Revenge of the Birds
The Arizona Cardinals came into the rebound game against the Seattle Seahawks with hopes that perhaps there was a way they could dislodge the NFC West Division leaders. Seattle has proven to be a very good team this year, so the Cardinals’ aspirations were certainly a hope and a prayer.
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But the Seahawks built a huge lead early in the first half, and then cruised to a 44-22 win over their division foe aided by a porous offensive line who caused two forced fumbles for touchdowns.
The loss now places the 3-6-0 Cardinals with the realization that perhaps their season is about at its end. With just eight games remaining, and the fact that it takes a minimum of 10 wins to secure a playoff berth, even if Arizona ran the table, it wouldn’t be enough to qualify for the postseason this year.
And besides, Arizona just did not play any sort of good game on Sunday. Not even close. In fact, they got taken to the woodshed. The loss of not having several of their best defensive players really showed.
So, who played well for the Cardinals? Who didn’t?
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TE Trey McBride – Nice catch and run in the first quarter, getting 20 yards to Seattle’s 34-yard line. The third-and-13 conversion for 18 yards to get to the Seahawks’ four-yard line was a thing of beauty. Nice outstretched catch in the second quarter for a 20-yard gain in the second quarter. The third-and-13 catch with just six minutes left before halftime got the Cardinals in business at the three-yard line.
Did you see what McBride did on the touchdown right after the fumble recovery? Lining up at the line, he blocked LB DeMarcus Lawrence, then fell to the turf for one Mississippi as all the other receivers went into one corner or the other in the end zone. This cleared out the middle. Then, McBride got up for the shuttle pass. Way to sell it. Unfortunately, it was called back. A 12-yard completion in Quarter 3 converted a fourth-and-11 play to midfield. Finished with 13 targets, 9 receptions for 127 yards, a 14.1 yards per reception average, and one touchdown.
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Fourth down situations – The Cardinals just could not convert on two critical fourth down plays after getting inside the five-yard line. Already down 35-0, Arizona took the ball on its own 35-yard line in the second quarter and drove the field with runs by RB Bam Knight and nice gains by McBride and WR Michael Wilson.
Arizona now had a first-and-goal from the four. Three plays netted just two yards. On fourth down, the Cardinals had spent an 11-play drive and got nothing as the Seahawks stonewalled with 10 defenders in the box. Their first possession of the second half looked promising, down 38-7. Got inside the five, and again, could not score.
First half defense – The Seahawks went up and down the field with...
