3 bold predictions for Seahawks versus Cardinals Week 9
By Lee Vowell
The 5-3 Seahawks take on the 3-5 Cardinals in Week 9. The records might surprise you if you just tuned in. But with each week that goes by, Seattle seems more and more real. This could be the week that the bubble bursts, however.
I only partly say that last part because what we have seen from Seattle this year is a bit difficult to believe, right? I mean, they look like a team that has played together for a few years and should be good. But in reality, this is a team built with a nearly career-long quarterback, a few good veterans and a bunch of rookies who are better than expected this early in their careers.
All that is OK, too. Geno Smith seems to actually be as good as he has been playing. Rookies like Ken Walker, Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant (just to name three) look like they are going to help the Seahawks win a lot of games for many years to come. But what happens in Week 9 versus the Cardinals? Here are three guesses.
Bold predictions for the Seahawks vs. the Cardinals in Week 9
Prediction 1: Geno Smith gets his first game with 350 passing yards
For as great as Geno Smith has been, he hasn’t had a game where he has thrown for over 325 yards in 2022. He has had two games this year where he has thrown for more than 268 yards and had three games where he has tossed for fewer than 200 yards. Smith has been fantastic but not prolific.
That will change in Week 9. The Cardinals did sack Smith 5 times in Week 6 and they will probably get some heat on him this Sunday as well, but the Cardinals are struggling with pass defense lately. Arizona is 31st in the NFL in points allowed but in the last two games have averaged giving up 34 points a game. While the Cardinals did get two pick-sixes in Week 7 against the Saints, they also gave up 4 touchdown passes and 361 yards to Saints quarterback Andy Dalton.
Of course, the Cardinals and Seahawks always seem to play close games for the most part. This game might not be any different. But Geno Smith will throw for 379 yards and 3 touchdowns in Week 9 and continue to look much better than Russell Wilson.