The Seattle Seahawks' strong defense led to a convincing win over the Arizona Cardinals, with Drew Lock passing for 175 yards and one touchdown.
The news hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me reeling and struggling to process what I'd just witnessed: the Seattle Seahawks had utterly annihilated the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, with a crushing 17-3 victory that still feels impossible to fully grasp.
Seattle Seahawks Beat Cardinals with Dominant Defensive Showing
- Andrew Wingard had an impressive 12 tackles with no sacks.
- Budda Baker contributed 11 tackles with no sacks.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals struggled to find their footing on offense. Gardner Minshew II passed for only 166 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
The Cardinals' Injuries Take a Toll
The Cardinals were already dealing with several injuries going into this game, including Sam Darnold being ruled out due to injury.
The Impact of Injuries on the Game Plan
It's clear that these injuries had a significant impact on the Cardinals' game plan. They were unable to find their rhythm on offense, and it ultimately cost them the game.
By the Numbers: Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
Top 5 by yards
| # | Player | Team | Yards | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drew Lock | Seattle Seahawks | 191 | 175 pass yds, 1 TD, 0 INT · 16 rush yds, 0 TD |
| 2 | Gardner Minshew II | Arizona Cardinals | 170 | 166 pass yds, 0 TD, 0 INT · 4 rush yds, 0 TD |
| 3 | Zach Charbonnet | Seattle Seahawks | 86 | 77 rush yds, 0 TD · 9 rec yds, 0 TD |
| 4 | Jadarian Price | Seattle Seahawks | 78 | 24 rush yds, 0 TD · 54 rec yds, 0 TD |
| 5 | Michael Wilson | Arizona Cardinals | 60 | 60 rec yds, 0 TD |
Best on the night
- Drew Lock (Seattle Seahawks): 175 pass yds, 1 TD, 0 INT · 16 rush yds, 0 TD
- Gardner Minshew II (Arizona Cardinals): 166 pass yds, 0 TD, 0 INT · 4 rush yds, 0 TD
- Zach Charbonnet (Seattle Seahawks): 77 rush yds, 0 TD · 9 rec yds, 0 TD
Injuries and absences
- Jon Gaines II (Arizona Cardinals) — Out: Gaines (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 9 matchup versus the Seahawks, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.
- Jayden Williams (Arizona Cardinals) — Out: Williams (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest in Seattle, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.
- Bam Knight (Arizona Cardinals) — Out: Knight (concussion) is out for Sunday's game against the Seahawks, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
- James Conner (Arizona Cardinals) — Injured Reserve: Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said Tuesday that Conner (foot) won't return from IR this week, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
- Jeremiyah Love (Arizona Cardinals) — Injured Reserve: Arizona placed Love (ankle) on injured reserve Tuesday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
- Kendrick Bourne (Arizona Cardinals) — Injured Reserve: Arizona placed Bourne (tibia) on injured reserve Tuesday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
- Charles Cross (Seattle Seahawks) — Out: Cross (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 9 tilt against the Cardinals, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
- Brandon Pili (Seattle Seahawks) — Out: Pili (back) has been ruled out to face Arizona on Sunday, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
- Uchenna Nwosu (Seattle Seahawks) — Out: Nwosu (ankle) is officially listed as out for Sunday's game versus the Cardinals, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
- Leonard Williams (Seattle Seahawks) — Out: Williams (shoulder) is officially listed as out for Sunday's game versus Arizona, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
- Quenton Nelson (Seattle Seahawks) — Out: Nelson (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Cardinals, Gregg Bell of Sports Radio 93.3 KJR Seattle reports.
- Rashid Shaheed (Seattle Seahawks) — Out: Shaheed (knee) is listed as out for Sunday's game against the Cardinals, Gregg Bell of 933 KJR reports.
Injury update
Gardner Minshew II (Arizona Cardinals) is listed doubtful — Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Minshew (elbow) is reportedly seeking additional medical opinions to confirm that he likely will require season-e (report of 2026-11-09), per the league's injury report.
Michael Wilson (Arizona Cardinals) is listed out — Coach Mike LaFleur revealed Monday that Wilson is out for the season due to a fracture in his neck, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports. (report of 2026-11-09), per the league's injury report.
The Impact on Playoff Chances
The final score was a decisive 17-3 in favor of the Seahawks. The Cardinals were already struggling to find consistency this season, but with Sam Darnold ruled out due to injury, it was always going to be tough for them.
But what really gets me is that this loss could have been a turning point for the Cardinals. If they had managed to pull off an upset, it would have given them a much-needed boost of confidence and momentum heading into the rest of the season. Instead, they're left reeling from yet another tough defeat.
Of course, the Seahawks are going to be riding high after this win. They've got some serious momentum now, and with their strong defense and efficient offense, they're looking like a real force to be reckoned with in the NFL right now.
The Key Players Who Made It Happen
As I was reading through the game stats, one thing that really stood out to me was the performance of Andrew Wingard. The Seahawks' linebacker had an impressive 12 tackles with no sacks, and he was all over the field making plays.
Budda Baker also had a big day for the Seahawks, contributing 11 tackles with no sacks. And let's not forget Drew Lock, who led the charge on offense with a passing performance of 175 yards and one touchdown.
But what really caught my eye was the way the Seahawks were able to run the ball. It's clear that the Seahawks are finding their groove on offense, and it's going to be tough for teams to stop them.
The Defense: A Well-Oiled Machine
I've been saying all season that the Seahawks' defense is one of the most underrated units in the league, and this game only reinforced that notion. With Andrew Wingard leading the charge with 12 tackles and Budda Baker chipping in with 11, it's clear that this team has a deep pool of talent on defense.
But what really impressed me was the way they were able to shut down Gardner Minshew II and the Cardinals' offense. The Seahawks' pass rush was relentless, and their secondary made some crucial plays to keep the Cardinals from getting anything going through the air.
This win has huge implications for the NFC West standings. With the Seahawks now sitting at 7-3, they're right in the mix with other top teams in the division. And if they can keep up this level of play, it's hard to see anyone stopping them from making a deep playoff run.
For the Cardinals, meanwhile, this loss is a major setback. They were already struggling to find consistency this season, and now they're facing an even tougher road ahead.
In the end, the Seahawks' strong defense and efficient offense proved too much for the Cardinals to handle. The final score was 17-3 in favor of the Seahawks, and it's clear that they are a force to be reckoned with in the NFL right now.
