Kyler Murray runs out of miracles as Seahawks hang on to take over first place in NFC West

The Seahawks also played better than expected on defense to end a two-game losing skid and improve their record to 7-3. They’re a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Rams, who play Monday night at Tampa, and a game ahead of the Cardinals, whose dropped to 6-4.

“It was huge,” Wilson told Fox after the game. “I think for us to be able to play such great defense like that … so many guys made so many plays. It was a great game.”

Murray and the Cardinals, seeking a tying touchdown, moved to the Seattle 27-yard line in the game’s final minute. But the drive stalled there and Seahawks defensive end Carlos Dunlap sacked Murray on a fourth-and-10 play with 34 seconds left to seal the outcome.

“Obviously Kyler’s made some great plays this season,” Wilson said. “Obviously he was coming off a Hail Mary last week. I’ve seen that before. … It gets you a little bit nervous. But we played a great game. Obviously Carlos Dunlap making that last play, that’s why we brought him here — a huge, huge addition.”

The Cardinals had been the NFL’s new “it” team after Murray’s Hail Mary pass to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins that beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. They’d also secured a dramatic victory over the Seahawks last month in Arizona on a field goal late in overtime. That game started a 1-3 downward spiral for the Seahawks. Wilson threw seven interceptions over those four games.

But Wilson threw no interceptions Thursday and had touchdown passes to DK Metcalf and fellow wide receiver Tyler Lockett. Tailback Carlos Hyde ran for a touchdown for the Seahawks, who rushed for 165 yards.

“We ran the ball extremely well today,” said Wilson, who completed 23 of 28 passes for 197 yards. “We threw it well. We made our plays. And it was great.”

The Seahawks entered the game ranked last in the NFL in total defense by a wide margin. They’d surrendered 519 total yards to the Cardinals (while getting 572 yards themselves) in the 37-34 defeat Oct. 25 in Arizona. The Cardinals had a far more modest 314 yards Thursday. They matched their season low in points.

“We were adjusted,” Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll said in a postgame video news conference. “We were ready. We took advantage of Carlos being part of it. And some of the situations, we moved some guys around. And it worked out really well.”

Dunlap, playing his third game for Seattle after being obtained in a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals, had two of the Seahawks’ three sacks Thursday of Murray, including the big one at game’s end.

“That’s what they brought me here for,” Dunlap said.

Said Carroll: “He’s been a boost. … He really helps us, and we desperately needed him. … He really is comfortable now, fits right in, and that was really thrilling to see him come up with the game-winner like that.”

Murray appeared to hurt his right shoulder while absorbing a hit early in the game. He was seen grimacing while making warm-up throws on the sideline soon after. Members of the Cardinals’ medical staff worked on Murray’s shoulder while he was on the sideline throughout the game.

“I know he landed on it that first drive,” Cardinals Coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “Like I said, I don’t know the extent to which it affected him. But I was proud of the way he toughed it out and continued to play and continued to try to help us win the game.”

Murray still threw for two touchdowns in a 29-for-42, 269-yard passing performance. His touchdowns went to tight end Dan Arnold and running back Chase Edmonds. Tailback Kenyan Drake had a rushing touchdown for Arizona.

“We put up 21, had a chance to win the game at the end,” Murray said. “We started off slow. We just kept shooting ourselves in the foot. They won the game but I think we can play a lot better.”

The Cardinals were penalized 10 times for 115 yards.

“You’re not going to win in this league doing that, especially against a quality team like Seattle,” Kingsbury said. “That’s unacceptable to have that many and we’ve got to clean that up.”

Murray expressed similar sentiments, saying: “It wasn’t a clean game, by any means. … We’ve got to be better. We say every week: try to give ourselves the best possible chance to win the game. And that doesn’t help you.”

The Cardinals handed the Seahawks a fourth-quarter safety with a holding penalty in the end zone. The Seahawks added a field goal after the ensuing free kick to increase their lead to 28-21 with just more than two minutes remaining. That set up the game-winning drive that wasn’t, this time, for the Cardinals.

“We had our chances,” Murray said. “We just didn’t play well enough to win the game.”

November 19, 2020 at 11:25 PM EST

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Seahawks add field goal after safety

By Mark Maske

The Seahawks added a 41-yard field goal by kicker Jason Myers after the Cardinals’ free kick following the safety. They retained possession when running back Carlos Hyde recovered a fumble during the drive. The Cardinals lost a timeout with a failed instant replay challenge on that recovery. (Seahawks 28, Cardinals 21 with 2:19 left in the 4th quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 11:08 PM EST

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Seahawks get safety on holding penalty in end zone

By Mark Maske

The Seahawks were awarded a safety when Cardinals guard J.R. Sweezy was called for holding in the end zone. The Cardinals were trying to throw on second and 22 from their own 2-yard line. Kyler Murray had been called for intentional grounding on the previous play. (Seahawks 25, Cardinals 21 with 9:12 left in the 4th quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 10:54 PM EST

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Murray’s touchdown pass to wide-open Chase Edmonds gets Cards closer

