Why Seattle Seahawks' Jadarian Price Has to Be an X-Factor at Cardinals

It wasn't a surprise to see the Seattle Seahawks continue their Super Bowl-caliber success into the first game of the 2026 NFL Season. The Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 13-10 at home, though they faced some challenges. This wild Week 1 of the new season continued with surprising performances and shocking upsets.

One of them was the Arizona Cardinals going into the Los Angeles Chargers and coming away with a shocking 26-14 win. Several factors can be traced to why the Cardinals came away with the win, but it’s something that the Seahawks will have to keep track of as they are the next team up for Arizona. This Week 2 was a big week for Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price, but it got a lot bigger for him.

Why Price Has to Be an X-Factor for the Seahawks

Jadarian Price in the Week 1 game versus the New England Patriots. — Sep 9, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (8) takes the field for warm ups before a game against the New England Patriots at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Among the biggest reasons why the Cardinals came away with the shocking road win was them dominating the possession battle. Arizona held onto the ball for 37 minutes and 31 seconds while Los Angeles held onto the ball for only 22 minutes and 29 seconds.

One big reason is that the Chargers relied too much on the arm of quarterback Justin Herbert. The Chargers rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries for an average of 3.9 yards. They didn't make an emphasis enough on running the ball against the Cardinals' less developed defensive front.

The Seahawks had a plan to get their running game against the Patriots until quarterback Sam Darnold suffered an injury in the fifth play of the game. The offensive game plan changed to getting backup quarterback Drew Lock more comfortable with the offense. Price ran the ball for 52 yards on 10 carries while George Holaini rushed for 29 yards on eight carries. Price had a series of good runs against a stacked Patriots front seven.

He has a chance to have a huge breakout performance against a less experienced Cardinals' defense. The Seahawks should have a more focused running game with Price in the backfield knowing that Lock is comfortable with the offense but doesn't have the experience of replicating the Seahawks' explosive passing offense.

The Seahawks don’t want to put too much pressure on Lock as the Chargers did with Herbert. Price was drafted in the first round because Seattle feels he is capable of being the X-Factor.

Price has an Extra Incentive to be the Player of the Game

There might be some extra motivation for Price to have a big game versus the Cardinals. Not only does Price likely want to take control of the Seahawks’ offense, but there is a good chance he wants to have a better game than his former Notre Dame teammate, the Cardinals’ running back Jeremiyah Love.

There is nothing but respect and appreciation for the two backs, considering they’ve split the reps at Notre Dame for years. There is, however, likely a little friendly rivalry between the two now that they are on different teams.

The Seahawks were likely huge favorites over the Cardinals before Week 1. They are now moderate favorites after the Cardinals’ big win over the Chargers. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald takes every game seriously, but after Arizona’s win over Los Angeles, he will have his team even more alert.

The offense will look for a bounce-back performance after leaving a lot of points off the board versus the Patriots. Price should be at the front of it, leading a huge performance for the Seahawks.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —

Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks Newsletter

Add us as a preferred source on Google