The Seahawks head into the desert with plenty of momentum and a long history of handling the Cardinals. Seattle’s 11-game overall winning streak is still rolling, and this divisional matchup comes after Mike Macdonald’s team had extra time to get ready following its 13-10 win over the New England Patriots on September 9 at Lumen Field. The Seahawks got that victory even while playing much of the game without starting quarterback Sam Darnold.
Arizona, though, arrives with a different feel than the team that stumbled through a 3-14 season in 2025 and finished on a nine-game losing streak. In Mike LaFleur’s first game as head coach, the Cardinals went to SoFi Stadium and beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14. It was a sharp contrast for a team that had allowed the sixth-most total yards per game in the NFL in 2025.
That Arizona win came with real defensive bite. The Cardinals held Justin Herbert and the Chargers to 268 total yards, sacked him three times and forced a pair of takeaways. They also ran the ball 34 times for 116 yards, with Tyler Allgeier gaining 61 yards on 17 carries and rookie Jeremiyah Love adding 41 yards, including a five-yard touchdown on Arizona’s first possession of the season.
Seattle’s edge in this rivalry has been built over time, and the numbers are lopsided. The Seahawks and Cardinals first met in 1976 at the Kingdome, where Seattle lost 30-24 to the then-St.
Louis Cardinals. Since then, the Seahawks have taken control of the series, owning a 31-22-1 all-time advantage.
Even more telling, Seattle has won nine straight NFC West meetings in the rivalry dating back to the clubs’ second meeting in 2021.
A year ago, the Seahawks swept Arizona for the fourth straight season. In Week 4 on a Thursday night in Glendale, Jason Myers drilled a 52-yard field goal on the final play for a 23-20 Seattle win. Then, nine weeks later at Lumen Field, Darnold threw for 178 yards and a touchdown despite three turnovers, while Seattle raced to a 35-0 second-quarter lead on the way to a 44-22 victory.
There’s also a familiar defensive flashpoint from that 44-22 game: DeMarcus Lawrence had two defensive touchdowns on fumble recoveries in the first half. He finished his first season with the Seahawks with 53 tackles, six sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. That performance made him the fourth player in NFL history to return two fumbles for touchdowns in the same game.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Bring A Very Different Week 2 Test For Cardinals
The first injury report of the week handed the Cardinals a very different kind of picture heading into their trip to Seattle. The Seahawks ruled Sam Darnold out of the home opener because of a glute injury, which means Drew Lock is set to take over at quarterback, and the rest of the report also starts to sketch out the availability of several players from both sides.
For Arizona, that kind of change matters because Week 2 already carries the usual early-season uncertainty, and now the opponents offensive plans will look different before the teams have even lined up. The practice participation updates for both clubs will keep drawing attention as the week goes on, but the biggest shift so far is simple: the Cardinals are preparing for a Seahawks team with a new face under center. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiyah Love Just Gave Cardinals Fans Another Reason To Hate Sunday's Rival
Ahead of Sundays matchup, Jeremiyah Love found himself in an unusual spot for a young Cardinals back, talking about a friend while helping prepare for a rival. Love and Seahawks running back Jadarian Price were teammates at Notre Dame, and Love said he has been passing along what he knows about Prices style as Arizona gets ready for a division game that already carries enough edge.
Love made clear where his loyalty sits, even with the friendship intact. He said he is excited for the challenge of competing against Price and for catching up afterward, but for Cardinals fans the part that matters most is simpler: one of their own is trying to make sure the defense has every possible clue before Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiyah Loves Ankle Puts Cardinals Fans On Edge Before Seattle
Jeremiyah Love gave the Cardinals a welcome sign in the middle of a short week, saying his ankle does not feel limited as Arizona turns from its season-opening win over the Chargers to a Week 2 trip to Seattle. The rookie running back looked plenty capable in his debut, finishing with 41 rushing yards and a touchdown, and he quickly became part of the story as the Cardinals tried to settle into their next-round prep.
For a team that already has one win banked, Loves availability matters because Arizonas offense could use the same spark it got from him against Los Angeles. The Seahawks will be a different test, and the Cardinals will be watching closely to see whether the rookie can carry that debut momentum into a division game, with his ankle still the one detail hanging over the buildup. [Read more 🡒]