ESPN: Cardinals biggest rival is the Seahawks
Jul 6, 2016, 7:00 AM
In 2002, the Arizona Cardinals were moved from the NFC East to the NFC West and the Seattle Seahawks were moved from the AFC West to the NFC West.
From 2002-to-2012 there was not one season where both Arizona and Seattle finished with winning records.
The past three seasons, where the Seahawks have gone 35-13 and the Cardinals have gone 34-14, has brought about the rivalry we see today.
The rivalry has especially reached an all-time high over the past two seasons with the teams finishing first and second in the NFC West each year, splitting the two division championships.
ESPN reporter Josh Weinfuss, who covers the Cardinals, discussed why Seattle is Arizona’s most bitter rival.
It may not be reciprocated, but the Cardinals’ biggest rival is the Seahawks. Since Seattle drafted Russell Wilson in 2012, the Cardinals’ path to the NFC West title has gone through the Pacific Northwest.
It has been fueled the past couple of years by Marshawn Lynch’s crotch grab on an incredible touchdown run in Arizona, and by the 2014 public battle between Patrick Peterson and Richard Sherman over who is the best cornerback in the league.
Even though the Cardinals are 3-5 against Seattle since the 2012 season and 2-4 under coach Bruce Arians, the Seahawks are still the Cards’ biggest rival because both look at the other as a roadblock en route to the Super Bowl.
Additionally, Sheil Kapadia, Seahawks beat writer for ESPN, chose the Cardinals as the Seahawks’ top rival.
The NFC West is a two-team race, and the Seahawks’ biggest rival going into 2016 is the Arizona Cardinals. Since Bruce Arians arrived in 2013, Arizona has won 34 games, while the Seahawks have won 35.
The Cardinals were NFC West champs in 2015, but Seattle took the division the previous two seasons. The Seahawks-49ers rivalry was great, but San Francisco no longer has a competitive team.
The best rivalries exist when both teams are strong, and the Seahawks and Cardinals are among a handful of Super Bowl favorites in the NFC.
Seattle has won 16 of 28 games the teams have played since they each joined the NFC West. In that span, the two franchises have accounted for 10 of the 14 division championships.
With the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in rebuild mode, the Cardinals and Seahawks are the NFC West favorites entering the upcoming season. Not only are they the favorites in the division, but they are also viewed as top options to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LI.
The Cardinals will go for their first home victory against the Seahawks since 2012 when Seattle visits Glendale Week 7 for Sunday Night Football.
Arizona’s road match against Seattle will come in Week 16 on Christmas Eve.