Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) catches a touchdown catch against Arizona Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas V (24) during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Jan. 7, 2024. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
The NFC West lead is on the line when the Arizona Cardinals visit the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. One week after sitting in last place in the logjammed division, the Seahawks have a chance to take control of their own destiny.
Seattle (5-5, 1-2 NFC West) is fresh off a season-saving victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11 and is now trying to win two straight games for the first time since they began the campaign 3-0. The Niners, as a result, are now at the bottom of the division.
Arizona (6-4, 2-0 NFC West) already has in-division victories over the Niners and Los Angeles Rams and is riding a four-game win streak spanning more than a month. The season script for the Cardinals has been opposite of the Seahawks, beginning the season 2-4 before mounting a lengthy string of victories.
That said, both teams now converge in similar situations with the same opportunity of increasing their chances to earn an automatic playoff berth.
The Seahawks' season has been a rollercoaster through 10 games. Despite their strong start, the opponents they faced during the first three games were either contenders dealing with key personnel losses (Miami Dolphins), teams with massive offseason change still finding their identity (Denver Broncos), or outright bottom-feeder rosters (New England Patriots).
Seattle lost five of their next six games heading into the bye week by an average of 12 points. When Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith scored a go-ahead rushing touchdown versus San Francisco last week with 12 seconds remaining in the game, new life was injected into the team's prospects of contending for a playoff spot.
It cannot be overstated what beating a bitter rival for the first time in three years can do to an NFL team's confidence. Seattle is carrying immense momentum into Week 12.
Arizona, on the other hand, is coming off a bye but entered that week at the height of its confidence. The Cardinals won just eight combined games during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and they already have six wins this year. Before their current streak, they last won four or more in a row in 2021 when the team began 7-0.
Quarterback Kyler Murray's return has been the biggest difference, starting all 10 games for Arizona this season after missing a combined 15 games the last two seasons.
Murray is one of just three quarterbacks this season with 12 or more touchdown passes and three or fewer interceptions (Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson and the Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert). He's also fourth among quarterbacks in rushing yards (371) and is arguably the most dynamic scrambler in the league.
The Cardinals' offense has been fueled by a potent rushing attack led by James Conner, which has Arizona's fifth-ranked ground game (149.4 rush yards per game) rolling into Week 12.
Seattle and Arizona kickoff at 1:25 p.m. on Sunday. For a full game preview, check out the video above as Corbin K. Smith and Connor Benintendi preview the Seahawks' Week 12 game against the Cardinals.
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