ARIZONA CARDINALS

Behind Enemy Lines Week 7: Seattle Seahawks

Oct 23, 2016, 10:30 AM

Seattle Seahawks' Richard Sherman warms up before an NFL football game against the New York Jets Su...

Seattle Seahawks' Richard Sherman warms up before an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

(AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

As the Arizona Cardinals have begun to scrap their way back up the NFL standings with two consecutive wins against sub-par competition, the rival Seattle Seahawks have rounded into form following a slow start.

Well, slow for them.

Seattle is 4-1 through six weeks of play with three wins against floundering teams in Miami (12-10), San Francisco (37-18) and the Jets (27-17). In Week 2, the Seahawks’ biggest blunder of the year came in the form of a 9-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

But a 26-24 victory this past Sunday against a strong Atlanta Falcons squad saw the puzzle pieces starting to fit together.

Russell Wilson completed 25-of-37 passes for 270 yards while running back Christine Michael churned out 64 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Meanwhile, tight end Jimmy Graham has become a fixture in the passing attack with six catches in each of his last three games.

So as the Cardinals hope to prove that beating down two less-than-perfect squads means something this Sunday night, the Seahawks have already flexed their muscles with an impressive win.

Need to know more about Seattle? We’ll scout out the answers for you throughout the week.

It’s Behind Enemy Lines …


Sunday, October 23

• With Kam Chancellor doubtful, Kelcie McCray in line to start again for Seahawks (MyNorthwest.com)

Kam Chancellor’s doubtful status for Sunday night’s game at Arizona means Kelcie McCray is in line to start for the second straight week at strong safety. It’ll be a chance for McCray to move past the fallout from the breakdowns in coverage last week against Atlanta, one of which preceded the sideline tirade from cornerback Richard Sherman that became as much of a story as the outcome of the game itself.

• Seahawks’ improving line to face ‘real problem’ in Chandler Jones, Cardinals (SeattlePI.com)

Remember when the Seahawks’ pass protection was by far the team’s most pressing concern?

It wasn’t long ago that the offensive line, which featured new starters in four of five positions in 2016, was considered Seattle’s Achilles’ heel and a possible disqualifier for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

Ranking the Seahawks’ most irreplaceable players (SeattlePI.com)

The Seahawks seemed to have dodged a major bullet after defensive end Michael Bennett suffered a knee injury in last week’s 26-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Bennett, 30, left the game in the third quarter after a low block by Falcons tackle Jake Matthews. After going to the locker room, he returned to the sideline, but didn’t reenter the game.

Game day in the desert: Slowing a new Cardinals threat key for Seahawks (thenewstribune.com)

Game day dawning in the desert with the temperature in the mid-60 — on the way to 95 degrees.

Because the University of Phoenix’s stadium rules call for the roof to be open for the teams’ pregame warmups if it is to be open for the game, here’s guessing (for what it may be worth) the roof will be closed in air conditioning tonight for the Seahawks at the Cardinals. It’ll be in the mid-90s when the teams are warming up around 4:30 p.m.

Kam Chancellor is apparently going to be out again.

That means the Seahawks are preparing Kelcie McCray to be in again at strong safety Sunday night at Arizona.

McCray — and all of Seattle — hope this game is less eventful and scrutinized for him than the last one.

Richard Sherman needs to look into the mirror. His outburst on Sunday against the Falcons was totally uncalled for and disruptive. This is a team sport, not an individual one.

If he has a problem with criticism from his coordinator (justified criticism, by the way), then he is the problem! Or if he has a problem with a teammate, then he should pull him aside and mentor the man with constructive criticism.

NFL Executive of the Year? Amazingly, it hasn’t been John Schnedier of the Seahawks (Seattle Times)

The complete and utter disaster that are the New York Jets — forced this week to go back to Geno Smith at quarterback to replace interception-prone Ryan Fitzpatrick — also reinforces the farce that is the fact that Seattle’s John Schneider has yet to win the NFL’s Executive of the Year award.

Recall that the winner of that award a year ago — which is voted on by members of the Pro Football Writers Association (I’m not one, by the way) — was the man who put together the reeling Jets, Mike Maccagnan.

Kelcie McCray shares his version of Seahawks’ coverage bust (ESPN.com)

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman said earlier this week that “things didn’t get communicated the right way” on Julio Jones’ 36-yard touchdown last Sunday.

Defensive coordinator Kris Richard took responsibility for the coverage bust on Thursday.

And on Friday, Seahawks strong safety Kelcie McCray offered his version of what went wrong.


Friday, October 21

• Kam Chancellor doubtful, Kevin Pierre-Louis out (MyNorthwest.com)

Two starters on the Seattle defense will likely be out for Sunday night’s game. Chancellor is listed as doubtful and not out, but head coach Pete Carroll spoke like the team will not see him on the field this week when addressing the optimism for the following week.

