sea 7
2nd Quarter
LA 8:41 Malcolm Brown 7 run (Kai Forbath Kick) - LA 17 Sea 7
Sea 11:15 FG Jason Myers 37 - LA 17 Sea 10
Sea 15:00 FG Jason Myers 61 - LA 17 Sea 13
3rd Quarter
LA 8:38 Malcolm Brown 1 run (Kick Failed) LA 23 - Sea 13
4th Quarter
Sea 14:35 FG Jason Myers 39 LA 23 Sea 16
Final Score: Rams 23 - Seattle 16
Seattle Depth Chart
Offense
Quarterbacks
QB ...03 R Wilson...07 G Smith
Running Backs
RB...32 Carson...30 Hyde...25 Homer...31 Dallas
FB...44 Bellore
Wide Receivers
WR... 14 Metcalf...83 Moore...19 Hart.
WR...16 Lockett...18 Swain
Tight Ends
TE...88 Olsen...89 Dissly...86 .Holister...Parkinson
Offensive Line
LT...76 D Brown...74 Ogbuehi
LG...70 Iupati...66 Simmons
OC..77 Pocik...61 Fuller
RG...68 D Lewis...73 J Jones
RT...72 Shell
Seattle Defense
Defensive Line
DE....91 Collier...94 Green...93 Bullard.
DT ...90 J Reed
NT.....97 P Ford
LEO...43 Dunlap II...xx Mayowa......98 A Robinson...99 D Moore
Linebackers
OLB...56 Brooks ...49 Griffin
MLB...54 Wagner...57 Barton
OLB...50 KJ Wright ...55 Burr-Kirven
Secondary
LCB...26 Griffin...35 Neal...23 Thorpe
RCB...22 Dunbar...21 Flowers...34 Stephens
SS....33 Adams...36 Randall
FS....37 Q Diggs...28 Amadi
Special Teams
P......04 Dickson
K.....05 Myers
LS...69 Ott
H ....04 Dickson
PR ..83 Moore...16 Lockett
KR ..25 Homer...16 Lockett
Statistics
Stat..............................Seattle....Opponents........Cards........Opponents
1st Downs......................213..................246...................233..............216
Offensive Yds...............3653...............4035...............3829...........3330
Rushing Yards........1048.................855....................1520...........1082
Rush Yds Per Play........4.9....................3.7.....................5.3............4.5
Passing Yds................2605..................3180................2309...........2248
Pass Yds Per Play......8.4.....................8.3.......................7.6............6.9
Intercepted................10........................9..........................8................8
Sacks...........................22.....................30.........................22............13
TDs...............................37....................31......................32..............23
Turnover Ratio.............---...............................................--...............
Time of Possession.....29:38...........31:26....................29:25.......31:39
Player Stats
Passing
Murray 212 of 311 for 2375 yds, 68.2 % 17 TDs, 6 INT, 13 sacks...98.2 Rating
R Wilson 223 of 334 for 2789 69.8% 28 TDs 10 INT Sacked 30 Times 110.5 Rating
Rushing
Drake 135 for 612 yds 4.5 ypc 4 TDs Murray 87 for 604 yds, 4.5 YPA 10TDs Edmonds 62 for 302 4.9 ypa 1 TD
Carson 66 for 323...Wilson 45 for 325...Hyde 31 for 125
Receiving
Hopkins 67 for 861, 4 TDs
Fitzgerald 35 for 274 0 TD
Edmonds 32 for 261 2 TDs
Lockett 58 for 681 7 TDs
Metcalf 45 for 816 8TDs
Moore 21 for 332 4 TDs
Tackles -
Hicks 74
Campbell 66
Baker 73
Reddick 35
Kirkpatrick 32
Peterson 30
Wagner 87
Wright 48
Flowers 40
Q Diggs 40
Interceptions
Peterson 3
B Baker 2
Kirkpatrick 2
G Griffin 2
Neal 2
Q Diggs 2
Cardinals Depth Chart
Quarterbacks
01 Murray, 15 Streveler, 07 Hundley
Running Back
41 Drake, 29 Edmonds, 38 Ward 26 Benjamin
Wide Receivers
WR - 11 Fitzgerald...17 Isabella
WR - 13 Kirk....19 KS Johnson
WR - 10 Hopkins 16 Sherfield
Tight Ends
TE - xx M Williams...82 Arnold 81 Daniels
Offensive Line
LT- ...74 Humphries ....66 Miles
LG - 67 Pugh 73 Garcia
OC- 52 Cole 65 Galliard
RG- 64 Murray
RT - 68 Beachum...79 J Jones
Defensive Interior Line
DT - xx Fotu...xx Mauro
NT - 98 Peters
DT - 97 Phillips 92 Blackson
Linebackers
OLB - 43 Reddick...49 Fitts
ILB - ..59 Campbell 48 Simmons 47 Z Turner
ILB - 58 Hicks 51 Vallejo
OLB - 44 Golden...42 Kennard 45 Gardeck
Defensive Backs
CB - 21 P Peterson...25 J Joseph...39 Whittaker
CB - 20 Kirkpatrick 33 Murphy Jr
S - 34 J Thompson...35 D Thompson....28 C Washington
S - 32 Baker...31 Banjo . 40 Tillman*
Matchup: Seattle Passing Attack vs. Cardinal Pass Defense
Russell Wilson is close to the Gold Standard in mobile QBs who can throw on the run. (Runner up is considered by many to be Kyler Murray). He has two super receivers in Metcalf and Lockett, and their TE Olsen provides Wilson with a third deadly option. But Wison has proved "mere mortal" of late, perhaps trying to do much within the context of a mediocre supporting cast.
