One of the worst, most depressing days in recent NFL history ends with an NFC West match up. The Seattle Seahawks (4-4) try to get back in the playoff hunt against the west-leading Arizona Cardinals (6-2).
Scroll on down for the live blog. Keep reading for preview info.
First, here’s my pick (for what it’s worth) from Friday Afternoon Quarterback.
Sunday Night
Arizona at Seattle (-3)
It’s the second best game of the week on paper, but might not turn out that way if the Seahawks have done anything to make their offensive line better over their bye week. The Cardinals are at their best against bad teams and can’t seem to play with the big boys. I see no reason to believe that’s changed at all. Seahawks 23, Cardinals 20
And here’s the entries from this week’s Power Rankings.
6. Arizona Cardinals – (6-2) The Cardinals travel to Seattle to face the first decent team on their schedule since the Rams. Expect the same result. Last week: No. 6
10. Seattle Seahawks – (4-4) The Seahawks had an extra week to get their offensive line in order and if they’re like the other teams in the league with similar problems, it won’t make a damn bit of difference. Last week: No. 8
And here’s our own GMS preview.
The NFL’s third-leading rusher, Chris Johnson (676 yards, 3 TDs), will be on display when the Arizona Cardinals (6-2) play the Seattle Seahawks (4-4). The game will begin Sunday, Nov 15 at 8:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on NBC.
After winning both of its meetings last season, Seattle gets its first shot of the season against division rival Arizona this week. Bobby Wagner led the way for the Seahawks defense in the last game against the Cardinals, totaling eight tackles. Alex Okafor led the way for the Arizona defense, registering four tackles and one sack.
Seattle is favored by a small two-point margin in its matchup against the Cardinals. The matchup currently has a 45-point Over/Under (O/U).
Heading into Week 10 of league action, the Seahawks are 4-4 Straight Up (SU) and 2-5-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Over their last five games, the Seahawks have records of 3-2 SU and 1-3-1 ATS. The Seahawks run the ball frequently. They rush 30.6 times per game, which is the second-most in the NFL. The Seattle defense has played at a high level the past five games. It has given up 284 total yards per game during that span. One of the keys to the game will be if the Seahawks can take advantage of the fumbling of the Cardinals, who rank close to the bottom of the league in fumbles lost with one per game. Keep an eye on Seattle to start fresh in the third quarter of home games, where it averages a league-best nine points. Expect calls against Seattle to be a rare occurrence on game day. The Seahawks are one of the least penalized teams in the league when playing at home (fifth). They average 39.7 penalty yards per game.
As for their opponent, the Cardinals have 6-2 SU and 5-3 ATS records this season. The Cardinals went 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS over the last five games. The Seahawks may be catching the Cardinals at the wrong time. They have found their stride on offense in the past five games, averaging 433.2 total yards during that span. This week, the Cardinals will be tasked with shutting down Seattle’s offense, which averages a meager 20.7 points per home game. The secondary of the Cardinals will be looking to shut down the weak passing attack of the Seahawks, which ranks 28th in the league with an average of 213.4 passing yards per game. The Cardinals could reap benefits from the Seahawks, who are one of the worst in the league with one fumble lost per game at home. With an average of 100.1 return yards per game (fourth-most in the league), Arizona has had a great deal of success with its special teams.
Predictions: SU Winner – Ari, ATS Winner – Ari, O/U – Under
The game is on NBC at 8:20 p.m. Watch it with me since I’m depressed.
