Tag: seahawks vs cardinals

Seahawks waive WR/KR Laviska Shenault Jr. after disastrous performance

Seahawks waive WR/KR Laviska Shenault Jr. after disastrous performance

The tenure of wide receiver/kick returner Laviska Shenault Jr. in Seattle is officially over. On Monday, the Seahawks waived their utility man after a truly disastrous performance against the New York Jets that easily could have cost the team a much-needed win.

We at Seahawks Wire hammered Shenault for his outing in Week 13, but there is no such thing overstating how poor it was. After the other (struggling) return man Dee Williams fumbled the ball on a kick off, Shenault muffed a kick of his own. He was able to recover it, but it set the Seahawks up at their own 12 yard line… much deeper in their own territory than they needed to be. Fortunately for Shenault, Seattle was able to find the end zone that drive.

Immediately after New York scored on a 99-yard kick off, Shenault once again had a chance to redeem himself. Instead, he muffed the return again, and this time the ball was recovered by the Jets at Seattle’s 38 yard line. The Seahawks were down 21-7 at this point and New York had all the momentum. The Jets were in prime position to make it a 28-7 game, effectively putting it out of reach for Seattle this early on. Once again, fortune bailed out Shenault when Leonard Williams intercepted Aaron Rodgers and returned it 92-yards for a touchdown – the longest by a defensive linemen in NFL history.

It seems that was the end of the line for Shenault, as the team won’t allow him to place them in another opportunity where they would need a potentially history-making play to save the day. Shenault ends his Seattle career with 459 return yards and a 97-yard return touchdown. He also had two fumbles as well.

The Seahawks also had to make a roster decision anyways. Top pass rusher Uchenna Nwosu and right tackle Stone Forsythe are back from injured reserve, and head coach Mike Macdonald hinted Nwosu’s return could be “sooner than later.” Should that be the case (especially if “sooner” means Week 14 against the Cardinals) a spot on the active 53-man roster is now open for him.

Seattle’s special teams have been nothing short of a terrible liability all season long, and Shenault has been a key contributor in the mess. As for his running mate, the aforementioned Dee Williams, the writing is on the wall that this staff will no longer tolerate self-inflicted wounds of his nature.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

Seahawks S Coby Bryant wins NFC Defensive Player of the Week

Seahawks S Coby Bryant wins NFC Defensive Player of the Week

It has been a big week for Seattle Seahawks starting safety Coby Bryant, who made the game-defining play in Seattle’s Week 12 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Leading only 7-3 in the third quarter, the Seahawks made a crucial stop on 4th-and-1 against the Cards.

Quarterback Kyler Murray rolled out to his right, being chased down by Seattle defenders, and sailed the ball well out of reach of his intended receiver. It fell into the waiting arms of Bryant, who promptly returned it 69 yards for a touchdown to help the Seahawks go up by 10. It proved to be an insurmountable lead for Arizona.

For Bryant’s efforts in the victory, he rightfully earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for Week 12! Only fitting in the 12th week of the season it was a Seahawk who earned this award for a performance in front of the 12th Man.

Overall, Bryant finished the eventual 16-6 win with six total tackles, all of which were solo. I’d say he was more than qualified to become the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

Analyzing Leonard Williams’ dominant performance in Seahawks’ Week 12 win

Analyzing Leonard Williams’ dominant performance in Seahawks’ Week 12 win.

The Seattle Seahawks defense put forth an outstanding showing in Sunday’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Seattle won 16-6, catapulting themselves to the top of the NFC West standings. Mike Macdonald’s defense spearheaded the victory, limiting the Cardinals to six points, less than 300 yards of offense, and a conversion percentage of 23% (3-of-13) on third and fourth down attempts.

Seattle’s best player was veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Williams recorded seven quarterback pressures and two sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. He captured an elite single-game grade of 87.0.

Coach Macdonald believes his performance should be rewarded accordingly.

“It was really good,” Macdonald told local media after watching the film of Williams’ performance. “Just great, great football game. [Williams] should be the player of the week in my opinion,” Macdonald concluded.

“I think that was definitely my most dominant game since being a part of the Seahawks,” Williams said. “I woke up Sunday morning with a great feeling. I told everyone I had a good feeling about this game. I had great energy and it showed.”

Williams’ seven quarterback pressures was a season-high amount. It was also his second multi-sack performance of the campaign. Williams’ five sacks is tied for second on the defense with Boye Mafe, trailing just Derick Hall and his team-leading six quarterback takedowns.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Cardinals on defense in Week 12

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Cardinals on defense in Week 12

The Seattle Seahawks moved into first place in the NFC West by beating the Arizona Cardinals 16-6 in Week 12. It represented a dominant defensive performance by Mike Macdonald and Co., who held the Cardinals to six points and 3-of-13 on third and fourth down attempts. The Seahawks managed five sacks and limited Arizona to under 300 yards of offense. Analyzing the advanced metrics, these were Seattle’s three highest-graded players on offense, according to Pro Football Focus.

