All Seahawks

3 Up, 3 Down: Winners, Losers from Seahawks Devastating Week 7 Loss to Cardinals

Traveling to Arizona after taking a week off, Seattle endured another roller-coaster affair during its annual trip to State Farm Stadium, which has proven to be a house of horrors over the last several seasons. Playing up to that description, this team endured plenty of struggles on both sides of the football as their undefeated streak came to an end.

Thomas Hall

Following a much-needed week off, the Seahawks hit the road for their highly anticipated NFC West rivalry matchup against the Cardinals and it certainly proved to be another late-game thriller.

After taking a 10-point advantage halfway through the opening quarter, the two rivals traded punches in a heavyweight showdown with Seattle controlling the scoreboard late in the fourth quarter. Proving that no lead is ever safe, the Seahawks' defense allowed 10 unanswered points to send the game into overtime.

Despite starting the extra period with possession, the offense was forced to punt after just six plays, which provided Arizona's offense with a chance to kick the game-winning field goal, but kicker Zane Gonzalez missed from 41 yards away. Taking advantage of a third interception from quarterback Russell Wilson, the fourth-year pro redeemed himself two minutes later, as he connected from 48 yards out to win the game. 

Let's dive into our three big winners and three losers from the Seahawks’ first loss at State Farm Stadium since the 2012 campaign.

Three Up

Tyler Lockett

Coming out of the bye week, the Seahawks needed to find a way to spark Lockett, as he had caught just six passes for 83 yards over the last two games. Luckily, the 5-foot-10 pass catcher did exactly that through all four quarters against the Cardinals, producing 15 catches for a franchise-record 200 yards along with three touchdowns.

Despite being covered by All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson for a decent portion of this contest, the 28-year old was still able to make a significant impact, particularly as a downfield threat. Just in the first half alone, the Kansas State product generated four explosive plays, including his one-handed 34-yard catch to begin the game and a 47-yard score just before halftime, in the best statistical performance of his career. 

DK Metcalf

While Metcalf has served as a reliable weapon for Wilson so far this season, the second-year pro also proved he’s capable of making an impact as a defender as well. Though he only caught two passes for 23 yards and was largely taken out of the passing game by Peterson, the Ole Miss standout’s stellar defensive play significantly helped his team nearly capture their sixth win of the season, as he single-handedly preserved their six-point lead late in the second quarter.

After the six-time Pro Bowler was intercepted by free safety Budda Baker at the goal line, the 24-year old had a clear path to the end zone to complete the pick six. But he was ultimately chased down by the explosive receiver and tackled at Seattle’s eight-yard line. Thanks to a strong defensive series, especially from rookie Jordyn Brooks, Arizona’s offense failed to take advantage of the turnover and turned the ball over themselves, as they failed to convert on fourth down.

Carlos Hyde

After missing the last two games due to a shoulder injury, Hyde returned to action and was forced to take over lead back duties once teammate Chris Carson suffered a foot injury. As a result, the former Texan found a way to easily produce his best performance of the season, but it still wasn’t enough to continue his team’s undefeated streak.

Overall, the 30-year old carried the ball 15 times for 68 yards and found the end zone for the first time since Week 1, as he exploded 24 yards down the left sideline for the score midway through the second quarter. If his backfield mate isn’t able to play next weekend against San Francisco, then the former second-round pick will likely assume the starting role once again against his former team.

Three Down

Benson Mayowa

Coming into this game, Seattle's defense needed to find a way to create pressure on quarterback Kyler Murray to nullify Arizona’s passing game, but the entire defensive line failed to accomplish that feat. While Mayowa helped contain the running game at times, the veteran defensive end couldn’t make much of an impact as a pass rusher, as he struggled to break free from his blocker throughout the majority of this contest.

Though he was finally able to generate a few quarterback pressures late in the fourth quarter, the 29-year old was kept fairly quiet during key passing plays, ultimately helping the Cardinals score their first three touchdowns. To make matters worse, the eighth-year pro committed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty during a 52-yard field goal attempt, which allowed Murray to trim the Seahawks’ lead to a three-point game with just two and a half minutes remaining in regulation.

Quandre Diggs

With strong safety Jamal Adams still sidelined due to a groin injury, the Seahawks needed Diggs to step up and help fill the void within the secondary. While the veteran free safety performed effectively in pass coverage and recorded his second interception of the season, the 27-year old struggled mightily as a tackler and ultimately helped the Cardinals score their third touchdown of the game.

Needing to gain 10 yards to move the chains forward, Murray connected with running back Chase Edmonds in the flat and he surged past the 5-foot-9 safety, finishing his run just five yards short of the end zone and allowing his team to score on the next play. Considering the Texas product also surrendered a few plays similar to this one and already had four missed tackles entering this matchup, this will need to be something that’s monitored through the remainder of the season.

Russell Wilson

Dominating through the first five games of the season, Wilson was the clear MVP front-runner heading into this showdown, but his poor performance has likely hurt his chances of coming away with the prestigious award. Despite throwing for 388 yards and a trio of touchdowns, the 31-year old completed just 33 of his 50 pass attempts (66.0 percent) and was picked off three different times.

Leading 13-7 early in the second quarter, the 5-foot-11 signal caller attempted to connect with Carson just a few yards short of the end zone but was picked off by Baker and he nearly returned it for the score. Shortly after the Cardinals scored their third touchdown of the game, Wilson was intercepted once again, this time by Peterson. Capping off his forgettable performance, the Wisconsin product threw an ill-advised pass in the area of Lockett during overtime and was picked off by rookie Isaiah Simmons, which ultimately sealed the Seahawks’ fate.

Published
Thomas Hall
THOMAS HALL

Home/Game Day