Seahawks vs. Cardinals: Staff and media predictions
By Lee Vowell
Seahawks Cardinals has a ring to it, doesn’t it? Seattle plays their final regular season game of 2017 on Sunday versus Arizona. Hopefully, this will not be their final game of the year. With a win and some help from Carolina, Seattle will make the playoffs. Here are how some are predicting the games go today.
Andrew Larkin
The Seahawks face a second consecutive must-win game in a week 17 matchup with the Cardinals. I will admit, they surprised me with their play last week, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I look for Seattle to leave a good taste in the home crowd’s mouths after the Rams debacle.
Prediction: Seattle 27 Arizona 10
Steve McGrain
Arizona is outmatched on paper, but it is a rivalry game and they have won in Seattle as of late. Nonetheless, Seattle’s playoff hopes are on the line and are at home. This will be too much for the Cards. Seattle ends Bruce Arians tenure in Arizona with a loss.
Prediction: Seattle 24 Arizona 13
Todd Vandenberg
The Cardinals defense has been very tough against the run the past three weeks, although only the Titans have a really good running game. Seattle’s ground game should be helped by returning fullback Tre Madden’s blocking skills. Arizona will start Drew Stanton at quarterback. He’s good enough to draw comparisons to Austin Davis, I’ll give you that much. Future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald will get his yards, then will politely congratulate the Seahawks on their victory at about 4:45 pm.
Prediction: Seattle 23 Arizona 13
Lee Vowell
I don’t know what to think about Seattle anymore. Nearly every game I think they will definitely lose (i.e. the Dallas game last Sunday), they win. Any game I think they have a chance in (the last Rams game), they lose. Arizona isn’t Los Angeles, but their defense has been very good the last few weeks. Good enough to beat a struggling Seattle offense. The Seahawks need points early in this game to get them some confidence. At least the Cardinals don’t have a stud running back right now.
Prediction: Seattle 17 Arizona 14
National media predictions
Almost everyone in the national and local media is picking Seattle to win. This might be a bad thing.
Brady Henderson of ESPN has Seattle winning 21-13.
Chris Simms of Bleacher Report has the Seahawks winning as well, but closer at 21-20. (Simms is also picking the Falcons to beat the Panthers, though, 22-20.)
Both predictors at ProFootballTalk.com have Seattle winning, but are split on their Panthers-Falcons thoughts.
Everybody at SBNation.com thinks Seattle will win, but six of nine thinks the Falcons will defeat the Panthers.
And at USA Today, all writers think Seattle will win, but three of five are taking Atlanta over Carolina.
Related Story: Could this be Pete Carroll's last game with Seahawks?
For Seattle to make the playoffs, the Seahawks need to win and the Falcons need to lose. Fingers crossed.