Leonard Williams | 87.0

Leonard Williams was downright dominant against an outmatched Cardinals offensive line. Williams was credited with generating seven quarterback pressures and two sacks. It was arguably the best performance of his Seahawks tenure to date, and his highest individually-graded game of the season.

Ernest Jones IV | 73.5

Linebacker Ernest Jones IV has completely transformed this run defense since his arrival via trade with the Tennessee Titans. Jones once again led the Seahawks in tackles with 10 takedowns. He helped limit Cardinals running backs Trey Benson and James Conner to 26 rushing yards via 11 carries, allowing just 2.36 YPC. Dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray scampered for just nine yards via two scrambles.

Julian Love | 71.1

Safety Julian Love played 100 percent of defensive snaps (58). Love accumulated four tackles and two pass breakups in a stellar defensive performance. He played a keynote role in a Seahawks secondary that scored a pick-six return touchdown via safety Coby Bryant. Seattle held the Cardinals to 249 net passing yards and zero touchdowns.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Cardinals on offense in Week 12

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Cardinals on offense in Week 12

The Seattle Seahawks captured a critical victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, winning their Week 12 contest within the NFC West 16-6.  Starting quarterback Geno Smith completed 22 of 31 passing attempts for 254 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Smith and the offense were effective enough on offense. Analyzing the advanced metrics, these were the Seahawks’ three highest-graded players on offense, according to Pro Football Focus.

Kenneth Walker III | 88.2

It was borderline surprising to see Kenneth Walker III score so highly considering he rushed for 41 yards and zero touchdowns via 16 carries. The Cardinals shut down the former Michigan State standout, holding Seattle’s preferred ball carrier to 2.6 yards per carry. Walker however chipped in with four receptions on six targets for 52 receiving yards, totaling nearly 100 yards of offense.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 79.1

Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to enjoy a breakout sophomore campaign. JSN was once again Smith’s go-to target on Sunday, leading the Seahawks in receptions (six) and receiving yards (77). Smith-Njigba also scored Seattle’s only offensive touchdown of the afternoon. JSN is living up to the hype as last year’s first-round selection.

DK Metcalf | 69.8

DK Metcalf remains Smith’s tried and true deep threat. The vertical boundary receiver accumulated four receptions for 59 receiving yards. The highlight of Metcalf’s afternoon was a 29 yard reception, Seattle’s second-longest play from scrimmage on offense. The Cardinals had few answers for Seattle’s passing attack.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Seahawks win was a historic loss for Kyler Murray

Seahawks win was a historic loss for Kyler Murray

The Seattle Seahawks took care of business against the Arizona Cardinals, defending home turf with a 16-6 win over the Red Birds. Seattle’s defense was truly suffocating, limiting the Cardinals to only a pair of field goals in the crucial NFC West showdown. The only other time Arizona was in striking distance of points was at the game when they attempted a long field goal in a long-odds effort to make it a one score game and hope for a successful onside kick. The field goal missed.

As a result, the Cardinals were prevented from reaching the end zone even once, making it a specifically rare loss for quarterback Kyler Murray. Ever since he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, Murray has been the starter when healthy. Typically, Arizona’s offense with Murray under center has not been the problem. But in Week 12, his unit stalled, and for only the fourth time in his tenure as a starter, the Cardinals failed to produce an offensive touchdown.

Why is this historic? Well, because of the now-four times this has happened, the Seahawks have been responsible for half! Obviously, one was the 16-6 victory on Sunday. But the other time it happened was in 2022 when Seattle defeated Arizona 19-9. Weirdly enough, Week 12 of this season capped off a somewhat bizarre trilogy of low-scoring, 10-point wins for the Seahawks over the Cardinals at Lumen Field.

  • 2024: Seahawks win 16-6
  • 2023: Seahawks win 20-10
  • 2022: Seahawks win 19-9

The only other times Murray’s offense has been kept out of the end zone was a 31-9 loss to the Saints in 2019, and a 20-12 loss to the Rams in 2022 as well.

This was a incredible performance by Seattle’s defense. We will find out soon enough if they can replicate this performance when these teams face off against one another in less than two weeks time.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

Seahawks defense set tone with dominant first half vs. Cardinals in Week 12 win

Seahawks defense set tone with dominant first half vs. Cardinals in Week 12 win

The Seattle Seahawks’ defense put forth a dominant showing versus their NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals in Sunday’s crucial 16-6 Week 12 victory. Mike Macdonald’s defense was firing on all cylinders early. It turns out they set the tone during the opening half of Sunday’s triumph.

