Seahawks at Cardinals: How the Seahawks can Win on Sunday Night Football
By Paul Novak
The Seattle Seahawks season comes down to the final two games. The first, a Sunday Night Football matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals, who will have third string quarterback Ryan Lindley taking snaps in place of Drew Stanton, are led by their defense.
Defensive end Calais Campbell, who had three sacks in his last game against Seattle anchors the Cardinals d-line that ranks 6th in the NFL allowing just 90.4 rushing yards per game. The defensive unit also allows the third fewest points per game in the NFL this season with 17.4. Only the Seahawks (17.3 ppg) and Detroit Lions (17 ppg) allow less.
Russell Wilson was sacked seven times in the first meeting of the season and Marshawn Lynch only carried the ball 15 times for 39 yards on the ground. With Lindley starting for the Cardinals against a Seahawks defense that allows the fewest yards per game, it’s expected to be a low scoring battle.
Here are a few things the Seahawks need to do to win this week and secure a spot in the playoffs:
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Pressure Ryan Lindley:
Lindley is making his first start in the NFL and has yet to throw a touchdown in 181 pass attempts. Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians will undoubtedly try to put this game into the hands of the running game. That’s exactly what the Seahawks want as they excel in defending against the run.
It’s only a matter of time until Lindley throws for a score but the Seahawks will make the task as difficult as possible.
Since Bobby Wagner returned from injury, the Seahawks have returned to their 2013 form. Seattle has limited opponents to fewer than seven points per game in their four-game win streak.
Next: Unleash Russell Wilson