Even with several key players out, the Seahawks handled Arizona in Week 9 and kept their grip on a streak that now sits at 11 straight wins over the Cardinals dating back to 2022. The absences opened the door for a heavier workload across the roster, and the snap counts made that clear on both sides of the ball.
On offense, Seattle leaned on a group that was forced to carry the load from start to finish. The offensive line never came off the field, with RG Anthony Bradford, LG Grey Zabel, C Jalen Sundell, RT Abe Lucas and LT Josh Jones all logging 67 snaps.
Drew Lock matched that total at quarterback. Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the receivers with 51 snaps, followed by Cooper Kupp at 49 and AJ Barner at 48.
Tory Horton added 41, while Zach Charbonnet played 38, Eric Saubert 32, Nick Kallerup 27 and Jadarian Price 24. Brady Russell saw 12 snaps, Montorie Foster Jr. had five, Bobby Hart and Olu Oluwatimi each played three, and George Holani got two.
The backfield usage was one of the more notable shifts from the game. Charbonnet and Price flipped roles against Arizona, with Charbonnet getting more work in his second game back from a torn ACL.
Charbonnet carried or caught the ball on 44.7% of his snaps, while Price’s usage rate was about 54.2% when he was on the field. That fits the way Seattle views the two backs, with Charbonnet offering more in pass protection and positioned to reclaim the lead role.
Seattle also spent plenty of time in heavier personnel packages. Barner, Saubert and Kallerup all saw meaningful action, a sign the Seahawks were willing to lean on multiple tight ends while trying to build their run game. That look could stick now that the running back room is healthier and offensive coordinator Brian Fleury keeps working to establish the ground attack.
The line situation will look different once Quenton Nelson and Charles Cross return, but for now the group held together with backups Bradford and Jones in full-time roles.
Defensively, the Seahawks spread the work around even more. Nick Emmanwori, Julian Love, Ernest Jones IV and Ty Okada each played all 53 snaps, while Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe were right behind them at 52 apiece.
Drake Thomas logged 42, Byron Murphy II 40, DeMarcus Lawrence 39, Jarran Reed 32, Rylie Mills 31 and Derick Hall 29. Mike Morris played 17 snaps, Nehemiah Pritchett and Dante Fowler Jr. each had 12, Connor O’Toole played 11, and Patrick O’Connell and Rodney Thomas II each saw one.
Emmanwori has been moving toward an every-down role for a while, and that continued against the Cardinals. Love, Jones and Okada have been steady full-time pieces when healthy, and that pattern held in Week 9. Emmanwori’s increased workload also pushed Drake Thomas’ snap total down.
Mike Macdonald went deep into his front-seven depth, using nine different defensive linemen and edge rushers to cover for the missing Uchenna Nwosu, Leonard Williams and Brandon Pili. Pritchett remained part of the mix, though his role has varied from week to week. He is still the No. 3 cornerback behind Witherspoon and Jobe.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Week 10 Quarterback Problem Again
Drew Lock took another hit to Seattles quarterback depth chart on Sunday, leaving the game against Arizona with a new injury in his right hip area and still managing to stay on the field. The Seahawks now have to sort through the fallout of that issue while also waiting on a separate evaluation for an oblique injury, a reminder that the position has become a moving target again just as the season enters another critical stretch.
Mike Macdonald said Locks status is uncertain, and the timing is especially awkward because Sam Darnold is also dealing with quad and rib injuries and is considered week-to-week. For a team that has already spent too much time managing quarterback availability, Week 10 suddenly looks like another test of how much flexibility Seattle really has if both passers are limited. [Read more 🡒]
Drew Lock Just Gave Seahawks Fans A Real QB Debate
The Seahawks got through Week 9 with a 17-3 win over the Cardinals even while missing Leonard Williams and Uchenna Nwosu on defense, and the more interesting question afterward was what Drew Lock did at quarterback. Starting in place of Sam Darnold, Lock played through injuries, protected the ball and helped Seattle stay in control of a game that never really tilted back Arizonas way. Dante Fowler Jr. chipped in with key plays on the other side of the ball, and AJ Barner added a touchdown to round out a sturdy team effort.
What makes the conversation linger is how clean Lock looked in a spot where the Seahawks have had to manage uncertainty. Darnold did not play, and his season has already been defined by turnovers, so a mistake-free outing from Lock naturally invites a bigger look at the position. Seattle does not have to make a sweeping decision off one game, but after a win like this, the quarterback picture feels a lot less settled than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face A Trade Deadline Dilemma That Could Shape This Season
The Seahawks are heading into the NFL trade deadline with a familiar kind of front-office tension: whether to chase help now or protect the draft capital that keeps the roster stocked for later. General manager John Schneider has been weighing a range of possibilities, from edge rushers Khalil Mack and Jadeveon Clowney to running back Tony Pollard and tight end Dallas Goedert, as Seattle looks for ways to strengthen a team that wants to stay in the mix without mortgaging too much of its future.
Seattle has already made one notable move by bringing in left guard Quenton Nelson, though he is currently injured, which only adds to the urgency and the uncertainty around what comes next. The Seahawks want immediate impact, but they are also wary of paying a premium for short-term rentals, so the deadline could come down to how far Schneider is willing to go to help this season without emptying the cupboard for the next one. [Read more 🡒]