Warner: Cardinals’ chances at Seattle hinge on big plays
Dec 21, 2013, 10:57 PM | Updated: 10:58 pm
It’s no secret that the Arizona Cardinals have experienced an offensive resurgence since their first matchup this season with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Cardinals have won six of their seven games since then and have scored fewer than 27 points just once, which happened in their lone loss at the Philadelphia Eagles.
According to NFL Network analyst and former Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner, the same thing that’s led to the Cardinals’ new-found offensive stability is also key to beating the Seahawks Sunday and keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.
Warner said that quarterback Carson Palmer and the Cardinals’ receivers appear to be more comfortable in the offensive system, which has led to a few more conversions on plays where Palmer takes a chance downfield.
“This offense is built around chunk plays, and when you get away with a few of those a game, it changes the complexion dramatically,” Warner told Arizona Sports 620’s Bickley and Marotta Friday.
“I think the nature of how to beat Seattle is you have to be able to change the complexion with one or two plays. You’re not going to be able to drive the football up and down the field. When you have that window, you have that chance, you have to capitalize on it.”
But Warner added that while chunk plays are key to beating Seattle, they come with an inherent risk against one of the NFL’s best secondaries.
“This is a team where if you make a mistake, they’re going to make a play on the ball,” Warner said. “They’re so good at making turnovers instead of just an incomplete pass. Key to the game is can the Cardinals get away with some of those plays and not let Seattle make big plays.”
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