The Seahawks are back home this week to play in front of the 12s at Lumen Field, and while a home game is always welcome news, this week brings a game against an Arizona Cardinals team that has been significantly better on the road than at home in recent years. For more on that odd trend and more, Seahawks.com reached out to azcardinals.com senior writer Darren Urban with five questions about this week's opponent.
The Cardinals are 2-3 following a Week 5 loss to the Eagles. What is working early this season for the Cardinals, and what needs to get better for them to start winning more games?
Urban: What's working? Not as much as they would like, that's for sure. The defense, considering who left from last year and who remained, has been surprisingly strong. They started rough against the Chiefs, but many teams struggle to stop the Chiefs. For the most part, though, they have not only done a solid job, they have managed to slow some big-time playmakers: Davante Adams, Cooper Kupp, Christian McCaffery, A.J. Brown. The way the Cards have played defense, it should be enough to win more, frankly, if the offense held up its end. But the Cardinals have yet to score in the first quarter this season and the offense overall has been inconsistent at best. It has moments, but even with the suspension of DeAndre Hopkins, it should be more potent than it has been. Kyler Murray is off to a slower start then they hoped too.
How big of a factor has DeAndre Hopkins' absence been for the offense, and who is stepping up in the passing game during his suspension?
Urban: I mean, you take away arguably a top 5 NFL wideout and it's going to leave a mark. Had he been around there is little question the offense would've been better off, but it wouldn't solve everything. The Cardinals have gotten a great start from Marquise Brown, who has a nice chemistry with Kyler after they played together in college. Brown will be even better with Hopkins in the lineup. Tight end Zach Ertz has also been a steady target.
Obviously, the Cardinals, who are 0-3 at and 2-0 on the road this season, would like to be winning more home games, but they've now won 10 of their last 11 on the road dating back to last season. Is there any reason for that road success, and what kind of confidence does the team now have when it hits the road?
Urban: I can't begin to understand why this team can't win at home and can't lose on the road, although I suppose for this week they will take it. Some of it has been luck: The best teams they have played in their first five games were at home: Chiefs, Rams, Eagles. The road teams have been the Raiders and Panthers. But there is little question they have confidence on the road. They obviously have also gained confidence playing in Seattle too. Another plus of this week: Not playing at home means not answering those questions again.
Other than the obvious big names, what player or players could be an x-factor in Sunday's game?
Urban: Defensive lineman Zach Allen has finally emerged in Year 4 in making a major impact up front (although J.J. Watt continues to be solid too.) And safety Jalen Thompson has been trending up in the secondary. On offense, I'll be curious to see the continuing evolution of wideout Rondale Moore, and running back Eno Benjamin has played well and might need to play more with injuries in the backfield.
What matchup(s) are you looking forward to seeing play out this weekend?
Urban: Not sure which wideout he will cover, but Washington product Byron Murphy figures to cover either Metcalf or Lockett, and Murphy has been playing well. I also want to see if the Cardinals can find a pass rush to harass Geno Smith, who has to be a revelation up there for the Seattle fanbase. And as much as the Seattle defense can struggle, is this the week Kyler can get untracked?
The Seahawks face the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium for Week 9 of the 2022 season. Take a look back at photos from previous games between the two teams.
Phoenix Cardinals quarterback Gary Hogeboom can't find a receiver due to heavy defensive pressure from Seattle Seahawks (92) David Wyman and (72) Joe Nash during action in their pre-season game, Aug. 12, 1989 in Tempe, Arizona. The Seahawks proved too much for the Cardinals after the game went into overtime and lost 16-10. (AP Photo/Chad Surmick)
Running back Ron Moore (30) of the Phoenix Cardinals is held to a one yard gain as he is tackled by Cortez Kennedy (96) of the Seattle Seahawks during the third quarter of their NFL game in Seattle, Washington, Dec. 19, 1993. Watching the play is Joe Wolf (68) of the Cardinals. Phoenix beat Seattle in overtime, 30-27. (AP Photo/Bill Chan)
Arizona Cardinals' Chris Gedney (84) takes in a pass while in the grasp of Seattle Seahawks' Fred Thomas (22), Sept. 13, 1998 in Seattle. The play went 23 yards but wasn't enough as Seattle won the game 33-14. (AP Photo/Jay Drowns)
Seattle Seahawks' Shawn Springs (24) intercepts a pass from Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer in the second quarter Sunday, Nov. 10, 2002, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. Seahawks' Reggie Williams, lower left, and Jeff George, far right, watch as Cardinals' Frank Sanders (81), Jason McAddley, top left, and Steve Bush, right rear, defend. It was the second interception of the half for Plummer. (AP Photo/Rob Schumacher)
Seattle Seahawks' Bobby Engram returns a punt for 48 yards with Arizona Cardinals' Quentin Harris chasing during the second quarter in Seattle Sunday Dec. 26, 2004. The return set up the first Seattle touchdown as it went on to win, 24-21. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks' Shaun Alexander dives into the end zone from the one-yard line for a touchdown with Arizona Cardinals' Adrian Wilson defending during the third quarter, in Seattle, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2005. Alexander scored four touchdowns in the 37-12 win over the Cardinals. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner loses control of the ball but regains control as he is sacked by Seattle Seahawks' Darryl Tapp during the fourth quarter of a football game in Seattle, in this Sept. 17, 2006 file photo. One week after Warner was named NFC offensive player of the week in Arizona's season-opening victory over San Francisco, he was blamed, in part, by his coach for the offense's struggles in Sunday's 21-10 loss at Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Arizona Cardinals' Matt Leinart, center, gets a pass off as he is hit by Seattle Seahawks' Patrick Kerney, left, and Darryl Tapp in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won 23-20. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Cardinals' Ralph Brown (20) knocks the ball away from intended receiver Seattle Seahawks' Koren Robinson in the end zone in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Arizona Cardinals in action against the Seattle Seahawks, November 15, 2009.
Seattle Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch (24) leaves Arizona Cardinals' Greg Toler in the dust on a first-half run in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 22-10. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' Sidney Rice, left, runs on a 23-yard pass reception as Arizona Cardinals' Kerry Rhodes (25) is kept back by Seahawks' Anthony McCoy, right, and Zach Miller in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 13-10. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Arizona Cardinals' Kevin Kolb (4) gets off a pass as Seattle Seahawks' Jason Jones (90) closes in after getting past Cardinals' Adam Snyder (68) during an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals defeated the Seahawks 20-16. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Seattle Seahawks' Zach Miller, right, makes a catch for a touchdown as Arizona Cardinals' Curtis Taylor (37) is near in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014 in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) intercepts a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals' wide receiver Michael Floyd, right, as Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker K.J. Wright (50) looks on in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Brittan Golden (10) is hit by Seattle Seahawks cornerback DeAndre Elliott (21) and defensive back Neiko Thorpe (27) during the second half of a football game, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Referee Walt Coleman tosses the coin before an NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Mike Davis (27) dives in for a touchdown as Arizona Cardinals defensive back Budda Baker (36) defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) catches the football in the end zone during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, in Seattle. The touchdown was later ruled incomplete. The Cardinals defeated the Seahawks, 27-13. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Seattle Seahawks running back Carlos Hyde (30) rushes against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny heads for the end zone with a 62-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
