The Cardinals’ pregame silence may be the loudest message of all heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Seahawks.
Arizona didn’t use either of its two practice squad elevations before Week 2, a notable decision considering how banged up the roster looks. The Cardinals listed one player out and six more questionable on the injury report, yet stopped short of bringing up any reinforcements.
CB Garrett Williams (Achilles) is ruled out for a second straight week. The questionable group includes DB Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (rib), OL Isaiah Adams (knee), CB Max Melton (ankle), OL Isaac Seumalo (shoulder), DL Andrew Billings (knee) and DL Roy Lopez (groin).
Taylor-Demerson, Adams and Billings were already inactive in Arizona’s Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Williams will sit again, while final inactives will be released 90 minutes before Sunday’s 1:25 pm kickoff.
The Cardinals appear to be betting that most of those questionable players can suit up against Seattle. With only 48 jerseys available on game day, there’s always room for a few last-minute absences, but Arizona’s decision suggests confidence that at least some of its starters will be ready.
That matters because names like Seumalo, Adams, Lopez and Melton all appear to be in the mix for Sunday.
And the matchup itself has some juice. Arizona and Seattle both enter at 1-0, making this the first NFC West game for either team this season. The Cardinals have dropped nine straight against the Seahawks, but Trey McBride sounded like a player who thinks that stretch can end now.
"I just feel we've been right there every year, and it's just one thing here, one thing there, and I just feel like this is the year we're going to put it all together and make it happen," he told reporters this week.
"They're a good team. There's no question about that.
They're coached well. They have a lot of really good players on that defense.
But we got a lot of really good players on our team too. So I'm excited for the matchup, and it's going to be a lot of fun."
Head coach Mike LaFleur also knows what Seattle can bring. He spent the last two years helping game-plan for the Seahawks while with the Rams under Sean McVay, and he didn’t hide his respect for what Mike Macdonald’s group can do.
"It's such a challenge. It's a challenge schematically, and it's one thing even if you feel good about what you're doing schematically (but) then you actually have to go do it against their players," LaFleur said this week.
"That's a whole other issue. Just a ton of respect and not trying to put them on the pedestal, but they were, in my opinion, one of the best defenses probably this league has ever seen last year."
In Other News...
Cardinals Suddenly Have A Big Week 2 Problem Up Front
Roy Lopezs Week 1 showing gave the Cardinals a needed jolt up front, but the defensive line now has a more immediate concern as Arizona prepares for Seattle. Head coach Mike LaFleur said Lopez is dealing with a groin injury and is questionable for the Week 2 matchup, a potential setback for a unit that will need to handle a tougher ground challenge.
The Seahawks are expected to lean more heavily on their rushing attack, with rookie running back Jadarian Price leading the way, so Lopezs status carries real weight for Arizonas game plan. If he cannot go, the Cardinals may have to turn to second-year defensive lineman Walter Nolen for more snaps, leaving one of the weeks bigger questions centered on how well the front can hold up without one of its top performers. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Have A Real Shot To End This Seahawks Drought
The Cardinals head into Week 2 with a chance to reset a frustrating trend against Seattle, a matchup that has tilted the Seahawks way since 2021. Arizonas opener offered a few reasons for optimism, especially on defense, where the group showed enough early promise to suggest it can keep the team in games while the offense settles in.
Seattles quarterback situation adds another layer to the rematch, with starter Sam Darnold sidelined and Drew Lock expected to take over. The Cardinals could use the break, but they also have to account for a potential hit to their own front if Roy Lopezs injury limits what Arizona can do up the middle, leaving Sundays road test with plenty still to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Secondary Is Building The Edge Fans Have Been Hoping For
The early signs in Arizonas secondary have been encouraging, and Mike LaFleur made it clear this week that Andrew Wingard is already fitting into the mix as more than just depth. LaFleur called Wingard a great addition to the defense and pointed to his communication with Budda Baker, a pairing that matters for a unit trying to tighten up its coverage and play faster on the back end.
For Cardinals fans, the appeal is obvious: the secondary has spent enough time in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, and any sign of cleaner communication is worth watching closely. Wingards role is still taking shape, but if the chemistry with Baker keeps building, Arizona may have found another piece that helps the defense look more connected when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]