Seahawks steam into playoffs, crushing Cardinals 36

Through Week 16, the Seahawks were averaging just one possession inside opponent’s territory per game.

Oh, yes, Seattle regained its mojo, momentum and mauling way of winning.

Sunday’s win felt like another Seahawks blowout over a playoff-bound NFC team, the 38-7 drubbing of the Vikings in Week 13 – a far cry from early in the season, when Seattle blew close games late against Green Bay, Carolina and this Arizona team. “They’re going to have to take it from us”. They have still won nine of their last 10 games while beating some very good teams in the process, featuring an elite offense and an opportunistic defense. It is the first time since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger that any team has done that. Should the Vikings defeat the Packers on Sunday night, the Seahawks will be the No. 6 seed, and will make the return trip to Minnesota for the first round. Arians’ previous worst loss with Arizona was 35-6 to Seattle a year ago.

It was a performance about as dominant as Seattle’s one on Sunday against the Cardinals (13-3).

A healthy combination of Palmer, running back David Johnson and the Cards’ risky wide receiver combo, along with the non-Honey Badger starters on defense, should be good to go when the team takes the field in two weeks. “This lets us know we are on the right track”.

Seattle improved to 3-0 at Arizona since Bruce Arians became the Cardinals’ coach. Palmer completed only 12 of 25 passes for 129 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

“These guys are confident that we can go wherever we got to go”, Seattle coach Pete Carroll said before he knew which team the Seahawks would face.

A nightmare second quarter did in the Cardinals. The explosiveness in the passing game.

When he saw Brown on the sidelines in the third quarter, Sherman yelled at Palmer – then squatted in a demonstration that looked a lot like Baldwin’s toilet-squat celebration in the end zone during February’s Super Bowl.

“Sluggish, no energy, lackadaisical, and it caught up with us”, cornerback Patrick Peterson said. “This offseason I think the kid Brown said I couldn’t guard him one on one”.

Yes, Seattle’s swagger is intact for the postseason.

Wild Card Weekend begins next weekend, with both NFC games taking place on Sunday Jan. 10.

The Seahawks prevented the Cardinals from vying for the top seed in the NFC with a dominating 36-6 win at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Wilson was 19 of 28 for 197 yards in addition to his three passing TDs. Wilson ended the season with 4,024. Brady and Bortles each went touchdown-less in their respective losses to the Dolphins and Texans, but Cousins threw three touchdowns in the Redskins’ win over the Cowboys and Wilson tossed three in the Seahawks’ win over the Cardinals. “And that’s without our Pro Bowl safety … who will be returning soon”. Sherman walked off the field nearly sheepishly, as if he’d gotten away with something. Lockett’s 66-yard punt return, plus a facemask penalty against the Cardinals on the play, led to the touchdown pass to the third-string tight end Coffman.

And Lockett should have had 22 more yards. Chandler Catanzaro missed the extra point for the 5th time this season making it a 10-6 game.

Lockett also captured the Seattle record for most all-purpose yards for a rookie (1,913) – also by halftime.

I thought that an offensive line without Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy would struggle to protect Russell Wilson and create running room for Christine Michael. “Anytime he has the ball in his hands he can score”.

“We’re finding our rhythm”, Sherman said. They are playing their best football of the season, and are led by arguably the hottest defense and hottest quarterback in the entire league.