By: Kevin Manning – Journalist / NW FACTS Sports
Seahawks limp away in loss to Cardinals, left with questions going into division title game against 49ers
The Seattle Seahawks and fans alike were left with more questions than answers after the Seattle dropped their week 16 meeting division rivals Arizona Cardinals, 27-13, last Sunday at CenturyLink Field. If any time the Seahawks could be given a mulligan for such a horrendous loss to a now 5-win Cardinals
team – a team that owned the springs NFL Draft’s top overall pick and a first year coach in Cliff Kingsbury – as Seattle still has games of significance on the horizon with the playoffs looming, while Arizona (5-9-1) is done after next week.
But still, it was a horrendous result for Seattle (11-4) heading into their meeting against San Francisco 49ers (12-3) where the NFC West Division crown decided in the final game of the decade.
“It didn’t matter what phase we were in. We just weren’t good enough today,” a somber Seattle coach Pete Carroll said after the Seahawks loss Sunday afternoon. “Our focus is gone (from) that game. It wasn’t going to be on this game once we got into the locker room anyway with the game coming up next week (because) everything comes down to the final week of the season.”
The mood of the Seahawks after the loss is understandable after the identity of the team has been stripped away piece by piece the last three weeks starting with backup and second year running Rashaad Penny to IR after he tore his ACL two weeks ago against the Los Angeles Rams.
Then Jadeveon Clowney was hurt which has caused the star defensive end to miss the past couple of weeks, and last week against the Carolina Panthers Quandary Diggs and Shaquille Griffen were both hurt during the game which forced the defensive backs out against Arizona. Add that to the defensive unit already being stung with injuries to both defensive end Ziggy Ansah and linebacker Michael Kendricks, the Seahawks defense has seen injuries come at the worst time for them to happen. And that’s not including losing defensive lineman Al Woods for four week to suspension for a PED violation.
“More than anything else we just got to respond. There’s so much to figure out. I can’t answer all those questions here,” Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson said who finished with a season-worst in completions (16-for-31) and passing yards (169) with the team’s only touchdown coming on 3-yard pass to fullback Nick Bellore to finish off the Seahawks first drive of the game.
“But I think ultimately, the good thing is we have a chance to win the NFC West. That’s the reality,” Wilson added. “That’s the truth and the truth is that we got to play better as well. Both of those things are real, and I don’t think there is anyone better than us in figuring out how to answer back.” The truth is the Seahawks defense has been rocked with injuries and suspensions all season, and yet
here they are in the thick of it with a chance to win the division title and earn a bye heading into the playoffs., left with questions going into division title game against 49ers The Seattle Seahawks and fans alike were left with more questions than answers after the Seattle dropped their week 16 meeting division rivals Arizona Cardinals, 27-13, last Sunday at CenturyLink Field.
If any time the Seahawks could be given a mulligan for such a horrendous loss to a now 5-win Cardinals team – a team that owned the springs NFL Draft’s top overall pick and a first year coach in Cliff Kingsbury – as Seattle still has games of significance on the horizon with the playoffs looming, while
Arizona (5-9-1) is done after next week.
But still, it was a horrendous result for Seattle (11-4) heading into their meeting against San Francisco 49ers (12-3) where the NFC West Division crown decided in the final game of the decade.
“It didn’t matter what phase we were in. We just weren’t good enough today,” a somber Seattle coach Pete Carroll said after the Seahawks loss Sunday afternoon. “Our focus is gone (from) that game. It wasn’t going to be on this game once we got into the locker room anyway with the game coming up next week (because) everything comes down to the final week of the season.”
The mood of the Seahawks after the loss is understandable after the identity of the team has been stripped away piece by piece the last three weeks starting with backup and second year running Rashaad Penny to IR after he tore his ACL two weeks ago against the Los Angeles Rams.
Then Jadeveon Clowney was hurt which has caused the star defensive end to miss the past couple of weeks, and last week against the Carolina Panthers Quandary Diggs and Shaquille Griffen were both hurt during the game which forced the defensive backs out against Arizona. Add that to the defensive unit
already being stung with injuries to both defensive end Ziggy Ansah and linebacker Michael Kendricks, the Seahawks defense has seen injuries come at the worst time for them to happen. And that’s not including losing defensive lineman Al Woods for four week to suspension for a PED
violation.
“More than anything else we just got to respond. There’s so much to figure out. I can’t answer all those
questions here,” Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson said who finished with a season-worst in completions (16-for-31) and passing yards (169) with the team’s only touchdown coming on 3-yard pass to fullback Nick Bellore to finish off the Seahawks first drive of the game.
“But I think ultimately, the good thing is we have a chance to win the NFC West. That’s the reality,” Wilson added. “That’s the truth and the truth is that we got to play better as well. Both of those things
are real, and I don’t think there is anyone better than us in figuring out how to answer back.” The truth is the Seahawks defense has been rocked with injuries and suspensions all season, and yet here they are in the thick of it with a chance to win the division title and earn a bye heading into the
playoffs.
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