The Seahawks left Week 9 with a 17-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals and a few clear standouts from a game they controlled at Lumen Field.
Arizona got on the board first with a field goal from kicker Chad Ryland on the opening drive, but that was about as good as it got for the Cardinals. Seattle shut them down the rest of the way while the offense found its groove in the second quarter, when tight end AJ Barner scored both Seahawks touchdowns.
Barner was the biggest winner of the afternoon. He powered in a 1-yard touchdown run to put Seattle ahead, then later added a 7-yard touchdown catch. Those scores were his second and third of the season, and he’s steadily climbing the offensive pecking order.
Rookie running back Jadarian Price also made his presence felt in his second game back from injured reserve. He didn’t lead the team on the ground, but he was Seattle’s top receiver with four catches for 54 yards. For a rookie who didn’t offer much in the first half of the season, that kind of two-way contribution matters.
Drew Lock also gets a nod after improving to 2-0 as the team’s starting quarterback. His numbers weren’t flashy, but he protected the ball and stayed on his feet, which has been a major issue for Seattle this year. He may be asked to do it again next week, when the Seahawks face their former offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Defensively, it was tough to single out just one player because the whole unit delivered. Seattle held Arizona to just that opening field goal for the second time this season.
Julian Love paced the group with eight tackles, while Byron Murphy, Demarcus Lawrence, and Dante Fowler Jr. each finished with a sack. After allowing 34 points on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears, the pressure the Seahawks brought all afternoon stood out.
If there was a loser, it was the officiating. The Seahawks were so dominant that nobody on their sideline really fit that label, so the referees got it for a string of questionable calls that drew attention throughout the game.
Among them were a pass interference call on Seattle and an unnecessary roughness penalty that led to Devon Witherspoon’s reaction. Those were just two of several odd rulings, but they didn’t stop the Seahawks from taking control.
Now Seattle turns to Week 10 against the Raiders with a chance to head into the bye with momentum.
In Other News...
Seahawks May Be Forcing A Receiver Move They Do Not Need
The Seahawks are still poking around for receiver help, but the search says as much about the roster as it does about the market. Seattle is reportedly looking for a pass catcher who can complement Jaxon Smith-Njigba, ideally someone with a different skill set and a contract that fits a tight cap situation. Adonai Mitchell, Quentin Johnston and DeVaughn Vele have all come up as possible trade targets, which tells you the front office is at least canvassing options even if nothing is close.
Still, there is a fair amount of skepticism around whether Seattle actually needs to force the issue. The offense already leans in a certain direction, and the current receiver room has enough pieces to make a move feel more like a luxury than a necessity. With limited cap space shaping the conversation, the bigger question may be whether the Seahawks can find a deal that makes enough sense to justify changing the mix at all. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Catch A Huge Break In Week 10
A late quarterback shakeup in Las Vegas has given Seattle a very different look at its Week 10 opponent. The Raiders sent Kirk Cousins to Minnesota shortly before the trade deadline, and with the move came a clear shift toward rookie Fernando Mendoza taking over as the starter for the rest of the season.
For the Seahawks, the change has already rippled into the betting market ahead of the matchup. Any time a team is preparing for a rookie quarterback instead of a veteran, the preparation changes a little, and Seattle now gets a chance to study a new face under center as it builds toward a game that suddenly feels more favorable. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face A Deadline Choice That Could Split Fans
The Seahawks already made one notable move by bringing in Quenton Nelson, but the bigger roster questions may not come until the 2026 NFL trade deadline. With the front office still weighing how aggressive to be, the conversation has turned to whether Seattle should keep adding around its core or use the market to reshape the roster in a bigger way.
Among the possibilities being floated are a quarterback swap that would send Sam Darnold to the Vikings for draft capital, along with potential help on defense and at tight end. Jermaine Johnson and Dallas Goedert have both surfaced as names to watch, but for now those ideas remain just that, which leaves Seattle fans debating whether the team should chase immediate upgrades or preserve flexibility for whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]