SEATTLE — Between special teams miscues and an inconsistent offense, Seattle didn’t resemble a team steamrolling into the NFL playoffs, but what transpired for 58 minutes against the Cardinals Sunday was nothing a Russell Wilson-led game-winning drive couldn’t erase.
The Seahawks — facing the NFL’s worst team at home — found themselves tied and with the ball against Arizona with 1:49 to play.
Cue Wilson’s late-game heroics.
Wilson connected with Tyler Lockett on a critical 37-yard pass with under a minute to go, setting up a Sebastian Janikowski 33-yard field goal as time expired. The field goal gave the Seahawks a 27-24 victory over the pesky Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon.
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Grading the Seahawks’ 27-24 win over the Arizona CardinalsDec 30, 2018
The win clinched the NFC’s No. 5 seed for the Seahawks (10-6), who next face the No. 4 seed Dallas Cowboys in the wild card round at 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, in Arlington, Texas.
Seattle’s Bradley McDougald (30) celebrates a fourth-quarter turnover with teammates during the Seahawks’ 27-24 win over Arizona on Sunday at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
“It just reminds us of how hard it is to win these games and how much we cherish every one of them,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “… We ended up getting to 10 (wins), and we’re heading to the playoffs, and our guys are really excited about that.”
Seattle’s offensive line was out of rhythm throughout. DJ Fluker and JR Sweezy both sat as Seattle started Ethan Pocic, moved George Fant to right tackle and bumped Germain Ifedi to right guard. The Seahawks’ run game lacked consistency, despite compiling 182 yards, and Wilson was sacked six times.
Special teams play was sloppy, too. Seattle punter Michael Dickson had a punt blocked and recovered for a touchdown and had another punt tipped. The Seahawks’ punt coverage team also gave up a 45-yard return. The errors routinely gave short fields to Arizona (3-13), which managed only 198 total yards.
“Gosh, I don’t know,” said Carroll, when asked about the issues on special teams. “We’ve got to go to work. The whole field position thing just messed this game up totally.”
Chris Carson offered a bright spot, though, so did a tremendous defensive performance.
Carson for the third straight week eclipsed the 100-yard mark, finishing with 122 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Mike Davis added 44 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Seattle’s defense held Arizona to 198 total yards, which marked the second time this year the Seahawks’ defense held an opponent under 200. The Josh Rosen-led Cardinals offense was neutralized by a ferocious pass rush that racked up six sacks. Frank Clark had two, pushing his season total to 14, and Jarran Reed added a pair.
“Really good pressure all day long and good coverage all day long, too, for the most part,” said Carroll of his defense. “It was just a really good day for them, and we needed them badly.”
Seattle took a 7-3 lead late in the first quarter when Lockett took advantage of a breakdown in the Cardinals’ secondary. On a third-and-3 from Arizona’s 29, Wilson looked right to Lockett’s side and found the receiver wide open 15 yards behind the closest Arizona cornerback.
The touchdown pass — Wilson’s 196th of his career and 35th of the season — moved him in front of longtime Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg for the franchise lead in passing scores. Wilson finished completing 12-of-21 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown and an interception.
“I think it’s always great,” said Wilson of throwing touchdowns. “There have been a lot of great quarterbacks in front of me that have played here and everything else. I believe I am just beginning; I’m just starting.”
Seattle defensive end Jacob Martin set up the Seahawks’ second score — a Carson 7-yard touchdown run at 11:39 in the second quarter that gave Seattle a 14-3 lead. The rookie sacked Rosen, knocking the ball out of his hands before Clark recovered and gave Seattle the ball at the Cardinals’ 34 with 13:51 until half. Four plays later, Carson took a handoff up the middle, kept his footing after getting tripped up around the 5 and extended the ball into the end zone for his ninth rushing score of the year.
A 15-yard TD pass from Rosen to Larry Fitzgerald, who made a great one-handed grab, trimmed Seattle’s lead to 14-10 with 5:44 to play in the second. Arizona’s drive needed only 27 yards after Dickson’s punt was partially blocked on Seattle’s previous possession.
Pharoh Cooper gave the Cardinals more great field position right before half with a 45-yard punt return, and Gonzalez capitalized with a 50-yard field goal that cut Seattle’s lead to 14-13 with 1:12 left until the break.
Despite holding a 14-13 halftime edge, Seattle struggled slowing Arizona’s pass rush. Wilson was sacked four times, which crippled drives.
Seattle’s offense, after going stagnant much of the second and third quarter, got back on track late in the third with a pair of big runs from Carson and Davis. Backed up in Seattle’s end, Carson burst through a big hole for a 61-yard gain that moved the ball to Arizona’s 28. Davis, two plays later, capped the short drive with a 17-yard TD run that gave Seattle a 21-13 edge with 4:34 to go in the third. Davis put a beautiful move on Arizona cornerback David Amerson to bounce his run around the right side for the score.
But once again, special teams cost the Seahawks.
With 0:20 left in the third quarter, Cardinals’ Cameron Malveaux blocked a Dickson punt that was recovered by Dennis Gardeck in Seattle’s end zone. A successful David Johnson two-point conversion rush tied the game at 21-21.
Seattle took back the lead, 24-21, with a 42-yard Janikowski field goal with 6:20 to play. The score was set up by a Rosen fumble that Seahawks defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson recovered at Arizona’s 31-yard line.
The Cardinals responded with their best drive of the day, and Gonzalez tied the game at 24-24 with a 55-yard field goal at 1:49 in the fourth quarter.
Seattle came back with a 60-yard game-winning drive that ended a Janikowski’s 33-yard field goal as time expired. Wilson connected with Lockett for a critical 37-yard pass, setting up Janikowski’s eventual winner.
“Doug was running a little out-breaking route, and Tyler was slipping behind the guy,” Wilson explained of his pass to Lockett. “Sure enough, we were able to connect. I think that Tyler has been special all year.”
IMPACT
Seattle (10-6) finished the regular season with double-digit wins for the sixth time in the last seven seasons and earned the NFC’s No. 5 seed in the playoffs. The Seahawks will play Dallas, which won the NFC East and lost to Seattle 24-13 in Week 3 at CenturyLink Field, next week in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs.
Arizona (3-13) finished with the NFL’s worst record and wrapped up the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft next spring.
TOP PERFORMERS
Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks — Carson surpassed 100 yards rushing for the third consecutive game, finishing with 122 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He earned half his yards on a 61-yard third-quarter run that set up a critical Seattle touchdown.
Frank Clark, Seattle Seahawks — Clark was part of a defensive line that harassed Cardinals rookie quarterback Josh Rosen all game. Clark picked up two more sacks Sunday, pushing his season total to a team-leading 14.
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals — The future Hall of Famer recorded Arizona’s only touchdown Sunday with a beautiful one-handed grab. He finished with four catches for 36 yards.
KEY NUMBERS
182 — Seattle’s rushing total, which topped its league-leading average of 158.5 rush yards per game heading into Week 17. Chris Carson’s 61-yard second-half run helped in a game where the Seahawks’ offensive line was inconsistent.
3.1 — The yard-per play average to which Seattle’s defense held the Cardinals.
291 — Seattle’s total yardage, which was the third lowest total of the season.
35 — Russell Wilson’s regular-season touchdown total, which is a career and franchise best.
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