5 Storylines to Watch in Seahawks' Week 12 Game vs. Cardinals

After a huge win over the San Francisco 49ers last week, the Seattle Seahawks can take control of the NFC West against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 12.

Connor Benintendi | 1 Hour Ago

Jan 7, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. / Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

Coming off a crucial victory against the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks have another difficult task in Week 12 against the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals.

A win would vault Seattle to the top of the division standings, while a loss would help Arizona extend their in-division record to 3-0 — strengthening their hold on first place. This game is equally important for both teams.

The Seahawks (5-5, 1-2 NFC West) are trying to win two in a row for the first time since they began the season 3-0. The Cardinals (6-4, 2-0 NFC West) ride a four-game win streak into the contest.

Seattle and Arizona kick off at 1:25 p.m. on Sunday at Lumen Field. Here are five storylines to watch in the Seahawks’ crucial in-division game against the Cardinals.

1. The Seahawks can flip the NFC West upside down.

Seattle moved from last to third place following last week’s win over the Niners. Now, with the Cardinals coming to town, the Seahawks can vault to first place in the NFC West. With two games against Arizona over three weeks, Seattle has a chance to strengthen that lead even further — especially since the Niners and Los Angeles Rams don’t have another in-division game until Week 15.

The NFC West is as close as any division in the league this season. Across the NFL, there is no other division where every team has at least five wins through 11 weeks of the season. Every other division outside of the NFC South also has at least one team with seven or more wins.

A win on Sunday would still only barely separate the Seahawks and Cardinals. They would have the same overall record, Seattle would just have a temporary tiebreaker. The Seahawks will have to keep winning consistently to maintain a lead.

2. Is Geno Smith primed for a big game?

Over the last three games, Smith has completed 70.5 percent of his passes for an average of 265.3 yards and three touchdowns to five interceptions. Everything except for the touchdown-to-interception ratio has been solid, but Smith is overdue for a big game in the box score.

Through 10 games, Smith has 11 touchdown passes and as many interceptions — many of which have been unlucky bounces or tipped passes, but he’s also had some head-scratching throws. Still, though, Smith has been excellent against Arizona in his Seahawks career.

Smith is 4-0 against the Cardinals as Seattle’s starter and has posted a 68.4 completion percentage average for 220 yards per game. He’s also tossed six touchdown passes to just two interceptions in those games and rushed 21 times for 124 yards. If Smith continues his trend of quality games against Arizona, he could fuel the Seahawks to a win.

3. Does Seattle’s run defense keep getting better?

In the Seahawks’ first eight games, they allowed an average of 148.4 rushing yards per game. Seattle has given up 99 yards per game in their last two, most notably holding All-Pro Niners running back Christian McCaffrey to 79 yards rushing on 19 carries in Week 12. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy bolstered the Niners’ rushing numbers with five carries for 40 yards.

The trade for linebacker Ernest Jones IV has clearly been a massive improvement, and rookie fourth-round pick Tyrice Knight impressed versus San Francisco stuffing the run game. Those factors, coupled with seemingly improved communication and gap integrity on the defense line, have helped revitalize Seattle’s run defense.

Cardinals running back James Conner will be another tough task. Conner has the fifth-most average yards after contact (3.21) among running backs with at least 100 carries this season. He’s been a workhorse for Arizona’s fifth-ranked rushing attack.

4. Are the Cardinals a threat moving forward?

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) celebrates with offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum (68) after a score against the New York Jets. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even if the Seahawks can beat the Cardinals at home on Sunday, they still have to face them again in Week 14. If Seattle stumbles versus the New York Jets between those games, their NFC West lead would remain slim.

The Cardinals aren’t the same team they were the last two seasons when they won a combined eight games. This year’s roster features an improved defense, a healthy Murray and one of the league’s top rushing offenses. The offensive line, at least through 10 games, has also been solid.

The NFC West doesn’t get resolved in Week 12, and the Seahawks may not definitively take control of the division until Week 18 versus the Rams even if they win both games against Arizona.

5. Kyler Murray can break the game open for the Cardinals.

Despite the talents of Conner, rookie No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. and breakout tight end Trey McBride, Murray remains the X-factor for Arizona. He’s one of three quarterbacks with 12 or more touchdown passes and three interceptions or less, and his rushing threat is among the deadliest in the NFL.

After missing 15 games over the last two seasons, the Cardinals offense goes as Murray does. He’s gashed division rivals with his legs, rushing for a season-high 50-yard touchdown against the Niners in Week 5.

If the Seahawks break contain and allow Murray to expose lanes in their pass rush, he could create game-changing chunk plays. They may need to keep Knight in as a spy to limit Murray’s impact on the ground.