By Mark Maske

The two offenses are rolling now. Could another great ending be in store? The Cardinals drew closer as Kyler Murray threw a three-yard touchdown pass to running back Chase Edmonds. The Seahawks got pressure on Murray but left Edmonds completely uncovered in the end zone. (Seahawks 23, Cardinals 21 with 13:19 left in the 4th quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 10:38 PM EST

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Carlos Hyde gets Seattle touchdown after Dre Kirkpatrick’s taunting penalty

By Mark Maske

Tailback Carlos Hyde provided a two-yard touchdown run to cap a Seahawks’ drive aided by a taunting penalty called on Cardinals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick as part of a scuffle with Seattle wide receiver DK Metcalf. Kirkpatrick’s penalty gave the Seahawks a first down instead of facing a fourth-and-two decision. Kirkpatrick appeared to try to take a couple swings in Metcalf’s direction, as other players separated the two, following a play on which Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett had his leg twisted awkwardly while being tackled. (Seahawks 23, Cardinals 14 with 5:20 left in the 3rd quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 10:23 PM EST

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Murray throws touchdown pass to cap Cards’ drive aided by Seattle penalties

By Mark Maske

The Cardinals are back in the game with a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half, aided by two personal fouls on the Seattle defense. Kyler Murray threw a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dan Arnold after Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs kept the drive going with a penalty for an illegal hit on wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a third-and-11 incompletion. Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner later was penalized for an illegal horse-collar tackle. (Seahawks 16, Cardinals 14 with 10:07 left in the 3rd quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 10:06 PM EST

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Seahawks lead at half as Kyler Murray deals with shoulder injury

By Mark Maske

The Cardinals are the NFL’s new “it” team after Sunday’s “Hail Murray” touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to DeAndre Hopkins that beat the Buffalo Bills. But they’re having their issues on “Thursday Night Football” in Seattle. They trail the Seahawks, 16-7, at halftime and Murray clearly is bothered by an ailing right shoulder.

Russell Wilson threw first-half touchdown passes to DK Metcalf and fellow wide receiver Tyler Lockett for the Seahawks. It was Lockett’s fourth touchdown catch against the Cardinals this season. Kicker Jason Myers missed an extra point for Seattle but connected on a 27-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

Metcalf drew a 46-yard pass interference penalty on Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson to set up the field goal. But he could not grab a would-be touchdown pass from Wilson on the play before the kick.

Murray appeared to hurt his throwing shoulder on a hit early in the game. He was seen grimacing while taking warm-up throws on the sideline soon thereafter. Members of the Cardinals’ medical staff worked on Murray’s shoulder whenever he was on the sideline for the remainder of the half. He remained in the game but had only 89 first-half passing yards.

Tailback Kenyan Drake had a two-yard touchdown run for Arizona. Officials originally ruled the play a turnover on a fumble lost by Drake. But he’d gotten the ball across the goal line before losing possession, and the call was correctly overturned on reply.

The winner of this game takes sole possession of first place in the NFC West, at least until the Los Angeles Rams play Monday night at Tampa Bay. (Seahawks 16, Cardinals 7 at halftime)

November 19, 2020 at 9:28 PM EST

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Tyler Lockett’s touchdown catch moves Seahawks back in front

By Mark Maske

The Seahawks reclaimed the lead with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to wide receiver Tyler Lockett, Lockett’s fourth touchdown catch against the Cardinals this season. Wilson dropped a well-placed lob into Lockett’s hands and Lockett made certain to get his feet in bounds in the right side of the end zone. Tailback Carlos Hyde had a 17-yard run on a third-and-two play to set up the touchdown. Seahawks kicker Jason Myers missed the extra point. (Seahawks 13, Cardinals 7 with 8:27 left in the 2nd quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 9:13 PM EST

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Cardinals pull even on Kenyan Drake’s touchdown awarded on replay reversal

By Mark Maske

The Cardinals tied the game on a two-yard touchdown run by tailback Kenyan Drake. The officials originally ruled the play a fumble lost by Drake and recovered in the end zone by the Seahawks. Drake extended the ball across the goal line and lost possession of it as his arm and the ball hit the turf. But the call was reversed, correctly, via the ensuing instant replay review. Kyler Murray appears to be playing with an injured shoulder but had a 25-yard completion to tight end Maxx Williams to set up the touchdown. The Cardinals had to move only 50 yards after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Seahawks on a punt. (Cardinals 7, Seahawks 7 with 13:51 left in the 2nd quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 8:59 PM EST

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Big play to Metcalf negated by holding penalty on Seahawks

By Mark Maske

The Seahawks looked like they’d have a chance to add to their lead when Russell Wilson found wideout DK Metcalf for a 41-yard completion. But the big gain was negated by a holding penalty on center Damien Lewis. The Seahawks ended up punting on the possession. (Seahawks 7, Cardinals 0 with 1:43 left in the 1st quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 8:54 PM EST

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Good start for Seattle defense

