The Seahawks travel to Arizona in Week 4 for a Thursday night showdown between a pair of NFC West teams who come into the game with matching 2-1 records. The Seahawks are looking to build off an impressive win over the Saints when they head to the desert this week, while the Cardinals are trying to bounce back from a close loss to the 49ers.
Here are five things to watch when the Seahawks and Cardinals face off in primetime:
1. Will Seattle's offense continue its upward trend against a tough Cardinals defense?
The Seahawks have won the last two weeks because of strong play in all three phases of the game, but what has perhaps been most encouraging from a big-picture standpoint is the growth the offense has shown in its first few weeks under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and with new players at several key spots, most notably quarterback Sam Darnold.
After totaling 13 points, 14 first downs and 230 total yards with a 4.6 yards-per-play average in a Week 1 loss to 49ers, the offense has been significantly better in double-digit wins over the Steelers and Saints. In Pittsburgh, the Seahawks scored 31 points, albeit with a special teams score adding to that total, and had 21 first downs, 395 yards and a 6.2 yards-per-play average. Then last weekend, the Seahawks hung 44 points on the Saints, totaling 320 yards, 22 first downs and a 5.9 yards-per-play average, numbers that could have all been bigger had the Seahawks not been playing with a huge lead after racing to a 21-0 lead.
And Darnold has played a big role in Seattle's early offensive success, making a good early impression in his first three starts as a Seahawk. In the past two wins, Darnold has completed 36 of 51 attempts in the past two games for 513 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Last week, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, Darnold threw downfield (10-plus air yards) on 44.4 percent of his pass attempts, completing 6 of 8 attempts for 146 yards and a touchdown, giving him a passer rating of 156.3 on those downfield throws, his best passer rating on such throws in his career. Next Gen Stats also had Darnold with a 77.8 percent drop-back success rate, the highest of his career, and with a 91.9 grade, he is Pro Football Focus' highest-rated quarterback in the NFL through three weeks.
"It's just continuing to know each other, to learn each other in the system, watch the tape, and be able to learn from Sunday," Darnold said. "What do we do on Monday to get better from it and continue that process with each other. I think that's the biggest thing and communicating. The more that we communicate with each other, the more that we talk to the coaches about what we're seeing on the field, and how we can just clean things up as a group. It's only going to continue to help us in the future and we're going to continue to do that."
2. Can either team find success on the ground going against a stingy run defense?
While the Seahawks have shown a commitment to running the ball, they have not been able to do so as consistently as they'd like. There have been some really good moments in the running game, including a 105-yard performance by Kenneth Walker III in Week 2, but they have not been able to move the ball on the ground as consistently as they would like to.
The Seahawks rank sixth in the NFL in rushing attempts, a sign of their commitment to the ground game, as well as the result of playing with big leads in the second half of the past two games, but 21st in rushing yards with 96.0 per game, and 29th in yards per attempt at 3.3 yards per carry.
"There's room for improvement just like many facets of our offense," offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said when asked about those rushing numbers. "We can coach better there, we can play better there and it's something that our guys are putting a big emphasis on.
"We've just got to be more detailed, and it starts with me."
The Cardinals have had a bit more success on the ground, averaging 111.3 yards per game (16th) and 4.3 yards per carry (17th), but last weekend they lost top running back James Conner to a season-ending foot injury.
And running the ball on both Arizona and Seattle's defenses has proven to be a tough challenge for opponents this season. The Seahawks rank seventh in run defense, allowing 90.0 yards per game, while the Cardinals rank fourth, allowing 76.3 yards per game. Seattle's run defense is even better on a per-carry basis, giving up just 3.2 yards per carry (third) while the Cardinals rank 10th, giving up 3.8 yards per carry.
3. What do Seattle's special teams units do for an encore?
The Seahawks played well enough on offense and defense to win last week, but a big reason why they won by such a big margin, and matched a franchise record with 21 first-quarter points, was their play on special teams. Not only did rookie Tory Horton return a punt 95 yards for a score, setting a franchise record for longest punt return, the Seahawks also got a blocked punt by D'Anthony Bell to set up another touchdown, and a 60-yard kick return from Dareke Young that led to another touchdown.
The previous week, the Seahawks got another special teams touchdown when George Holani recovered a Jason Myers kickoff, which the Steelers failed to field, in the end zone to help turn a close game into a double-digit victory.
It might not be realistic to expect a third straight special teams touchdown, but the Seahawks will again be counting on special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh's group to make some game-changing plays.
4. Can Byron Murphy II and the defensive front continue their hot start?
After a breakout game in Week 2 that included 1.5 sacks, second-year defensive tackle Byron Murphy II turned in another strong outing in Week 3, adding another sack to give him 2.5 through three games, a strong early pace for an interior lineman.
But what is most encouraging for the Seahawks defense is not just the play of Murphy, but of the entire defensive front, which is looking more and more like one of the best in the NFL, with Murphy, Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, and outside linebackers Boye Mafe, Derick Hall and DeMarcus Lawrence all making big contributions as pass-rushers and in the running game.
With all of those players generating pressure, and with Uchenna Nwosu working his way back to full speed, the Seahawks are loaded up to get after quarterbacks, but they have also been really stout against the run, which will only make that pass rush better.
"Everyone owns their role," defensive coordinator Aden Durde said of the run defense. "I think that's the number one thing. When you play a run defense it's a grimy game. Sometimes you do it from a split-safety shell, we do, and there's a couple of players that have to have very hard downs. You see there's probably four plays this year where Leo (Leonard Williams) splits a double team, grabs a running back, and tackles him in the backfield. When people own their roles like that, you can be a good run team. The thing about, as we grow, is understanding we have to do this down after down, week after week. For us, this is what we say to them and they're starting to say it themselves. The consistency of play, you can't get ahead of yourself, you have to win this week."
