The Seahawks head into Sunday afternoon’s Week 2 meeting with the Cardinals as the healthier, more confident side in the rivalry picture, even without starting quarterback Sam Darnold. Seattle gets its first division test of the year against an Arizona team coming off its own Week 1 win, but the Seahawks are still riding a nine-game winning streak over NFC West opponents.
To get a better read on what Arizona brings into the matchup, Seahawks Wire spoke with Jess Root, managing editor at Cards Wire, for a closer look at the 2026 Cardinals.
Arizona’s Week 1 upset of the Chargers came down to balance. Root pointed to a team that got out in front early on offense and never had to chase the game.
The defense made its mark with a fourth-down stop at the goal line and two takeaways, while special teams chipped in with a blocked punt. The result was a clean afternoon in which the Cardinals stayed out of the biggest pressure moments and handled their business.
On offense, Mike LaFleur’s system is built to keep defenses moving. Root described an attack heavy on motion, multiple tight ends and a passing game that spreads the ball around to all the receivers. The Cardinals will also use both running backs together at times, with an emphasis on establishing the run and setting up play action.
One Arizona name Seattle fans may want to keep on the radar is receiver Kendrick Bourne. He caught eight passes for 75 yards in Week 1, making him the most productive of the Cardinals’ three receivers. Root said Bourne knows the offense well and served as Jacoby Brissett’s security blanket.
If there’s a spot where Arizona could hold an edge, Root pointed straight to tight end. Trey McBride is “perhaps the best tight end in the NFL.” He finished second in the league in receptions last season and opened this year with nine catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.
The final question remained open in the source material: who wins and why?
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The opener against Seattle now comes with the usual division-game edge, and Cardinals star Trey McBride and head coach Mike LaFleur both acknowledged the challenge waiting on the other sideline. For Seattle, the takeaway is clear enough: this is not a team approaching Sunday as if it expects to be short-handed, which adds a little more heat to an early-season game that already mattered plenty. [Read more 🡒]