By Mark Maske

The Seahawks rank last in the NFL in total defense based on yards allowed by a wide margin. But they’re off to a good start defensively in this game. The Cardinals have had the ball twice and have punted twice. They don’t have a first down and have only seven yards of total offense. Quarterback Kyler Murray was seen grimacing on the Cardinals’ sideline while taking warm-up throws. (Seahawks 7, Cardinals 0 with 3:45 left in the 1st quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 8:38 PM EST

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Russell Wilson-to-DK Metcalf touchdown puts Seahawks in front

By Mark Maske

The Seahawks struck first on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to wide receiver DK Metcalf to cap a 12-play, 75-yard drive with the game’s opening possession. Wilson was sacked on the night’s first play from scrimmage but completed all five of his passes for 58 yards on the drive while the Seahawks had a trio of third-down conversions. The touchdown came on a first-down play, as Wilson eluded the pass rush, moved up in the pocket and found Metcalf in the end zone on the right side of the field. (Seahawks 7, Cardinals 0 with 8:45 left in the 1st quarter)

November 19, 2020 at 8:01 PM EST

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Chris Carson inactive, Tyler Lockett active for Seahawks

By Mark Maske

Running back Chris Carson is on the Seahawks’ inactive list for the game. Wide receiver Tyler Lockett is active.

Both had been listed as questionable on the injury report, Carson with a foot injury and Lockett with a knee injury.

Running back Travis Homer also is inactive for the Seahawks. He’d been listed as doubtful on the injury report with thumb and knee injuries.

November 19, 2020 at 7:45 PM EST

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The Cardinals’ Hail Mary worked. No, not that one.

By Adam Kilgore

The Arizona Cardinals’ rebuild arrived at a giddy zenith Sunday afternoon with a Hail Mary play, a little less than two years after it began with a Hail Mary plan. Kyler Murray’s heave through the desert sky and into DeAndre Hopkins’s padlock-strength hands was an unbelievable play that, with perspective, only grows in its improbability.

When the 2018 NFL season ended, the principals’ convergence would have been unimaginable. The quarterback who threw the pass was a baseball prospect moonlighting as a Heisman Trophy front-runner. The coach who called the play had been fired at his alma mater and restarted as a college offensive coordinator. The wide receiver who snared the ball was a pillar for the Houston Texans. The franchise that put them together had executed the twin embarrassments of firing its first-year coach and deeming its first-round quarterback a lost cause.

Murray, Kliff Kingsbury and Hopkins have turned the Cardinals into one of the most thrilling, fascinating teams in the NFL. A victory Thursday night over the division rival Seattle Seahawks would put them alone in first place and perhaps make them the favorite to claim the NFC West, if not the conference. They won five games last season and three the year before that. This season, the Cardinals already have six victories, and two of their three losses have come by three points.

The Cardinals’ path here started with a visionary gamble at the franchise’s nadir, a bet that they could peek around the corner at where the NFL was headed even as they reached the bottom of it. In two years, the Cardinals have transformed from humiliation to stealth Super Bowl threat.

November 19, 2020 at 7:31 PM EST

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What to watch for during Thursday night’s Cardinals-Seahawks matchup

By Mark Maske

The Cardinals and Seahawks play for first place in the NFC West in a captivating “Thursday Night Football” matchup in Seattle that will be a letdown if it doesn’t have the most dramatic finish imaginable.

This is the rematch of an Oct. 25 game in Arizona won in overtime by the Cardinals, 37-34. The Cardinals trailed by 13 points in the first half and by 10 points late in the fourth quarter. They forced overtime with a field goal as time expired in regulation but missed a field goal in overtime when Coach Kliff Kingsbury opted to kick on second down. No matter. The Cardinals got the ball back with an interception of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and prevailed, at last, on kicker Zane Gonzalez’s 48-yard field goal with only 15 seconds remaining in the 10-minute overtime.

That game featured the memorable chase-down by Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf of Cardinals safety Budda Baker on an interception return. It also included Seattle wide receiver Tyler Lockett amassing 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 15 catches. Wilson threw for 388 yards and the three touchdowns to Lockett but also was intercepted three times, while Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray threw for 360 yards and three touchdowns with only one interception.

And that wasn’t even the most dramatic Cardinals’ victory over the past month. That came, of course, when Murray threw a 43-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who made a leaping catch amid three defenders, with two seconds left to beat the Buffalo Bills, 32-30, Sunday in Arizona.

Now it’s Murray, not Wilson, being mentioned prominently in the league MVP discussion. The Cardinals lead the league in total offense and are legitimate contenders in only the second NFL season for Murray and Kingsbury. They’re trying to get the team to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season. The Cardinals, Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams have matching 6-3 records atop the rugged NFC West. Thursday night’s winner moves at least temporarily into sole possession of first place, with the Rams set to play Monday night at Tampa.

The Seahawks have lost two straight and three of their last four games. Wilson has thrown seven interceptions during the 1-3 skid. The Seahawks are ranked last in the NFL in total defense. They also have injury issues. Cornerbacks Quinton Dunbar and Shaquill Griffin are out, while Lockett and running back Chris Carson are listed as questionable for this game on the injury report.

Source: WP