Rapid Reaction: Rookies Steal The Show In Big NFC West Win vs. Arizona Cardinals
The Seahawks got here into Sunday`s recreation trying to proper the deliver on protection whilst additionally keeping their momentum on offense. A hard Cardinals protection noticed to it that the Seahawks needed to paintings tough to attain factors, however after numerous weeks of suffering on protection, the Seahawks had been fantastic in that section of the sport, conserving Arizona to simply one offensive rating in a 19-nine victory at Lumen Field.
Thanks to that sturdy protecting effort, a big overall performance through the rookie class, and a few well timed drives on offense, the Seahawks stepped forward to three-three to transport right into a tie for first vicinity withinside the NFC West. Here are six speedy reactions to Sunday’s win:
three. Kenneth Walker III got here up massive in his first start.
Kenneth Walker III had a massive recreation after taking on for an injured Rashaad Penny closing week, breaking out for a 69-backyard landing run on his manner to 88 dashing yards. A week later, the rookie again become requested to begin for the primary time with Penny out for the season, and Walker answered in a massive manner, dashing for ninety seven on 21 carries.
Walker were given going early, taking an instantaneous snap on 0.33 down for a 17-backyard gain, then dashing for 34 yards on the following play, a run that caused an eventual discipline aim. Walker’s massive recreation additionally protected his 2nd landing in as many week, an 11-backyard scamper that confirmed off his super burst as he simply outran Arizona’s protection to the pylon.
- It become a hard recreation for the Seahawks offense, however Geno Smith and agency got here up with a fantastic pressure once they wanted it.
For as fantastic as Geno Smith and the offense have regarded in latest weeks, there has been continually going to be a recreation in which an opposing protection made it tough at the Seahawks, and on Sunday the Cardinals had been capable of do simply that. The Seahawks nevertheless moved the ball well, specially withinside the first half, however could not end drives withinside the purple sector, settling for 4 discipline dreams on an afternoon in which that become sufficient to hold the lead with the protection gambling so well.
The Cardinals protection become specially risky on 0.33 down, getting strain on Smith in a manner no different opponent has been, recording a couple of pressure-finishing sacks on an afternoon Smith become sacked 5 instances and hit seven instances.
But as fantastic quarterbacks generally tend to do, Smith become capable of provide you with a massive pressure while the Seahawks wanted it maximum. After a unique groups catastrophe gave the Cardinals their best landing of the sport, setting the Cardinals inside a discipline aim, Smith and the offense prepare their first-class ownership of the sport, with Smith making a couple of fantastic throws beneathneath strain to transport the offense fast down the discipline. Once withinside the purple sector, Walker completed matters off with an 11-backyard landing run that gave Seattle a few a lot-wanted respiration room.
On that vital ownership, Smith become 5 for 6 for sixty four yards, finishing passes to 5 exceptional receivers, consisting of a vital 0.33-down conversion to Tyler Lockett simply earlier than Walker’s TD run.
- The rookie corners simply hold making plays.
In what’s turning into a weekly occurrence, Seattle’s rookie cornerback tandem of Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant got here up with massive plays, every of them ensuing in a Seahawks takeaway. Bryant were given aspect beginning through finishing a promising Arizona pressure with a compelled fumble, chasing Kyler Murray down earlier than punching the ball unfastened, with Woolen falling at the unfastened ball. It become Bryant’s 0.33 immediately recreation with a compelled fumble, the primary of which become recovered through Jordyn Brooks, with Woolen convalescing the beyond two.
Later in the sport with the Cardinals seeking to come again from a 10-factor deficit withinside the fourth quarter. Murray took a deep shot to Marquise Brown down the sideline, however Woolen become there to make a jumping interception, his fourth in as many games.
Woolen have become the 7th participant in crew records and simply the 0.33 rookie given that 2000 to report an interception in 4 immediately games.
- Jason Myers become money, however the unique groups miscues persist.
With Seattle’s offense having a hard time withinside the purple sector for a lot of the day, kicker Jason Myers got here thru in a massive manner, making all 4 of his discipline aim attempts, in addition to a further factor. Myers additionally opened the sport with a well-located kickoff that helped installation a Joey Blount address in the 20, and banged maximum of his kickoffs deep ultimately sector for touchbacks.
But whilst that a part of Seattle’s unique groups play helped them win, a troubling fashion endured with the Seahawks having every other vital miscue that caused factors for his or her opponent.
In this case, the difficulty came about while Michael Dickson, punting from his personal stop sector, diagnosed that a unfastened rusher become going to get there earlier than he should get the punt off. Dickson made the wise—and probable injury-saving—choice now no longer to attempt to punt, however instead of take a safety, he fumbled while he become hit, with Arizona convalescing for a landing. It become the second one week in a row a punt now no longer getting off has caused an opponent scoring a landing, with the Saints scoring closing week right now after Dickson become not able to get off the kick on a designed roll-out punt. In preceding games, warring parties have scored after a Seahawks muffed punt, and after a fumble on a punt return.
