The roller coaster ride that is the Seattle Seahawks’ life without Russell Wilson took another upturn as the Hawks went down to Glendale, Arizona and pitched a shutout against the Cardinals. With Carson Palmer going 30 of 41 for 337 yards, the Cards had opportunities to score, including getting as close as the 1 yard line, but were still unable to get anything on the board. Palmer was intercepted twice and sacked 8 times by a Seattle defense that was humiliated by Donfred Curry’s NFC Offensive Player of the Week performance a week ago, but which had also kept the Dallas Cowboys out of the end zone seven days before that. On offense, the Seahawks racked up 460 yards, with Josh Freeman looking like a first round pick as he completed 20 of 26 attempts for 236 yards and a TD, and with rookie receiver Tamarcus Guy having a breakout game. Guy grabbed 5 balls for 133 yards that included a 63 yard touchdown on Josh Johnson’s lone throw of the contest. While the Seahwks didn’t get a 100-yard game out of Fred Alden or Wayman Avery, the pair did combine for 131 yards on 27 total carries. The victory, which was Seattle’s second shutout of 2016, gives the Seahawks a half-game NFC West lead over the Rams, who were idle over the weekend.
The game began with each team going three and out, then Steven Hauschka missed a 46 yard field goal attempt after Calais Campbell’s sack of Freeman. On the next play Tharold Simon picked off Palmer, returning the ball to the Arizona 36. That takeaway led to Christine Michael’s 7 yard touchdown run on 2nd and 2. Arizona then punted from the Seattle 41, with Drew Butler’s kick angling out of bounds at the 15. A Seahawks three and out followed, then the Cardinals generated their first scoring opportunity. They were lined up for a 50 yard field goal attempt, but after a false start Bruce Arians chose to punt rather than to have Chandler Catanzaro try a 55-yarder. Seattle then drove to a 3rd and 2 at the 3, whereupon Freeman was sent a play-action call and he connected with fullback Derrick Coleman for a TD. The Cardinals punted out of bounds at the Seattle 15 again two plays after the two minute warning. Four plays later, Guy’s 47 yard catch and run put the ball at the Arizona 9, setting up Hauschka’s 22 yard field goal for a 17-0 halftime lead.
After a scoreless third quarter, the series after Hauschka stretched the lead to 20-0 ended with an Arizona turnover on downs at the Seattle 30 on a sack by a blitzing Earl Thomas. Following another three-pointer by Hauschka, Xavius Hunt’s interception ended a scoring threat and Johnson entered the game for some playing time. With the Seahawks just looking to move the sticks on 3rd and 2 and continue grinding the clock, Guy turned a short completion into the aforementioned 63 yard touchdown. A catch by Larry Fitzgerald that was almost a touchdown gave the Cardinals their best chance to score with a first and goal at the 1. But over the next four plays they didn’t run the ball once, and on 4th and goal Kam Chancellor got a knockdown that preserved the shutout.
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals | |||||
Nov 13, 2016 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
Seattle Seahawks (7-2) | 7 | 10 | 0 | 13 | 30 |
Arizona Cardinals (5-4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Team Stats Comparison | ||
SEA | ARI | |
Total Offense | 460 | 298 |
Rushing Yards | 184 | 11 |
Passing Yards | 276 | 287 |
First Downs | 21 | 16 |
Punt Return Yards | 0 | 15 |
Kick Return Yards | 34 | 121 |
Total Yards | 494 | 434 |
Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
3rd Down Converstion | 7-14 | 3-11 |
4th Down Conversion | 0-0 | 0-2 |
2-Point Conversion | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals | 6/2/3 | 1/0/0 |
Penalties | 0-0 | 4-20 |
Posession Time | 33:57 | 26:03 |
Scoring Summary | |||
FIRST QUARTER SCORING | SEA | ARI | |
1:44 | (SEA) Christine Michael 7 run (S. Hauschka kick) | 7 | 0 |
SECOND QUARTER SCORING | SEA | ARI | |
4:43 | (SEA) Derrick Coleman 3 pass from Josh Freeman (S. Hauschka kick) | 14 | 0 |
0:18 | (SEA) Steven Hauschka 22 FG | 17 | 0 |
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING | SEA | ARI | |
11:57 | (SEA) Steven Hauschka 32 FG | 20 | 0 |
6:42 | (SEA) Steven Hauschka 28 FG | 23 | 0 |
3;22 | (SEA) Tamarcus Guy 63 pass from Josh Johnson (S. Hauschka kick) | 30 | 0 |
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Tharold Simon’s interception was converted into the game’s first score.

Rookie Tamarcus Guy capped his 5-catch day with a 63 yard TD.
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