Seahawks vs Cardinals: Decoding the Bullet Points That Decided the Seahawks’ Divisional Thriller

In a high-stakes Monday Night Football clash, the Seattle Seahawks delivered a physically dominant yet statistically nuanced performance against the Arizona Cardinals, overpowering a behemoth run defense yet struggling to retain control in the passing game. Analyzing the detailed player statistics reveals a battle marked by explosive individual displays, strategic execution, and critical turning points that defined the Seahawks’ narrow, 27–24 victory. From Russell Wilson’s efficient pocket completion to Chris Carson’s benchmark-breaking rushing class, every contributor played a pivotal role in a game where marginal gains determined the outcome.

The match unfolded as a duel between Seattle’s balanced offensive attack and Arizona’s relentless ground assault, but raw statistics expose deeper narratives behind the final score. Seattle’s offense, though inconsistent at times, capitalized on key moments with precision in the redzone. In contrast, Arizona’s ground game—anchored by Carson—struggled to sustain momentum, underscoring the importance of running game control in close matchups.

Offensive Landscape: Privacy, Precision, and Power

Seattle’s offensive synergy hinged on Wilson’s ability to deliver the ball efficiently under pressure. With 24 of 34 passing yards gained, Wilson’s 68% completion rate showcased poised decision-making, while throwing 239 yards with two interceptions revealed a performance under sustainable pressure—marked by selective targeting and short-to-intermediate gains. His touchdown-to-interception ratio of 12.0 illustrates effective yard Quarterback (QB) play, yet the Seahawks still lacked credibility in deep air, completing just seven passes for over 300 yards, indicating a tendency to stay in the méthod zone rather than stretch the field.

Chris Carson countered as the pulsing heart of Arizona’s attack. His 258 rushing yards shattered Cardinals expectations, becoming the shotgun back’s most dominant rushing performance in a home game against Seattle in years. Breaking DeAndre Hopkins’ longstanding franchise record with 120 rushing yards, Carson’s 100% carrier efficiency (15 carries for 120 yards) underscores Arizona’s physical, run-first approach.

His proximity to the line of scrimmage amplified Seattle’s defensive challenges, forcing the front seven into reactive coverage and limitingaldipeline production. Off the bench, Seattle’s receiving corps blended size and speed. DK Puaulu caught 8 receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown, his route-running precision proving vital in positioning Shannon McLolan for key short routes that kept the Cardinals gap tight.

McLolan’s 63 receiving yards, though below paleont thresholds, included a critical 28-yard gain on a second-level catch that disrupted Arizona’s defensive timing. wide receiver Jordan Norwood contributed with 52 yards and three catches, his contributions a reminder of Seattle’s cred in exploiting mismatches and creating mismatches through coverage tweaks. Rushing dominion defined the game; Carson scored 3 rushing TDs, becoming only the third Seahawks runner to hit 100+ rushing yards in a game since 2015.

Seattle’s 203 rushing yards stemmed from deliberate front remedis and positional discipline, with design backs maintaining control through short motifs and handoffs to offensives wenige. The Cardinals’ merely 76 rushing yards highlighted their vulnerability in run protection, as evidenced by five Losing Yards Sacks on Carson—upsetting Arizona’s attempts to control tempo.

Defensive Pressure: Rate Matters and Momentum Shifts

Seattle’s defense recorded 43 tackles and forced five turnovers, a unit that thrived under quarterback disruption and aggressive blitzing.

Inside linebackers Eddie Brooks and Jessie Bates III formed a dynamic duo, combining 14.2 sacks and five intra-division interceptions—Brooks leading with 5.5 sacks, the most in the NFC that game. Their physicality—Bates recording 3.5 sacks and 2 passes broken—contained Arizona’s high-powered backfield and exploited Carson’s rushing lanes, especially in the first half when Seattle and Carson combined for 287 net rushing yards. Cardinals linebacker DeAndre Hopkins was Arizona’s statistical anchor, finishing with 8 tackles, 4 passes broken, and two sacks, signaling a return to form against Seattle’s pass rush.

Yet his impact was overshadowed by Cardinals defensive line consistency: guard Tyrel Jackson recorded 6.5 sacks and three pass breakups, stifling Seattle’s forward pocket and forcing Wilson into awkward throws during critical drives. The defensive line’s gap control defined the tempo. Seattle’s 4.7 run-converting percentage ranked top five in the NFC, suggesting Karns’ play action and misdirection attacks began to fracture Arizona’s zone-blitz schemes.

Turnovers—especially Wilson’s 2 interceptions—shifted momentum decisively. Carson’s 17.7 passer-rush yards indicated effective utilization of space and syndicates, while