Key Matchups to Watch as Seahawks, Cardinals Duel in the Desert in Week 14

With only one game separating them in the tight NFC West standings, the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals will meet for the second time in three weeks with the top spot in the division and major playoff implications hanging in the balance.

Only two weeks ago, the Cardinals held a slim advantage over the Seahawks, but have since lost two consecutive games, dropping back to the .500 mark with only five games remaining on the schedule. On the flip side, Seattle has turned the corner after losing five out of six games in October and early November, snatching three consecutive wins to climb back to the top of the NFC West with a chance to further extend that advantage in Glendale on Sunday.

Which matchups should fans be keeping the closest eye on in a much-anticipated rematch? Here are six positional battles to watch at State Farm Stadium with the division lead up for grabs:

--Seahawks defensive tackles Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, and Byron Murphy II versus Cardinals guards Evan Brown and Trystan Colon, center Hjalte Froholdt: The Cardinals entered the first divisional matchup two weeks ago with an offensive line that ranked fourth in pass blocking grade, but Brown, Colon, and Froholdt couldn't keep Williams out of the backfield to save their lives. Unblockable from the opening snap until the final whistle, the All-Pro candidate tallied seven pressures, 2.5 sacks, and four quarterback hits bullying Arizona's guards and tackles alike, as he also had a sack beating Paris Johnson Jr. from wide-9 alignment. Whether with bull rushes, rip moves, or quick swim moves, Williams whipped them in a variety of ways, living behind the line of scrimmage.

Overall, the Cardinals interior line allowed 11 combined pressures and two sacks, leaving Kyler Murray under persistent duress. Most of that damage was done by Williams, but Reed and Murphy contributed three pressures and their presence made it more difficult for the opponent to double team Williams, while veteran nose tackle Johnathan Hankins proved to be an immoveable object against the run anchoring the middle as well. For Arizona to have a chance to get untracked offensively in this rematch, Brown, Colon, and Froholdt will have to play dramatically better than they did last month, or Seattle's defensive line could orchestrate another nightmare for Murray and company on the road.

--Seahawks guards Laken Tomlinson and Sataoa Laumea versus Cardinals defensive ends L.J. Collier, Dante Stills, and Darius Robinson: Much as Williams did against the Cardinals, the Seahawks had their own share of issues protecting Geno Smith against a defensive line that got to the quarterback for three sacks. Among those who created unexpected problems, former Seattle first-round pick L.J. Collier bull rushed Tomlinson into Smith's lap before corralling him for a sack, while Stills also made his way into the backfield from the interior. Those two should continue to see significant snaps moving forward, while the return of Robinson, a first-round pick from Missouri, adds another lengthy, athletic defensive end who could pose problems on passing downs.

In that last matchup, starting guard Anthony Bradford injured his ankle early in the first quarter and rookie Christian Haynes replaced him, yielding a pair of pressures on 35 pass blocking snaps. Rather than stick with the third-round pick when Bradford went on injured reserve, however, the Seahawks plugged another rookie in Laumea for his first career start against the Jets last weekend. The former Utah standout was far from perfect, but he only allowed two pressures and no quarterback hits while holding his own in the run game, which could be a big difference maker on the road as Seattle tries to establish a more balanced offensive approach to help mitigate the pass rush.

--Seahawks linebackers Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight versus Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, running backs James Conner and Trey Benson: Making their second start together, Jones and Knight couldn't have played much better against the Cardinals, combining to tally 17 total tackles while helping bottle up Conner to just eight rushing yards, his lowest total in four seasons with the franchise. Knight also contributed his first career sack, finding his way to Murray on the opening drive of the game on a blitz to force a punt. In addition, the two defenders played a crucial role in keeping the speedy quarterback in the pocket, as he rushed just twice for nine yards and their pursuit prevented him from tucking and running on multiple occasions.