“We surely think that way because we thought we would have a shot at this week; we just couldn’t get there,” Carroll said. “Next week is quite likely. Hopefully we’ll get it done.”

Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham misses practice with hip issue (SeattlePI.com)

Graham, 29, has not missed a game this season — despite being listed on the injury report for each of the first five contests — after coming back from a ruptured patellar tendon suffered last November. He missed a day of practice ahead of Seattle’s Week 4 matchup with the Jets with a back injury, but caught six passes for a season-high 113 yards against New York days later.

Seahawks D-coordinator Kris Richard on Sherman outburst: ‘Maybe I need to calm down’ (Seattle Times)

Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard said Thursday he takes the blame for the miscommunciation that led to Richard Sherman’s sideline outburst Sunday.

How Earl Thomas and Russell Wilson have made each other better (Seattle Times)

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and safety Earl Thomas have practiced against each other for five seasons. Those daily battles have made each of them better.

Seahawks run game needs Russell Wilson’s legs (ESPN.com)

Through five games, the 4-1 Seattle Seahawks have a lot going for them. The defense has played well. Russell Wilson has battled through injuries. And tight end Jimmy Graham has been a pleasant surprise.

But the area where they most need to improve is obvious: the run game. The Seahawks are averaging just 3.17 yards per carry (30th in the league) and are 29th in Football Outsiders’ rushing efficiency rankings.

Cliff Avril: The only Seahawk who can calm Michael Bennett down (ESPN.com)

Defensive end Cliff Avril has been with the Seattle Seahawks since 2013 and is one of the defense’s most consistent players.

I caught up with him this week about a variety of topics, from what it takes to calm down teammate Michael Bennett to the defensive-line dinners on the road.

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson is all about business, on and off the field (USA Today)

He calls himself a clothes addict and said he’d taken 2,000 photos of clothes before starting the men’s wear company, Good Man Brand. During the afternoon meeting, as a business partner talked about the company’s 2016 launch and the clothes selling at Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, Wilson smiled.


Thursday, October 20

Seattle still unsure of Kam Chancellor’s status for Arizona (SeattlePI.com)

The Seattle Seahawks remain uncertain whether strong safety Kam Chancellor will be able to play Sunday against Arizona.

Coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday that Chancellor remained day-to-day, but the Seahawks’ big safety did not practice later in the day. Chancellor suffered a groin injury last week during practice and missed last Sunday’s win over Atlanta.

Seahawks’ Richard Sherman: no regrets for sideline outburst (SeattlePI.com)

Richard Sherman felt no need to apologize.

The Seattle Seahawks cornerback said Wednesday that he has no regrets about his angry sideline tirade during the Atlanta game that has become as much a part of the conversation as the Seahawks sitting at 4-1 or their game this Sunday at division rival Arizona.

“Nope, nothing at all,” Sherman said.

Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable says team is still trying to find its running game (Seattle Times)

Offensive line coach Tom Cable said Wednesday the Seahawks are still searching for their running game, which ranks 25th in the NFL this week.

Seahawks hope Luke Willson can return ‘within weeks’ from surgery (MyNorthwest.com)

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is hopeful that tight end Luke Willson can return “within weeks” after having arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday, two days after he was hurt in Seattle’s win over Atlanta. It sounds like Carroll is even expecting as much.


Wednesday,  October 19

Wagner, Wilson the top rookie pair since 2006 (Seahawks.com)

With much conversation brewing across the league about Cowboys rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot, longtime scout, personnel boss and analyst Gil Brandt of NFL.com looked at the best rookie pairs in the NFL since 2006. Brandt’s list is based on rookie-year production only. Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner and quarterback Russell Wilson — members of Seattle’s 2012 draft class — took the No. 1 spot, beating out the Cowboys’ young combo.

‘No doubt’ this could be Carroll’s best-blitzing Seahawks defense (710 AM ESPN Seattle)

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll did not hesitate Monday in affirming the notion that this year’s defense could be as effective at blitzing as any he’s had in Seattle. The primary reasons, Carroll told “Brock and Salk,” are that linebackers Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright have come into their own in that area of their game, as has Kris Richard as a defensive coordinator. But that’s just part of it.

Seahawks set to be underdogs for the first time this season vs. Cardinals (The Seattle Times)

With the next NFL week now getting into full swing, the Arizona Cardinals are settling in as a favorite in Las Vegas for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks in Glendale.

Seahawks place Garrison Smith on IR, bring back Sealver Siliga (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

The Seahawks shook up the interior of their defensive line on Tuesday, placing defensive tackle Garrison Smith on injured reserve and re-signing Sealver Siliga.

Seahawks’ Luke Willson undergoes arthroscopic knee surgery (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

The Seahawks will likely be without the services of tight end Luke Willson for an extended period after the fourth-year pro underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday.

