Arizona Cardinals know containing Russell Wilson is key to beating Seattle Seahawks
Dec 18, 2014, 11:47 PM | Updated: 11:47 pm
TEMPE, Ariz. — One touchdown.
When the Arizona Cardinals fell to the Seattle Seahawks in a late-November matchup at CenturyLink Field 19-3, the defense allowed a single touchdown. They held the Seahawks to 293 total yards and another four field goals, while giving up a paltry 5.1 yards per play.
They kept star running back Marshawn Lynch in check, allowing him just 39 yards on 15 carries, and quarterback Russell Wilson threw for just 211 yards while being sacked a whopping seven times.
But Wilson tallied 73 rushing yards on 10 carries, a number that underscored the real challenge when facing Seattle. Though their offense is not dynamic, it is plenty capable of doing whatever it must in order to score the requisite number of points to come away with a victory.
And it all starts with Wilson, the third-year pro out of Wisconsin.
“Hopefully; it takes everybody involved,” Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles said when asked how you contain Wilson. “Many have tried, and many have failed. The guy’s got a gift and he’s smart and he’s heady and he understands their offense, understands what’s happening to him.
“So we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Wilson is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory last February. This season, he is completing 62.6 percent of his passes for 2,897 yards with 18 touchdowns and just six interceptions, while contributing another 754 yards and five scores on the ground.
He’s good. Damn good.
