Seahawks Shut Down Cardinals 17-3 to Snap Losing Streak

Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Arizona Cardinals 17-3 on Sunday at Lumen Field. The win improved Seattle’s record to 5-4 after a 34-17 loss to the Chicago Bears the previous week. The Cardinals finished the season with a 3-5 record.

Defensive line play was the defining factor in the outcome. The Seahawks allowed just 50 total rushing yards and recorded eight tackles for loss. They held Arizona scoreless on every drive after the opening possession. This marked a sharp improvement from the previous game, where Seattle’s red zone defense had allowed nine consecutive scores.

Backup quarterback Drew Lock started at quarterback in place of Sam Darnold. Lock threw for 175 yards and one touchdown. He sustained an oblique injury in the second half but remained in the game. Running back Zach Charbonnet carried the ball 16 times for 77 yards. Rookie running back Jadarian Price added 54 receiving yards.

Tight end A.J. Barner scored both of Seattle’s touchdowns. He rushed for a touchdown on a goal-line sneak and caught a seven-yard pass from Lock in the second quarter. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba finished with 51 yards on seven receptions. The Seahawks’ offensive line protected Lock effectively despite missing Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson.

Edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence forced a fumble and recorded two tackles for loss. His final tackle for loss against Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier stopped Arizona on fourth down inside the end zone. Safety Nick Emmanwori broke up a pass to tight end Trey McBride to seal the victory. The Seahawks allowed only one field goal in the first quarter.

Head coach Mike Macdonald credited the depth of the roster for the performance. He noted that players from the bottom of the 70-man roster stepped into their roles without hesitation. The team emphasized red zone defense during practice this week. Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II said the group needed to play as one unit to regain their form from the previous season.

Lock said he focused on controlling the game with the running game to give the defense longer fields to defend. He noted that the ability to pin opposing teams deep in their own territory with punts was a key part of that strategy. The Seahawks will travel to Las Vegas next week to play the Raiders before their bye week.

The Cardinals opened the game with an 89-yard drive that ended in a field goal. After that, Seattle’s defense limited Arizona to just over 100 total yards for the remainder of the contest. The win provided a strong foundation for the team entering the final stretch of the regular season.