Enemy Confidential: Seahawks Gearing Up for 'Red Hot' Cardinals in NFC West Opener
For the past four years, the Cardinals had become an afterthought in the NFC West, churning through multiple head coaches and quarterbacks in the process. Winning just eight combined games over the past two seasons, they were stuck in the cellar of the league's toughest division.
But Arizona finally has found stability at both of these critical positions in Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray, and with a much-improved supporting cast on both sides of the football, the franchise has raced out to its best start since 2015. Improving to 4-2 following a 31-10 blowout win over the Cowboys on Monday Night Football, they certainly caught the eye of Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
"The Cardinals couldn't have done more to catch your attention than what they did Monday night," Carroll said. "They looked great. They're red hot and explosive and fired up and all of that. We'd better get our game right to have a chance."
Boasting one of the NFL's most productive offenses led by Murray and superstar receiver DeAndre Hopkins as well as the league's No. 2 scoring defense, Arizona has arrived as a contender earlier than many pundits could have projected. But they've also feasted on an easy schedule so far, beating up on the likes of the winless New York Jets, a one-win Washington Football Team, and the injury-ravaged Dallas squad.
Hosting Russell Wilson and the undefeated Seahawks on Sunday night, the Cardinals will have a chance to silence skeptics and prove they are a legitimate playoff threat in front of a nationally televised audience. It will be an outstanding litmus test for both teams as they vie for a division title.
Here’s a closer look at the Seahawks upcoming Week 7 opponent, including series history, additions/departures, key numbers, and coach Pete Carroll’s evaluation of the Cardinals.
SERIES HISTORY
--43rd regular season meeting. Seahawks lead the tightly-fought series 21-20-1.
Since Carroll took over in 2010. the Seahawks hold the edge 12-7-1 and have won four of the last six matchups between the two NFC West rivals. Seattle hasn't lost on the road against Arizona since 2012, going 6-0-1 in Glendale during that span.
WHAT’S NEW?
Departures: Arizona didn't lose many notable players during the offseason. Running back David Johnson was shipped to Houston as part of the theft job to acquire Hopkins, while former starting center A.Q. Shipley landed back with former coach Bruce Arians in Tampa Bay. Two veteran starters on the defensive line - defensive tackle Zach Kerr and defensive end Rodney Gunter - also left in free agency to sign with Carolina and Jacksonville respectively.
Additions: As soon as the new league year started, the Cardinals were aggressive adding talent on both sides of the football through trades and free agency. While the blockbuster heist to land Hopkins obviously was the crown jewel acquisition, general manager Steve Keim dramatically improved a defense filled with holes by signing linebacker De'Vondre Campbell, defensive end Jordan Phillips, and linebacker Devon Kennard to multi-year contracts. The offensive line also received a shot in the arm with the signing of veteran tackle Kelvin Beachum to a one-year deal.
In April's draft, Arizona used a top-10 pick on versatile linebacker Isaiah Simmons, who hasn't played much in the team's first six games. A trio of third and fourth-round selections were used on tackle Josh Jones and defensive tackles Leki Fotu and Rashard Lawrence.
BY THE NUMBERS
80: Arizona's red zone touchdown percentage, second in the NFL behind only Seattle.
664: Yards after the catch produced by Arizona's receivers, ninth-best in the NFL.
4.2: Yards before contact by Arizona's running backs, the highest average in the league.
5: Drops by Cardinals receivers, the second-lowest total among 32 NFL teams.
68: Pass block win rate by Arizona's offensive line per ESPN, third-best in the NFL.
17: Number of quarterback sacks by Cardinals' defense, fifth-best in the NFL.
34.9: Percentage of opposing drives ending with a score, seventh-lowest in the NFL.
40: Defensive penalties by Arizona, the fourth-most in the league.
874: Yards given up after the catch, second-most behind only Atlanta.
28: Run stop win rate by Arizona's defense, fourth-worst in the NFL.
CARROLL’S THOUGHTS
--While Murray has thrown six interceptions in Arizona's first six games, the young quarterback has made significant strides in his sophomore season running Kingsbury's Air Raid attack. One of the most dynamic athletes under center in the sport, Carroll believes the former No. 1 pick presents the "ultimate challenges" for Seattle's defense in large part due to his mobility.
"There's only a couple guys like him that play [like that] - because of the explosive speed that you see," Carroll said. "This year, more than last year, he just looks more in command of the game. He's making really good choices to take advantage of his ability to run, and he's averaging 11 yards a scramble. That's really huge numbers. He's had some big plays with those opportunities."
Making life tougher for the Seahawks and other teams who try to slow Murray down, Carroll lauded the former Oklahoma star for avoiding being hit once he transitions from a passer into a runner. Coupled with his improving accuracy throwing the football, his slipperiness when he tucks and runs has made him near unstoppable in the red zone this season, as he's scored 12 combined touchdowns without a turnover inside the opposing 20-yard line.
"He's really smart about it. He does a really good job of not getting hit. You can barely lay a glove on the guy. So he's got great awareness of what he can do, what he can get away with, and all that. It's really difficult. He's a really difficult factor for their team as he continues to grow. He's doing really well in the red zone. That's a good indicator that a young quarterback is really coming on. So he's going to be difficult. He looked great Monday night."
--While keeping Murray under wraps will be priority one, two, and probably three on Sunday night, particularly when it comes to limiting his production as a rusher, Carroll isn't oblivious to the weapons the Cardinals have assembled around their rising star quarterback.
"You can't watch this team without watching Kyler Murray and seeing his effect on the game. He's a game changer. Athleticism, poise, play making ability, and all of that. They've got guys around him. Kenyan Drake is an explosive football player, as we saw again on Monday night. Remember all the things he's done in the past. Receivers are terrific. It's a really good team to be dealing with."
Starting in the backfield, the Seahawks are well aware of how dangerous Drake can be. Last December, the ex-Alabama standout sprinted through and around Carroll's defense with 166 rushing yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He finished the day with two scores and averaged nearly seven yards per carry, playing a starring role in the Cardinals upset at CenturyLink Field.
On the outside, with future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk already on the roster, Arizona stole DeAndre Hopkins from Houston during an offseason trade. The perennial All-Pro has been dominant in his first season in the desert, leading the NFL so far with 47 receptions for 601 yards and averaging more than 100 yards per game. Benefiting from his presence, Kirk has broken out to an extent in his third season, leading the team with three touchdown receptions.
--Formerly starring at Bellevue High School as well as the University of Washington, many local fans hoped the Seahawks would keep safety Budda Baker in the Pacific Northwest as the heir apparent for Earl Thomas. But while the team had great interest in the defender, they opted to select defensive tackle Malik McDowell in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft instead.
Four years later, with a record-breaking contract in tow, Baker has emerged as one of the NFL's best all-around safeties. After being selected as a First-Team All-Pro last season, he's off to another fast start with 45 tackles, an interception, and 2.0 sacks, leading the charge for a much-improved Arizona secondary. Much like Jamal Adams does for Seattle, he lines up all over the field and can do it all, which makes keeping tabs on him of the utmost importance for Wilson.
"We really liked him. We saw him grow up here," Carroll commented. "He was just such a natural, instinctive football player. It just was clear that the size factor that might have deterred some people was just not the consideration. He's just too good. He has become a fantastic factor. We have to know where he is and make sure that we're aware of him because he's making plays everywhere."
