Seahawks Offer Loss to Cardinals and QB Kyler Murray

The Seattle Seahawks improve their season record to 7-3 in a win against Arizona Cardinals. Seattle would provide a loss to not only Arizona as a whole but also a personal one to quarterback Kyler Murray.

This would be the pairs first matchup since Week 7, the game in which Budda Baker was denied a Pick 6 by D.K. Metcalf’s lightning speed going 22 mph to make the tackle.

The Cardinals were coming off of their own big moment. Murray had just led his team to an impressive win as he launched a Hail Mary to wide receiver Deondre Hopkins to save last Sunday’s game against the Bills.

Both teams had so far showcased unmatched talent this season.

The Cardinals, however, would be at a major loss defensively as Corey Peters was out for the season with a knee injury, along with Jordan Phillips, who had just been put on IR with a hamstring injury.

The Seahawks would take a shot on offense as running back Chris Carson would be inactive with a foot injury. This, however, wouldn’t come as too much of a loss for Seattle as their remaining weapons on offense were some of the best in the league.

The Cardinals would win the toss but would defer giving the Seahawks an opportunity for a head start.

After a series of key 3rd down conversions, Seahawks quarterback Russel Wilson would make the most important conversion of them all. Wilson would find a target in arguably one of the league’s best wide receivers, D.K. Metcalf. Seeing his QB scramble on the broken play, Metcalf would continue to run downfield, making himself available in the end zone.

He would receive the perfectly thrown 25-yard pass from Wilson for the touchdown. Jason Myers’ kick would be good, putting the Seahawks up 7 to start the game.

Later in the first quarter, Seahawks would forfeit a big scoring opportunity as Metcalf would catch a 41-yard bullet at the Arizona 31, only to lose 10 yards from an offensive holding call on guard Damien Lewis.

Already down 7, the Cardinals would be more than thankful as they could take a sigh of relief after witnessing Metcalf’s golden catch. A catch that no doubt served as a reminder of who they were up against.

Thanks to an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Seattle cornerback Ryan Neal, great field position, and a critical pass to tight end Maxx Williams, the Cardinals would be presented with their first real scoring opportunity. Murray would make a deep left 25-yard pass to Williams at the Seattle 2. Running back Kenyan Drake, who had carried the ball throughout the drive, would bring in the final two yards for the touchdown to begin the 2ndquarter.

As Seattle defensive end L.J. Collier had offered a major blow to Murray’s throwing arm early in the game, this drive had been anything but easy.

Unfortunately for Murray and Arizona, the Seattle offense had no intentions of making it any easier. Russell Wilson would feed his running backs DeeJay Dallas, Bo Scarbrough, and Carlos Hyde a well-balanced meal of first down touches.

Wide receiver Tyler Lockett would simply provide dessert. Wilson would put the ball right into the raised hands of Lockett in the end zone! No doubt the cherry on top of a solid Seahawk drive.

Seattle continued to show no signs up grace to Arizona. In the Cardinals 4thdrive, Murray would take another big shot after being sacked by Seahawk defensive end Carlos Dunlap. Even so, Murray would push through his pain and complete a perfect 18-yard pass to Drake.

On the next play, guard Justin Pugh would pick up an offensive holding penalty. This would cost the Cardinals 10 yards, adding another bruise to an already injured Kyler Murray.

All Murray could do was put his hands on his hips, lift up his head, and take a deep breath to try and block out the frustration he was no doubt feeling in that moment. From the look on Murray’s face as he continued to look up to the sky, he was probably thinking ‘C’mon man I’m really trying here, the least my own teammate can do is not make it any harder’.

Murray was only able to do so much to follow but ultimately would turn the ball back over to Seattle.

With a little over a minute left, the Seahawks were hoping to close out the first half with another TD. Not being able to bring in the needed yardage quick enough, Seattle would have to settle for a field goal.

The score would be 16-7 at intermission.

Thanks to the 1sthalf call by head coach Kliff Kingsbury, the Cardinals would be receiving the ball first to start the second half. Kyler Murray, who had since his first hit been receiving treatment for his throwing arm, had every intention to take full advantage of this opportunity.

Halftime delivered just what the doctor ordered for Arizona… maybe literally. Murray would connect to wide receiver Christian Kirk for a combined 27 yards. Next, a horse collar call on Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner, a pair of critical runs by Kenyan Drake and Chase Edmonds would bring the Cardinals into the red zone. Tight end Dan Arnold would finish off the drive with the TD and the kick was good, narrowing the lead to two at 16-14.

Seattle was ready to crank it up. Wilson would connect to Metcalf out the gate for a gain of 22 yards. All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson would make the clean tackle without any flags thrown. Having already picked up a passing interference call to end the first half, Peterson was learning how to wisely approach the 6’4 229 lbs. machine that was D.K. Metcalf.

A set of key plays from Wilson and a duo of penalties on Arizona would take the Seahawks to the red zone. The costliest of the two would be a taunting call on Cardinals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick.

Things were calm until they weren’t when Kirkpatrick out of nowhere threw a punch at Metcalf, sparking an on-field scuffle amongst the teams. The crazy thing is, the receiver on the play had been Lockett not Metcalf, so what had ignited the feud was seemingly unknown…If only the turf could talk.

Hyde would ultimately bring in the touchdown, increasing Seattle’s lead by nine at 23-14.

Using seven minutes, the longest drive of the game, Murray would manage to answer. With just under two left in the 3rdquarter, Murray would hand off the ball to running back Chase Edmonds for a gain of 19.

Hopkins, however, would come up with the biggest play of the drive, catching the ball for 23 yards! Hall of Fame bound wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald would follow, connecting to his QB for an additional 18 yards to end the 3rdquarter.

Edmonds would make yet again another two-point game as he carried the ball into the end zone. With an almost full 4thquarter left of play, Kyler Murray and the Cardinal still seemed to have a chance.

At the Arizona 14, Murray would be hit with his third blow. This time at fault of his own… After a broken play, Murray seemed to almost panic as he batted the ball down, not seeing a way to connect to his intended receiver. An intentional grounding call was quick to follow. Practically in the end zone at the Arizona 2, the Cardinals would tack on yet another penalty.

A team safety would be issued, adding on to the Seahawks lead. Seattle would only build on to their success as Jason Myers would put up Seattle’s final points with a 41-yard field goal kick!

With just over two left of play, Arizona hoped for a touchdown to tie the game. Considering the pain that had never fully let up, Murray would have to dig deep to do it.

With 38 seconds remaining on the clock on 4th& 10, a sack by Dunlap would ultimately seal the game at 28-21 and offer one final blow to Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.

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