The Arizona Cardinals went from Week 1 buzz to a hard reality check in a hurry.
After opening the season with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona was flattened by the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, falling 31-7 and dropping to 1-1. What stood out most was how thoroughly Seattle controlled the game from start to finish.
A big part of that damage came from Drew Lock, who made the most of his opportunity with Seahawks starter Sam Darnold ruled out because of injury. Lock was sharp throughout, finishing 19 of 26 for 235 yards and three touchdowns against an Arizona defense that never seemed to settle in.
The Cardinals had some hope their secondary could force mistakes or at least make life uncomfortable for him, but that never materialized. Lock stayed composed and kept Seattle rolling.
That was a brutal follow-up to what had been a strong defensive showing in Week 1. If this version of the secondary keeps showing up, last week’s performance will fade fast.
And things do not get easier from here, with the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy waiting in Week 3. Purdy has already carved up Arizona in previous meetings, throwing 12 touchdowns and only two interceptions against the Cardinals.
The scoreboard told the story, but the numbers around it were just as lopsided. Seattle beat Arizona in first downs, time of possession and third-down efficiency, and the Seahawks generally won every category that mattered. The Cardinals were not just beaten - they were outplayed in almost every phase.
That makes the result sting even more for a team that had plenty of momentum after upsetting the Chargers. All of that good feeling was wiped out quickly on Sunday. Seattle did not just win; it took over the game.
There was also an uncomfortable familiarity to the loss. For Arizona, this looked a lot like the kinds of beatdowns Seattle has handed them during the Cardinals’ current ten-game losing skid against the Seahawks. The same themes kept showing up: Seattle’s defense dictating the action, its offense moving the ball with ease, and Arizona’s defense struggling to answer.
That makes the performance especially frustrating considering the Cardinals are working with a mostly new coaching staff. Head coach Mike LaFleur was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams last year, and that Rams team was more than competitive against Seattle. Arizona, by contrast, looked flat in a way that felt far too familiar.
There was at least one small positive for the Cardinals’ defense. They recovered a fumble for the second straight week, with Seahawks runner Jadarian Price coughing it up and linebacker Zaven Collins coming away with the ball. Last week it was Chargers running back Omarion Hampton who lost one, so Arizona has at least started to build a useful trend in that area.
Still, that was about the only encouraging note from an otherwise ugly afternoon. Overall, it was a rough, one-sided loss for the Cardinals.
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Mack Wilson Sr. Gives Cardinals Defense A Different Feel For Seattle
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Cardinals Fans Will Notice One Big Change At State Farm Stadium
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The menu leans into variety, from the Beef Birria Machete quesadilla and BBQ Brisket Burger to a Sonoran Style Seattle Dog, along with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. For a fan base that spends a lot of time thinking about what happens on the field, this is the kind of off-field upgrade that can shape the whole game-day experience, even if the bigger rollout still leaves room for more to come. [Read more 🡒]