When they meet Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, the Seahawks and Cardinals won’t be exactly the same teams they were Oct. 16 when they played in Seattle.
In the first meeting the Cardinals didn’t have receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was finishing up a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
And Seattle running back Kenneth Walker III had yet to start a game.
Hopkins is back, again serving as the leading target for quarterback Kyler Murray.
And now, Walker has given Seattle the same dynamic running attack it had with Rashaad Penny, helping key a three-game winning streak that has the Seahawks atop the NFC West at 5-3.
That winning streak began with a 19-9 win over Arizona. And that Cardinals loss is one of three in their past four games, putting them close to must-win mode at 3-5.
Will the teams continue to head in opposite directions Sunday?
Let’s take a closer look with our weekly keys to the game and prediction.
Matchup to watch
Seahawks CB Tariq Woolen vs. Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins
Hopkins has 22 receptions on 27 targets since his return, and he has been targeted on 37% of Arizona’s passes. He has 262 receiving yards and a touchdown, with 103 or more yards in each game, against New Orleans and Minnesota. And he has typically done it while lined up on the left side — 10 of his receptions have come to the outside left, according to Pro Football Focus, with only three to the outside right (the rest were between the hashes). That means he often will line up Sunday against Woolen, who won the NFL Defensive Rookie Player of the Month award and is Seattle’s right-side cornerback. Woolen will face one of the sternest tests of his career.
Player to watch
OLB Uchenna Nwosu
Nwosu continues to lead the way for Seattle’s resurgent defensive front, with three sacks and 13 pressures in the past three games. One of those sacks came against the Cardinals three weeks ago, the first game in which the Seattle defensive front was given more freedom to play an aggressive, one-gap style instead of a read-and-react, two-gap scheme. But one key to that is knowing when to shoot the gaps — the wrong guess could lead to a big lane for the fleet Murray, who had 100 yards rushing against Seattle in the first game. Nwosu will have to lead the way and not let Murray get free often.
Coaching decision to watch
Will the Seahawks continue to rotate at right guard?
OK, this isn’t the most attention-getting coaching decision. But it is an interesting one, as Seattle’s right guards — Gabe Jackson and Phil Haynes — are healthy. Haynes has been filling in for Jackson due to Jackson’s knee and hip issues, Haynes had a concussion against the Chargers. Jackson has started five games this year, Haynes three, and they rotated last week — Haynes played 38 snaps, Jackson 26. Coach Pete Carroll said this week he’s comfortable rotating there, so both could continue to play regularly.
The X-factor
Arizona’s desperation
Since starting last season 7-0, the Cardinals have gone 7-13, including playoffs. And though Arizona is not at the halfway point of the season, this feels like pretty much a must-win, especially with the 49ers (4-4) — who are on their bye week — playing four of their next five at home. A loss would put Arizona three back of the Seahawks, and the season sweep would give them any edge in playoff tiebreakers. To paraphrase Yogi Berra, it could get late early for Arizona without a win Sunday.
Players who could surprise
Tight ends Will Dissly, Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson
We cited the tight ends in this category the last time the Seahawks played the Cardinals. Via Pro Football Reference, no NFL team has given up more receptions to tight ends than Arizona (56), and only one team has allowed more yards — the Seahawks at 595. Arizona has allowed 568. Arizona is tied for the most touchdowns allowed to tight ends at seven. A reason? It may simply be the aggressiveness of Arizona’s defense and blitzes, which at times leave the middle wide open for tight ends to exploit. In the first game, Seattle’s tight ends had 10 of Seattle’s 20 receptions, good for 68 yards.
Key stat
7-1-1
That’s Seattle’s record against the Cardinals in Glendale dating to 2013. Former Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson lost the first game he played in what is now called State Farm Stadium, and then lost only one more game there against Arizona (and, yes, he lost one other game there, which we won’t get into now). Wilson, of course, is gone. Last month’s Seahawks win also ended a weird hex at Lumen Field — Arizona had won six of the past nine matchups in Seattle. So maybe streaks are meant to be broken.
Prediction
Seahawks 24, Cardinals 17
Hex, schmex. Arizona’s a different team with Hopkins back, and this figures to be a higher-scoring game than the 19-9 affair three weeks ago. But the Seahawks seem to be on a roll, and Arizona is in desperation mode. That may not bring out the best in the Cardinals.