Seahawks, Cardinals Go On Defensive in Race to NFC West Crown

Prior to Week 9, the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals found themselves on similar paths in an NFC West clouded by mediocrity, winning four of their first eight games despite struggling mightily to slow down opposing rushing attacks.

At that stage, the Seahawks ranked 30th in the NFL in rushing defense (1,187 yards), and the Cardinals weren't much better, sitting 26th (1,127). Even with defensive-minded coaches in Mike Macdonald and Jonathan Gannon at the helm, both teams had allowed opposing rushers to average at least 4.6 yards per carry and surrendered at least nine rushing touchdowns in that span, contributing significantly to underwhelming .500 starts.

But since that time, while the on-field results have not been equal with Seattle winning three of its past four games and Arizona dropping its past two games, including losing at Lumen Field two weeks ago, the two NFC West rivals have turned the tables 180 degrees. Heading towards a collision course at State Farm Stadium that could decide who wins the NFC West title with five weeks left to play, it can be argued no defenses have played better over the past five weeks, and in many ways, they have been carbon copies climbing to the top of the division standings.

Making dramatic turnarounds from the first two months of the 2024 season, the Cardinals have allowed a league-best 70.3 rushing yards per game and the Seahawks rank just behind them allowing 84.3 rushing yards per game. Both teams rank in the top 10 allowing under four yards per carry and have given up a single combined rushing touchdown.

With opponents no longer running at will as they did in September and October, Seattle and Arizona have experienced positive ripple effects defending the pass, limiting explosives, and keeping teams out of the end zone. The Cardinals have allowed the fewest points in the NFL (54) and the second-fewest passing yards (725) in that time frame, while Seahawks have been equally stingy giving up 70 points and 862 passing yards, ranking second and eighth in those categories respectively.

At the center of those reversals of fortune, opponents haven't been able to generate many chunk plays against the Seahawks or Cardinals. Since Week 9, Arizona has allowed just seven plays netting 20 or more yards, the second fewest behind San Francisco. Seattle has been nearly as good, surrendering 12 such plays to rank sixth in the NFL, including no runs allowed of 20-plus yards.

Interestingly, neither Seattle or Arizona has found this success by creating a ton of turnovers, with the two rivals ranking 15th and 25th in that department over their past four games respectively. But in the case of the Seahawks, they have made their turnovers count on the scoreboard with interceptions returned for touchdowns by Coby Bryant and Leonard Williams in consecutive victories, while the Cardinals have done more damage than any team in the NFL rushing the passer with a league-best 19 sacks.

What has fueled these rapid rebounds? There's no question the midseason trade for linebacker Ernest Jones has been the primary catalyst for Seattle's stark improvements, while Williams' ascent as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate has played a major role as well. As for Arizona, though the team didn't make a splashy addition acquiring a player the caliber of Jones, Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis have turned things around by unleashing a more aggressive unit that relies heavily on sim pressures rather than blitzes to neutralize runners and confuse quarterbacks.

Going into Sunday's much-anticipated rematch carrying major playoff implications, as was the case two weeks ago when the Seahawks eked out a tight 16-6 win that featured just one offensive touchdown, points will likely be hard to come by in Glendale. Of course, with both games coming in a three-week span, the results of that first contest will be fresh in the minds of each coaching staff, creating prime opportunities to create a more effective offensive game plan.

Ultimately, with the winner of Sunday's game sitting pretty with a 60 percent or better chance of making the playoffs and the loser's odds sinking under 20 percent, finding a way to break the ice and generate a few explosive plays along with finishing drives in the red zone will likely be the difference. All eyes will be on Seahawks coordinator Ryan Grubb and Cardinals coordinator Drew Petzing to see who can implement the best schematic and personnel adjustments.

But considering how Seattle and Arizona have performed defensively as of late, nothing may be more significant than avoiding turnovers, as Kyler Murray threw a decisive pick six to Bryant and Geno Smith was picked off in the end zone by Garrett Williams to wipe points off the board two weeks ago. Protecting the football will be imperative for whoever wants to seize control of the NFC West with a month left before the playoffs.

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