SEATTLE — What is it about the Arizona Cardinals?
Why is it that when the Seattle Seahawks find themselves mixed in a bowl with the Cardinals, the resulting chemical reaction creates an explosion that spreads a hot mess all across the floor, walls and ceiling?
It was once again the theater of the absurd Saturday at CenturyLink Field as the Seahawks fell 34-31 to the Cardinals in yet another inexplicable game between the teams.
“I don’t know what it is,” Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said about the games between Seattle and Arizona this season. “It’s just two teams really wanting to win. Unfortunately, we didn’t win.”
When Seattle kicker Steven Hauschka’s extra-point attempt sailed wide left on what should have given the Seahawks a stunning 32-31 lead with 1 minute remaining, everyone in the stadium couldn’t help but flash back to Oct. 23, when the teams played an incomprehensible 6-6 tie at University of Phoenix Stadium. The game that day served up an extraordinary dose of offensive ineptitude, topped off by both teams’ kickers missing chip-shot field goals to win in overtime.
Chandler Catanzaro’s game-winning 43-yard field goal as time expired Saturday spared us from another overtime game, but it didn’t prevent the spectators from walking away from another Seattle-Arizona game scratching their heads.
In the first half, Seattle’s offensive line, which has drawn its share of criticism this season, had its worst display of the season. Quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked five times, the Seahawks had a sequence where they couldn’t score on four consecutive plays from the 1-yard line, and Seattle’s only points were a gift field goal when the Cardinals turned the ball over in the final minute while trying to run out the clock. At times it looked as though the Seahawks’ front five had been replaced by tackling dummies.
Yet somehow Seattle’s offense was able to flip a switch in the second half. Through halftime the Seahawks had gone 20 straight possessions against Arizona without scoring a touchdown. But Seattle, turning to the short passing game to try to negate the Cardinals’ pass rush, ended that drought on the opening drive of the third quarter. It began a sequence in which Seattle scored TDs on four of six possessions in the second half.
Still, the Seahawks found themselves trailing 31-18 with 4:10 remaining. But Seattle mounted a shocking comeback, with Wilson’s touchdown passes to Jimmy Graham and Paul Richardson seeming to deliver a Christmas miracle to Seattle.
However, Hauschka’s miss caused those visions of sugar plum fairies to dissipate. Hauschka’s struggles against Arizona — he made just three of his five kicks from extra-point distance or shorter against the Cardinals this season — left him answering all questions following the game with, “I’ve got to do better.”
Just another chapter in this wacky tale.
But the games involving the Cardinals haven’t been the only ones that have seen Seattle’s season take dramatic swings. Indeed, the previous five weeks saw Seattle’s fortunes shift dramatically depending simply on whether the Seahawks were playing at home — Seattle won big in its three home games, but lost ugly in its two on the road. Saturday’s result not only bucked that trend, it ended the Seahawks’ bid for a perfect season at home.
And now the Seahawks need help if they want a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Seattle was passed by Atlanta for the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Detroit also could move ahead of the Seahawks if the Lions beat Dallas on Monday. Seattle needs to beat San Francisco next week, then have Detroit lose to either Dallas or Green Bay, and Atlanta lose to New Orleans to get their week off.
All because of another goofy game against the Cardinals.
So was it merely another case of the Cardinals for Seattle, as opposed to a sign of trouble ahead?
The Seahawks better hope so.
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.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
