By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Defense dominant and run game comes alive in Seahawks 30-18 win over Cardinals

Two interceptions, a clinical Geno Smith, and a bruising run game, saw the Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals 30-18 to win their fourth straight game and remain atop the NFC West Division.

After allowing the Arizona Cardinals a game-opening touchdown, the Seahawk’s defense settled down and stifled the Cardinal’s offense for the rest of the game. Kyle Murray’s yard pass to Micheal  Wilson saw the Cardinals take a 7-0 lead. The Seahawks offense answered with a 20-yard field goal by Jason Myers to narrow the gap to 7-3.

BACK TO BACK INTERCEPTIONS TURN THE GAME

The offense’s long drive gave the defense time to settle and play fast and aggressively. Linebacker Ernest Jones IV recorded his first interception as a Seahawks when he dropped back in pass coverage and snagged the Murray pass intended for Marvin Harrison Jr. The play looked similar to Leonard Williams’ pick-six against the Jets last week.

“ I just dropped into coverage, and there it was,”  Jones said of the interception.

The Seahawk’s defense is based on deception. The players line up in the same formation in a pre-snap rush or drop into a different formation when the ball is snapped. The shifting of players during the play confuses quarterbacks.

 Geno Smith turned the turnover into six points when he hit  Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 19-yard TD to take a 10-7 lead. Coby Bryant stepped in front of a fluttering Murray pass on the Cardinal’s next offensive possession to make back-to-back interceptions for the Seahawk’s defense.

Credit to  Derick Hall and  Byron Murphy II for forcing Murry to make the errant throw.  Zach Charbonnet‘s one-yard run extended the Seahawk’s lead to 17-7 with just 16 seconds left in the first quarter. The Cardinals managed a 28-yard field goal by Chad Ryland to narrow the gap to 17-10, but that was all the points they would score in the first half. The Seahawk’s defense forced two back-to-back Cardinal punts.

BRUISING RUN GAME

With starter Ken Walker II sidelined with a calf injury, Zach Charbonnet seized the moment and ran roughshod over the Cardinal’s defense.  Charbonnet rambled for a career-high 134 yards on 22 carries,  scored one touchdown, and grabbed seven passes for 54 yards. His best run was a bruising 51 touchdown with 2:26 left in the first half.  The score extended the Seahawks lead to 24-10.

As a team, the  Seahawks rushed for a season-high 176  yards. Ken McIntosh set a career-high with seven carries for 38 yards.  Sunday was the first time the offensive line imposed its will on the opponent’s interior seven.  Geno Smith made it through the game for the first time this season without being sacked.

“ The way they played today, we can win every game we played,” Smith said after the game.  Head Coach Mike Macdonald affirmed Smith’s assertion of the line play when he said it was their best game.  McDonald’s noted that this was the first time they had the same five guys play in back-to-back games. “  I think you are seeing continual  improvement in our work process.” Every offensive lineman, along with Charbonnet, was given a game ball.

DOMINANT DOWN THE STRETCH

The Seahawk’s relentless pressure and pursuit allowed the Cardinals eight second-half points—a Murray two-yard pass to Conner and a  Conner two-yard conversion. The Seahawk’s defense forced two  Arizona punts and a missed field. In addition to the two interceptions, the Hawks’ defense had two sacks, five tackles for losses, five quarterback hits, and nine pass defenses.

“ Our unit is coming together as a brotherhood and friendship, and we are going there just playing relentlessly, treating each play like its own, and not worrying about the outcome. We are just going hard,” said  Jones IV.

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