The Seahawks pressured Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray on nine of his 20 dropbacks (45%) throughout the first half, according to advanced data collected by ESPN Research. That represented the highest pressure rate Murray has faced in a first half in the last two seasons. He predictably struggled under duress, going two-of-six for 27 yards and three sacks on those plays.

Overall, the Seahawks’ surging defense limited the Cardinals to six points, 49 rushing yards, and 300 total yards of offense. A Seahawks defense that’s consistently struggled to defend the run this season held Cardinals running backs James Conner and Trey Benson to 26 yards via 11 carries (2.36 yards per carry).

Arizona’s offense went a combined three-of-13 on third and fourth down attempts. Murray threw zero touchdowns and one interception. He was sacked on five total occasions.

The Seahawks have held consecutive divisional opponents to under 20 points. Back-to-back victories over the San Francisco 49ers and Cardinals have the 6-5 Seahawks suddenly sitting atop the NFC West after all three of their divisional contenders lost on Sunday. Macdonald’s in-form defense is powering Seattle forward.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Seahawks vs Cardinals inactives report: Latest updates, news for Week 12

All the latest updates and news on Seattle’s inactives report ahead of a Week 12 game vs. Arizona

The Seattle Seahawks entered the weekend with a relatively favorable health report. Only tight end Brady Russell was ruled OUT, who will miss his second-straight game. The only other players on the injury report from Friday were Laviska Shenault and Noah Fant, both listed as QUESTIONABLE.

Unfortunately, despite being QUESTIONABLE, Shenault and Fant are officially inactive for Sunday. The good news is defensive lineman Leonard Williams is not featured on the inactives list, neither is safety Rayshawn Jenkins – who was activated from injured reserve on Saturday.

The inactives list for both teams can be seen below.

Seahawks inactives report

  • WR Laviska Shenault Jr.
  • CB Nehemiah Pritchett
  • TE Brady Russell
  • LB Trevis Gipson
  • G Sataoa Laumea
  • TE Noah Fant
  • DE Myles Adams

Cardinals inactives report

  • S Jalen Thompson
  • DL Darius Robinson
  • OLB Julian Okwara
  • OL Christian Jones
  • TE Travis Vokolek
  • WR Xavier Weaver

Be sure to follow @TheSeahawksWire and @KoleMusgrove23 on Twitter for more live updates, analysis, and highlights during the game.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III has a chance to make history

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III has a chance to make history

The Seattle Seahawks have a legitimate star in the making with running back Kenneth Walker III. The explosive Michigan State standout has quietly made a name for himself as one of the best runners of the football in the league. Despite missing two games this year, Walker has taken every opportunity he can to make his presence felt in every outing since.

While the rushing yardage totals may not be there, Walker is having little trouble finding paydirt. Right now, Walker has seven rushing touchdowns on the year, as he is increasingly difficult to stop when the end zone is in sight.

Walker’s touchdown total has him on the verge of matching some recent franchise history. In fact, if he is able to get three more rushing touchdowns this year, he will be the first Seahawks running back to have at least 10 scores on the ground since Marshawn Lynch had 13 during the 2014 season.

Walker is a threat to take it to the house with every touch of the ball. The Seahawks would be wise to once again make him a focal point of the offensive game plan on Sunday, in an effort to keep Kyler Murray and the dynamic Cardinals offense sidelined. If Walker can start running rampant, Seattle has a good shot at defending home turf.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]

Seahawks looking relatively healthy going into Week 12 vs Cardinals

Seahawks looking relatively healthy going into Week 12 vs Cardinals

The Seattle Seahawks have announced their game designations for the Week 12 showdown against the Arizona Cardinals. After several lengthy injury reports, which included defensive line staple Leonard Williams as a non-participant, the Seahawks are looking relatively healthy this weekend.

The only player officially ruled OUT for Sunday is tight end Brady Russell, who missed Week 11 vs the San Francisco 49ers. This will be the second-straight game Russell will miss with his foot injury.

The good news is no player is listed as DOUBTFUL. Additionally, Russell’s fellow tight end, Noah Fant, is listed as QUESTIONABLE. Fant has missed the previous two games, but he did return to practice in limited capacity. Wide receiver/return specialist Laviska Shenault Jr. is also listed as QUESTIONABLE.

The best news of the day is the fact Leonard Williams carries no gametime designation. This means he will be active on Sunday, which will be a considerable boost to Seattle’s defensive front as they try to contain quarterback Kyler Murray.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1360]