I apologize if this column triggers anyone’s post traumatic stress disorder. But with the Seattle Seahawks hosting the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at CenturyLink Field I find myself forced to exhume the remains of a game many would prefer to leave dead and buried in as deep a hole as possible.
I am, of course, referring to the night of Oct. 23, 2016, when the Seahawks and Cardinals momentarily set offensive football back to the stone age.
Before a national television audience, Seattle and Arizona played out an unsatisfying 6-6 tie at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., that left observers asking themselves, “What just happened?”
Neither team did squat on offense. Both teams’ kickers missed chips-shot field goals in overtime that would have won the game. Throughout the game social media spewed a constant stream of outrage and indignation.
Even Seahawks coach Pete Carroll found himself at a loss. Carroll’s face after Steven Hauschka yanked his 28-yard field-goal attempt well wide left with seven seconds remaining in overtime — open mouthed and full of bewilderment — told the whole story.
If you found yourself wanting to stab your eyes out while watching the game, I understand. If you found yourself strangely drawn to the spectacle, I understand that, too. While it may not have been the most aesthetically-pleasing game in NFL history, it sure was compelling. That doesn’t necessarily mean anyone wants to witness it again.
“It was a really hard-fought, tough, physical, mentally-challenging game, and I like that we have that at our back and we made it to a tie,” the ever-optimistic Carroll said in advance of Saturday’s rematch. “We know what that’s like and we don’t want to ever have to do that again.”
Carroll has good reason for not wanting a visit from the ghost of ridiculousness past. In a season that’s seen Seattle’s offense endure its share of struggles, the game against the Cardinals was the nadir.
In 75 minutes the Seahawks managed just 257 yards of offense. One-hundred-and-twenty-seven of those came in overtime, meaning Seattle had just 130 yards through regulation, a total that would have been the lowest since Carroll became coach in 2010. Seattle punted on its first nine possessions, five of which were three-and-out, and the Seahawks didn’t cross midfield until blocking a punt late in the fourth quarter to set up their only score in regulation.
The consequence was Seattle’s defense played to exhaustion. The Seahawks’s D spent 46 minutes, 21 seconds on the field, the 10th-longest time in NFL history according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. Eye-witness accounts described the Seattle locker room after the game as a MASH unit.
These are scenes everyone wants to avoid repeating.
The good news for Seattle’s offense is there are reasons why Saturday’s meeting between the teams will be different.
First, quarterback Russell Wilson is healthy. When the teams met in October Wilson was still hobbled by the sprained right ankle and sprained left knee he suffered during the first three weeks of the season. As a result the game plan was for Wilson to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible, before Arizona’s pass rush arrived. That took away the deep threat. Wilson is healthier now and his mobility has returned, so the whole playbook will be available.
Second, running back Thomas Rawls is back. Rawls sat out the first game against the Cardinals because of his cracked left fibula. Christine Michael served as Seattle’s primary ball-carrier, had limited effectiveness as he carried 16 times for 52 yards, and was since released. Rawls may be coming off a poor game in which he managed just 34 yards on 21 carries against the Los Angeles Rams, but he is still a bigger threat than anyone the Seahawks had carrying the ball that day.
Finally, the game is at home. Seattle’s offense has been night and day depending on whether or not it’s operating on the FieldTurf at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks are averaging 28.0 points per game at home, against just 14.6 on the road, and the 13.4-point differential is by far the greatest in the NFL.
So there are factors in play that should prevent a repeat performance, but I understand if your reflexive reaction is to jerk your head away from the action and cover your eyes with your hands.
“Last time they just made a few more plays, then at the end of the game they just kind of went a little crazy there and unfortunately it ended in a tie,” Wilson said, insisting this time things will be different. “For us, it comes down to making plays, it comes down to execution, it’s not some big mysterious thing.”
It’s possible Seattle, which has already secured a playoff spot, can clinch a bye in the first round this week. According to NFL.com a Seahawks victory, coupled with a Detroit loss at Dallas on Monday and an Atlanta loss or tie at Carolina on Saturday will give Seattle a bye with one week to spare.
But another tie against the Cardinals won’t get the job done.
In the aftermath of that inexplicable contest between the Seahawks and Cardinals in October I wrote that we will never see a game like that ever again.
As we settle in for Saturday’s rematch, I think we’re all hoping I was right.
For more on the Seattle sports scene, check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at www.heraldnet.com/tag/seattle-sidelines, or follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.
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