Seahawks have two outstanding wideouts in Metcalf and Lockett. Card have only one functioning CB (P Peterson) to cover them.
Patrick Peterson and Budda Baker are two All Pros in the same defensive backfield. J Thompson joins Baker at safety, but Cards are still seeking an answer at the opposite corner.
When you face athletic freaks like Metcalf, you never know whether they'll have a breakout game where they flat out can't get stopped. Ditto Lockett. Challenge: Overplaying one of the two so that the other (or someone else - like Olsen - run wild.
Key Matchups - P Peterson vs. Metcalf. Committee vs. Lockett. Simmoms or Baker (spy) vs. Wilson. Baker vs Olsen.
Matchup: Seattle Rushing Attack vs. Cardinal Run Defense
Carson runs hard. Card run defense runs hot and cold. It can stop opposing RBs when so inclined, but sometimes play a bit soft vs. the run. Saw a couple of Card D-linemen come off the field vs. Buffalo. Cards may have to rely on existing depth to defend vs. the run.
Key Matchups
Carson and Hyde vs. Hicks and Campbell. Seattle OL vs. Cards Front 7.
Matchup: Cardinal Passing Attack vs. Seattle Pass Defense
When Kyler brings his "A" game, the Cards can beat anyone. Problem is - you never know which Kyler Murray will show up. This is not meant to be a knock on Murray - it's just part of the process of growing into the position of leadership.
Cards are loaded at receiver - D-Hop is really "that good." . Kirk is a solid number three with a smidge of home run potential. Fitz can do anything you ask of him. Isabella is a deep threat factor at #4 and Edmonds a legit receiving threat coming out of the backfield.
They go up against a secondary of Griffin, Dunbar Diggs and Adams - solid defenders, but they don't scare you.
As pass blockers, the Cardinal O-line seems to get a little bit better with each succeeding game - but they haven't done it long enough to be fully trusted. Seattle
Each year, Pete Carroll builds a sound roster and then dares his opponents to out-execute his team. But this year, Seattle seems to have been undermined by "Lady Depth."Roughly two of every ten years, the Seahawks run into a rash of injuries, contract-disputes or bad luck. This seems to be one of those years.
But underrate the Seahawks at your peril.
Key Matchups:
Hopkins vs. Griffin... Kirk vs. Dunbar...Edmonds vs. Q Diggs
Matchup: Cardinal Running Attack vs. Seattle Run Defense
When healthy, Drake is the bell cow. But Edmonds - as his backup is improving game by game. Drake is still smarting from injured ribs but still gained an even 100 yds v. Buffalo. It was hoped he could be a legitimate ball-control weapon later in the game but the injury held him back. Edmonds is more explosive as a receiver and quicker out of the bliock, but Drake is a bigger force.
Wagner at MLB is Seattle's top tackler and arguably their best defensive player (but it takes 11 players to play solid defense).
Key Matchups
Drake vs...Wagneer ...Edmonds vs Diggs. ...Seattle Front 7 vs. Card OL.
Special Teams
Seattle Special Teams
P......04 Dickson
K.....05 Myers
LS...69 Ott
H ....04 Dickson
PR ..83 Moore...16 Lockett
KR ..25 Homer...16 Lockett
Cardinals Special Teams
P - ...02 Lee
K- ....05 Gonzalez
H - ...02 Lee
LS - 46 Brewer
KR - 29 Edmonds
PR - 13 Kirk
Matchup Seattle Special Teams vs. Cardinal Special Teams
Don't know much about Dickson and Myers . Gonzalez is pretty consistent, but will break your heart at the worst possible times. Lee is a solid punter. In the return game. Lockett is typically relegated to a backup role, but he's a tried and true "Cardinal killer.".
We are still waiting for Kirk and Edmonds to blossom in the return game.
Key Matchups
Lee over Dickson...Myers tied with Gonzalez...Lockett over Kirk and Edmonds Last Word
Game is in Seattle in a short week. "On any given Sunday", Seattle is good enough to thand you your lunch, but not so far this year. But that could all change. Typical Seattle teams will out-physical and out-execute their opponents, but not so far this year
Big challenge (and possible question-answerer) for the Cardinals. |
