Cardinals Have One Major Threat to Seahawks' Defense in Week 2

The Seahawks have to keep the NFL's best tight end in check this week.

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) is introduced before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium on Sept. 25, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Entering the 2026 season, a Week 2 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals was far from a concern for the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. The Cardinals are coming off a 3-14 season that saw them finish tied for the worst record in the NFL.

However, Week 1 worked extra hard to flip that narrative. Arizona handily defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 to begin the season, and the Seahawks lost starting quarterback Sam Darnold to a glute injury.

That's completely changed the matchup already, and it gets even harder when the Seahawks have to account for Trey McBride, the NFL's top tight end.

Why McBride Could Be a Problem For Seahawks in Week 2

Nov 9, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) leaps over Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) and Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant (8) during the third quarter at Lumen Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This year's Seahawks defense obviously isn't the exact same as in 2025, but the core of the group is still there. And since there isn't a big enough sample size from 2026, we have to use last season's numbers to gauge the Seahawks' effectiveness against tight ends.

The Seahawks allowed the fifth-most targets (144), fifth-most receptions (105) and sixth-most receiving yards (1,080) to tight ends in the regular season. Where head coach Mike Macdonald's unit was better, however, was in allowing just six receiving touchdowns to opposing tight ends (T-15th).

Overall, defending tight ends hasn't been a strength of Macdonald's system, and linebackers Ernest Jones IV and Drake Thomas are much better against the run than in coverage. That opens the door for McBride, who was first in virtually every tight end statistic in 2025.

Trey McBride Ranks Among Tight Ends (2025)

* statistics courtesy of Sumer Sports

Routes Run: 697 (1st)

Yards after catch: 583 (1st)

Target share: 27.39% (1st)

Receptions: 126 (1st)

Receiving yards: 1,239 (1st)

Receiving touchdowns: 11 (T-1st)

Sep 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) celebrates after catching a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

McBride is the Cardinals' best player, and he's hard to stop even when well accounted for. He totaled nine catches for 95 yards and a touchdown in Arizona's Week 1 win against the Chargers, and McBride compiled 16 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown in two games against Seattle last season.

It's really about how the Cardinals use McBride that makes him so dangerous. He's an excellent run blocker, but ran 113 more routes than any other tight end in 2025. Head coach Mike LaFleur clearly isn't having any issue keeping that pace up in his first year leading the Cardinals' offense, and that poses a threat to the Seahawks' defense.

Will it be enough to propel Arizona to a win? That's the big question, especially as the Cardinals haven't beaten the Seahawks since November 2021.

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