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| So deeply wrong: ex-Seahawk defensive lineman Red Bryant is a Cardinal now (Photo Credit: Seahawks) |
Carolina may have a better record, but the Cardinals look like this year's Team of Destiny.
Arizona leads the NFL in points scored and yards gained, thanks to Carson Palmer's MVP-caliber quarterbacking in the balanced offense of Bruce Arians, who may win his third NFL Coach of the Year award in four years. They score touchdowns more often than they punt.
Their defense is nearly as good, ranking fifth in points and yards allowed. At cornerback, All-Pro Patrick Peterson has made a case to be NFC Defensive Player of the Year. For extra meat on the interior defensive line, they have recruited former Seahawks Red Bryant and Cory Redding
Now riding a nine-game winning streak, the Cardinals last lost a game in October. Their current tear included a Week 10 desecration of Seahawks Stadium. The redbirds haven't had this much regular season success since 1925, when they played in Chicago. If Arizona beats Seattle tomorrow, then that would make 2015 the greatest regular season in the history of the Cardinals franchise.
Of course, the Angry Birds are thinking much bigger than that: the franchise has only tasted one true championship in its history, and that was also in Chi-Town, in 1947. This coach and this team give the Cardinals the best shot they've ever had to win a Super Bowl.
Our division rivals sees this game as a mere warm-up for the playoffs: Behead, pluck, skewer and roast the Seahawks to show them what is in store for them if they earn another trip to Arizona in the playoffs.
What Is at Stake for Seattle?
By losing, the Seahawks would condemn themselves to a barely respectable 9-7 record, probably backing into the playoffs as the sixth seed. Seattle would likely face the fading but still potent Packers on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, where history has not been kind to us in the postseaon.
Winning, on the other hand, would salvage a solid 10-6 record and a fifth seed ticket to face the flaccid Foreskins of the NFC Least. More important, it would serve notice that Seattle is a team to fear in the playoffs.
After letting the Lambs lay us out last week, few fear the Seahawks right now.
What Hope Is There?
Nor much.
Despite my typical starry-eyed optimism, the Diehard feels grim about tomorrow.
Sure, on a good day, the Legion of Boom can hang with Arizona's explosive offense and keep Seattle in the game.
However, it is hard to see how a Seahawk offense that couldn't score against St. Louis could turn around in one week and light it up against an even better Cardinal defense.
What Went Wrong Last Week?
Three forces conspired to doom Seattle last week:
1. St. Louis played very well, while the Seahawks played less well.
2. Seattle had some bad luck.
3. The Rams outcoached us, especially on offense.
In my opinion, offensive coaching was the most decisive factor. St. Louis adapted its game plan to the limitations of its personnel and the universe of the possible as dictated by Seattle's defense.
In stark contrast, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and O-Line coach Tom Cable failed to adapt our game plan to our personnel situation and to the strengths of the Rams defense.
Namely, Seattle is shorthanded at tight end, has injuries on the offensive line, and has two relatively inexperienced running backs in Bryce Brown and Christine Michael. Given the remarkable strength of the St. Louis defensive line, Bevell and Cable should have known that the same recipe that had been working might not work against the Rams. They should have been ready to call read-options, spread formations, designed rollouts, screens and multiple receiver sets to give Russell Wilson a fighting chance. Instead, they expected the makeshift O-Line to handle a defensive front comprised almost entirely of All-Pros, Pro Bowlers and first-round draft picks. DangeRuss got pummeled as our offense sputtered.
Some blame Brown and Michael and pine for the return of Marshawn Lynch. I want Beast Mode back as much as anyone, but it would not have mattered last week, because there was no room to run. If Lynch had grinded out twice or thrice as many yards as his replacements, that still wouldn't have been enough.
If Bevell and Cable fail to adapt their schemes, then we're likely to see the same outcome tomorrow. Last week, St. Louis needed a defensive touchdown to eke out a victory.
Another suggestion: You know what you can do when you're running short of tight ends? If you just need someone to block, then you can insert an extra offensive lineman and have him report as an eligible receiver. You could also put Derrick Coleman in at fullback and have Will Tukuafu line up as a tight end.
Another suggestion: Do we have any trick plays on offense? A flea flicker, a wide receiver pass, anything?
Yet another suggestion: Practice onside kicks. That was pathetic.
What Happened to Our Home Field Advantage?
Seattle has allowed three opponents to defile Seahawks Stadium this year. 5-3 represents the franchise's worst home record since 2011. (That was Pete Carroll's sad sophomore season; we went 4-4 at home and 7-9 overall with Tarvaris Jackson under center.)
Go, Hawks!
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