Seattle Seahawks vs Arizona Cardinals Picks and Predictions November 24th 2024

Cardinals Look to Resume High-Flying Ways at Seahawks

The Arizona Cardinals, riding a four-game winning streak, head into Seattle on Sunday for a pivotal NFC West showdown against the Seahawks. The Cardinals (6-4) have a one-game lead in the tightly contested division, and despite last week’s bye, they’re eager to maintain their momentum.

Finding Rhythm Before the Bye

Arizona’s recent surge includes victories over the Chargers, Bears, Jets, and Dolphins, with their most recent win a dominant 31-6 performance against New York. Quarterback Kyler Murray has been a driving force, completing 22 of 24 passes and rushing for two touchdowns against the Jets.

“He’s got that look in his eye, and when he’s in that mode, he’s unstoppable,” said tight end Trey McBride, who leads the team with 49 receptions. “He’s playing at a really high level right now. I’m excited for him and I’m excited to continue to grow with him.”

While the bye week provided rest, it also disrupted the team’s rhythm, a concern echoed by McBride. “When you’re in a rhythm, you’re playing good football as a team, you don’t want to stop,” he said. “You want to keep this thing going.”

A Road Test in Seattle

Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon acknowledged the challenge of playing in Seattle. “Seattle is always loud and the weather is kind of gray,” he said. Sunday’s game marks a significant test for a Cardinals team that has been clicking on both sides of the ball.

The Seahawks (5-5) are coming off a dramatic 20-17 victory over the 49ers, with quarterback Geno Smith scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 13-yard scramble with 12 seconds left. It was only Seattle’s second win in seven games, but it provided a much-needed boost.

“These are the most important games of your season,” Smith said. “The way that we came out and we fought, collectively as a unit and as a team, it just spoke to our urgency.”

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald emphasized the game’s importance, calling it a “home playoff game for us.” He added, “Look, we’ve earned the opportunity to be fighting for the lead in the division going into the home stretch. It’s very much like a playoff mindset for us at this point.”

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Injury Updates

The Cardinals have a mostly healthy roster heading into Sunday. Safety Jalen Thompson (ankle) will miss his second consecutive game, while right tackle Jonah Williams (knee) has been activated off injured reserve and is questionable. Defensive lineman Darius Robinson (calf) and linebacker Xavier Thomas (back) are also questionable.

For Seattle, tight end Brady Russell (foot) is ruled out. Tight end Noah Fant (groin) and wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (back) are listed as questionable.

Key Matchup

The game pits Murray’s dynamic offense against a Seahawks team looking to build on their momentum. Arizona’s ability to keep Murray comfortable and establish their run game could be crucial, while Seattle will rely on Smith’s leadership and the home crowd to stay in the NFC West race.