The Seattle Seahawks didn’t punch their ticket to the playoffs with their 30-18 win Sunday in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals, however they maintained sole possession of first place within the NFC West — and did it with one in all their greatest performances of the season.
Seahawks win 30-18 | Instant Reaction | Observations | Stats
Say what you’ll about Seattle’s offensive line, their struggles in short-yardage conditions, or that stretch the place they misplaced 5 of six again in October (onerous to consider this is similar protection). There’s volatility in being a group with unanswered questions on the roster, but additionally potential. And the Seahawks confirmed simply how a lot of that they nonetheless have with their season sweep of the Cardinals, with two spectacular wins over Arizona in a three-game span.
Seattle’s offense entered the day with out main halfback Kenneth Walker III, and it nonetheless discovered a option to rack up 176 dashing yards, which is the Seahawks’ most in any sport this season, and essentially the most since they’ve had since gaining 146 in Week 1 (!) in opposition to the Denver Broncos. Their 409 yards of whole offense is the third-most allowed this season by the Cardinals’ protection, after the Washington Commanders (449) and Green Bay Packers (437).
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Most importantly, Seattle’s protection continued its stretch of limiting opponents to twenty factors or fewer in regulation to 5 video games. There’s at all times warning {that a} flip in the direction of the constructive — notably a flip in the direction of one thing glorious — is short-term. No one needs to be left the idiot. But I’m working out of excuses to see Seattle’s defensive enchancment as something however actual, and their defensive ceiling as something however clearly playoff-caliber. The odds of a doable playoff go to? Now sitting at 76%.
Not dangerous, Mike Macdonald.
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