5. Do the Seahawks keep up their winning ways on the road, and in Glendale in particular?
Sunday's win over the Saints was an important one for the Seahawks, who have been looking to get back on track at home after some recent struggles at Lumen Field. But while the Seahawks are looking to turn the tide and get back to being a dominant team at home, the goal on the road is to maintain the status quo.
Including a Week 2 win in Pittsburgh, the Seahawks are 8-1 in road games since Mike Macdonald took over as head coach, a stretch that includes a win in Arizona last season. And Seattle's road success at State Farm stadium dates back well into last decade. The Seahawks have won seven consecutive games overall against Arizona, but what really stands out in the recent series history has been Seattle's record in Arizona. Going back to Seattle's Super Bowl winning 2013 season, during which they won in Arizona in Week 7, the Seahawks have gone 10-1-1 at Arizona, with their lone loss coming in 2020 and a tie coming in 2016.
The Seahawks and Cardinals face off fore their second matchup of the season on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. PT. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Cardinals.
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) and goes for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, Sept. 13, 1998 in Seattle. The play went 23 yards but wasnt enough as Seattle won the game 33-14. (AP Photo/Jay Drowns)
Seattle Seahawks' Itula Mili catches a 1-yard pass in the endzone from quarterback Trent Dilfer while Arizona Cardinals' Kwamie Lassiter stands in the background during the second quarter in Seattle Sunday Sept. 15, 2002. AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Arizona Cardinals Defensive End Kyle Vanden Bosch (93) runs during a week 10 NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Phoenix, Arizona on November 10, 2002. The Seahawks defeated the Cardinals 27-6. (AP Photo/Scott Boehm)
Seattle Seahawks' Chike Okeafor (56) strips the ball away from Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown in the first quarter Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Seattle Seahawks' Shaun Alexander, right, outruns Arizona Cardinals' Duane Starks on a 23-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004, in Seattle. Alexander rushed 30 times for 154 yards with three touchdowns, leading Seattle to a 24-21 win. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks safety Ken Hamlin, left, and Kelly Herdon, background right, break up a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin during the first quarter Sunday, Sept. 25, 2005, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks' Julian Peterson, left, hurries Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart (7) during the second quarter of their football game Sunday, Dec. 10, 2006 in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
FILE 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' Calvin Pace, rear right, Darnell Dockett, left, and Antonio Smith, center, pursue Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007 in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Seattle Seahawks' Marcus Trufant returns an intercepted pass for an 84-yard touchdown from Arizona Cardinals' Kurt Warner with Ralph Brown diving after him during the fourth quarter of their football game in Seattle, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007. The Seahawks won 42-21. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
SEATTLE - NOVEMBER 16: Running back Maurice Morris #20 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday November 16, 2008 in Seattle, Washington. The Cardinals won the game 26-20. (AP Photo/Thomas E. Witte) T.J. Duckett
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace (15) throws as Arizona Cardinals' Bertrand Berry (92) pursues during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008 in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
From left, Seattle Seahawks? Colin Cole, Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin (81), Seahawks' Aaron Curry (59) and Cardinals' Mike Gandy in action during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Justin Forsett (20) breaks free from Arizona Cardinals linebacker Clark Haggans (53) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009 in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Seattle Seahawks Marcus Trufant, left, and Walter Thurmond, right, tackle Arizona Cardinals Tim Hightower, center, causing a fumble, in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Mike Williams (17) gains yards as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Greg Toler defends during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Seattle Seahawks David Hawthorne tackles Arizona Cardinals Todd Heap in the first half of a NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette, tops makes a touchdown reception over Arizona Cardinals cornerback Marshay Gren, bottom, during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won 23-20 in overtime. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) escapes a sack by Arizona Cardinals linebacker Reggie Walker during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012,in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) returns an interception from Arizona Cardinals quarterback John Skelton (19) during the first quarter of an NFL football game in Seattle, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Seattle Seahawks tight end Zach Miller (86) pulls in a touchdown pass as Arizona Cardinals strong safety Yeremiah Bell (37) and Rashad Johnson (26) defend during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Seattle Seahawks' Russell Okung (76) defends against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Seattle Seahawks' cornerback Richard Sherman, left, runs coverage on Arizona Cardinals wide receiver John Brown (12) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (89) 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 outside linebacker Bruce Irvin (51) breaks up a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals running back Chris Johnson in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) breaks the tackle of Arizona Cardinals strong safety Deone Bucannon (20) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws as Arizona Cardinals nose tackle Rodney Gunter (95) pursues during the first half of a football game, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Seattle Seahawks' Doug Baldwin (89) runs with the ball as Arizona Cardinals' Patrick Peterson gives chase in the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham (88) catches a touchdown pass during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. The Seahawks defeated the Cardinals, 22-16. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Seahawks celebrate in the end zone.
Kenneth Walker III crashes into the end zone with a touchdown to cap Seattle's final scoring drive.
Seahawks receiver Jake Bobo goes high in the air to make make the catch, then managed to keep his feet inbounds for a second quarter touchdown.
Seattle's Kenneth Walker III sheds Arizona safety Budda Baker on a long gain in the first half.
Devon Witherspoon after one of his three tackels for loss against the Cardinals.
Seattle's Tyler Lockett tracks the football as he croses into the end zone for a touchdown from quarterback Geno Smith late in the game.
Seahawks safety Coby Bryant leaps into the end zone at the end of a pick-six with an homage to former running back Marshawn Lynch, who once struck the same pose as he scored against Arizona.
Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba finds ample running room up the left side for a 46-yard gain in the second quarter.
Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams acknowledges 12s in the stands in Arizona as the team takes the field.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet stiff arms Arizona's Budda Baker.