Evolution or revolution: Seahawks choosing to pass over run game(thenewstribune.com)

The Seahawks are passing more because they are pass blocking better. The 2016 offensive line has new starters in four of the five positions: Sowell, Mark Glowinski at left guard, first-time center Justin Britt and rookie right guard Germain Ifedi. Only right tackle Garry Gilliam has returned from 2015. That much-maligned, scrutinized line has allowed 10 sacks through five games.

Fallout from Sherman’s sideline volcano: “We are stronger for that” (thenewstribune.com)

His coach acknowledged Monday that Sherman “went over the top” in his screaming at defensive coordinator Kris Richard, just about every player he saw — and even inactive strong safety Kam Chancellor, the usual chief communicator on the defense. For a brief moment Sherman and Chancellor, in a hoodie, were nose to nose in front of the bench.

Russell Wilson ‘a magician’ again for the Seahawks (ESPN)

“He’s a magician,” Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham would tell me afterward, shaking his head for emphasis. “I mean, I don’t even know what to say.”


Tuesday, October 18

Richard Sherman ‘family tree’: Who has influenced the Seahawks cornerback? (The Seattle Times)

It started with a question to Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman: Which player was most important to your career?

The plan was to then find the player who had most influenced Sherman and ask that player who most influenced him — a rabbit hole that would hopefully create something similar to a Richard Sherman “family tree,” or at least a more linear “family branch” of former players.

Upon further review, Seahawks should weather Richard Sherman rant just fine (Seattle Times)

Seahawks’ history of overcoming tumult should limit any lingering effects of Richard Sherman’s sideline tirade Sunday and could even be the event that brings them that much closer.

The problem with Seahawks’ running game? Pete Carroll says they just weren’t able to run it enough (The Seattle Times)

What Carroll also didn’t think was a huge factor to the running game Sunday was Wilson’s mobility. While Wilson looked better than in other games this season, he still wasn’t the statistical factor running that he usually has been throughout his career, with three carries for 11 yards until the final three kneeldowns.

That Wilson has 35 yards rushing on 21 carries for the season — he still has a career average of 35.7 rushing yards per game — is obviously impacting the rushing attack, and the hope is once he back to normal the rushing attack will be, as well.

Carroll, though, said he thought he saw signs of the old Wilson Sunday.

What we learned from the Seahawks’ win over Atlanta (710 AM ESPN Seattle)

Seattle’s defense can dissolve without warning. This is not about Richard Sherman or his anger on the sidelines. We’ll get to that in a bit. But through five games, the Seahawks have been exceptional on defense except for two periods: the fourth quarter against San Francisco in Week 3 and the third quarter of Sunday’s game against Atlanta. Those two quarters account for more than 25 percent of the total yards Seattle has allowed this season and nearly half the points the Seahawks have given up.

Seahawks get good news on Bennett, not so good on Willson (Union-Bulletin.com)

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Monday afternoon that Bennett, who left the game in the third quarter with a right knee injury, is “doing pretty good. His tests came out clear. He just got banged on the knee.”

Huard’s Chalk Talk: Christine Michael’s TD a bright spot for Seahawks’ struggling run game (710 AM ESPN Seattle)

The Seahawks finished with 72 yards on 27 attempts Sunday for a 2.7 yards-per-carry average (though that becomes a more respectable 3.2 when excluding from the equation three kneel-downs that lost a combined 4 yards). Seattle now ranks 25th in the NFL in rushing at 88.8 yards per game and 30th in yards per carry at 3.2, unfamiliar territory for what has been one of the league’s best rushing offenses since 2012.

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Monti Ossenfort looks on...

Vincent DeAngelis

PFF’s Spielberger grades Cardinals’ free agent class among worst in NFL

PFF's Brad Spielberger gave the Cardinals' free agent class a "C" grade in his latest rankings. It was the worst grade among all 32 teams.

10 hours ago

Jonah Williams pressure Sam Darnold...

Tyler Drake

Report: Free agent DL Jonah Williams visiting Arizona Cardinals this week

Defensive lineman Jonah Williams is visiting the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings this week, according to Aaron Wilson.

19 hours ago

Casita seating at the Arizona Cardinals' State Farm Stadium...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals’ new suite options at State Farm Stadium include casitas

The Arizona Cardinals on Monday announced new luxury seating options for 2024, including custom casita suites at State Farm Stadium.

23 hours ago

Justin Fields...

Associated Press

Quarterback carousel: Bears trade Justin Fields to Steelers to clear way for top pick

The Chicago Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night for draft compensation.

3 days ago

Kyler Murray...

Arizona Sports

Report: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s 2025 guarantees kick in

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray had nearly $30 million guaranteed for the 2025 season kick in by remaining on Arizona's roster by Saturday.

3 days ago

Paris Johnson Jr. celebrates with Kyler Murray...

Tyler Drake

Which side of the line will Cardinals’ Paris Johnson Jr. command in 2024?

Even before the Cardinals released D.J. Humphries, there was already talk of Paris Johnson Jr. making the switch from right to left.

3 days ago

Behind Enemy Lines Week 7: Seattle Seahawks