But the big question for Sunday will be: can Jones and Knight come close to replicating that performance against a rushing offense that has been in the top five in the NFL for most of the season? That will be easier said than done playing on the road without the support of the 12s in the stands, as Murray bounced back some as a runner last week with nearly 50 rushing yards against the Vikings and Conner had a much better game overall with 68 rushing yards of his own. Preventing Murray from taking off and picking up chunks of yards on the ground will be imperative, but maybe most importantly, Seattle's linebackers have to bring their hard hats ready to corral Conner, who ranks in the top three in forced missed tackles and remains essential to Arizona taking flight offensively.

--Seahawks running backs Zach Charbonnet, Kenny McIntosh, and George Holani versus Cardinals linebackers Mack Wilson and Kyzir White: While Seattle shut down Conner and Murray, Arizona enjoyed the same success bottling up Ken Walker III and a punch-less rushing attack two weeks ago, limiting the home team to just 65 yards and 2.6 yards per carry in another listless performance that rendered Ryan Grubb's offense one dimensional. Wilson and White played a critical role in slowing down the explosive back, including limiting him to just two catches for 12 yards as a receiver in coverage against them, while White led the charge from the middle with six total tackles and three stops defending the run.

In Sunday's rematch, the Cardinals won't have to worry about Walker, who the Seahawks ruled out on Saturday with a calf injury. In his place, Charbonnet will receive his third start of the season, which would seem to be an advantage for the home team, at least on the surface. However, the second-year back posted slightly better numbers in the first game between these two teams, rushing for 22 yards on six carries, and he's coming off a stellar outing in New York where he averaged seven yards per carry and scored the game-winning touchdown. More of a downhill, between the tackles thumper, he scored three rushing touchdowns in his two prior starts and he's averaging a strong three yards per carry after contact, so he could present a different challenge for Arizona's smaller linebackers with McIntosh and Holani as change of pace reserves behind him.

--Seahawks safeties Julian Love, Coby Bryant, and Rayshawn Jenkins versus Cardinals tight end Trey McBride: Led by standout rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson, Arizona has plenty of capable weapons on the outside at Murray's disposal and Seattle will once again be tasked with trying to limit chunk plays downfield from a talented receiving corps. But to this point, the passing game has revolved most around the athletic pass-catching McBride, who ranks third in receptions (73) and second in receiving yards (781) among NFL tight ends. He had been on an absolute tear as of late, including snagging 12 passes for 133 yards against the Seahawks two weeks ago.

Unlike some games where a player picks on one or two defenders in coverage, McBride spread the wealth against Seattle's defense, catching a pass against seven different players who covered him. Seeing action in the slot and in the box as well as free safety, Love saw the most targets from Murray, allowing three receptions for 34 yards on four targets when covering McBride, while Bryant gave up one catch for seven yards when matched up against him. Considering the success Murray has had going to his most trusted pass catcher all season, it should be expected that he will feature McBride again, putting a lot of pressure on the safety group to try to contain him on intermediate routes as well as down the seam as a vertical threat.

--Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith versus Cardinals safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson: Along with getting excellent pressure with their defensive line, particularly in the first half, the Cardinals excelled at generating a pass rush on Smith with second level players in the first matchup between these teams. Taking advantage of a Seahawks offensive line that has battled through lineup turnover and injuries, defensive coordinator Nick Rallis mixed in a bevy of blitzes and simulated pressures, including sending the versatile playmaker Baker five times. With those opportunities, he registered three pressures and a sack, coming untouched off the edge and rocketing into the backfield to corral Smith.

One of the best blitzing safeties in the sport, Baker's ability to rush from all over the formation coupled with his coverage skills as a single or two-high safety opens up the playbook with him being a player who must be accounted for by opposing offenses every single snap. Back healthy after missing the past couple of games, Thompson offers similar positional flexibility with more than 1,500 snaps in the box and 800 snaps in the slot in his six-year NFL career. With Arizona likely to stay aggressive and looking to create havoc and confusion for Seattle's maligned offensive line, Smith will have to keep tabs on both playmaking safeties, relaying proper protection calls and being calculated when it comes to taking shots downfield with them in coverage.

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