NFL Arizona CardinalsSeattle Seahawks

Predicting the Final Score of Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks

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By @calling_allfans

Cardinals vs. Seahawks

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

The reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks (6-4) will host the Arizona Cardinals (9-1) this Sunday, the team with the best record in the NFL. This will be the first meeting this season between these two NFC West rivals. What can we expect from this game? Will the Cardinals, who are playing some of the best football in the NFL, win their seventh straight game, or will the Seahawks get back on track after losing last week to the Kansas City Chiefs?

The Cardinals have had to deal with injuries and suspensions to key players, but they lead the NFC West by three games and have the best record in the NFL; however, almost no one is giving them a real chance to make the Super Bowl. The Cardinals keep on winning regardless of who is hurt or suspended. Their QB Carson Palmer missed extensive time already this season due to a nerve issue in his shoulder. He then tore his ACL in Week 10 against the St. Louis Rams and he is done for the season. Despite having to play roughly half of their games this season with their backup QB Drew Stanton, the Cardinals’ lone loss was on the road against the Denver Broncos. The Cardinals may not be winning in the same manner as the New England Patriots or Green Bay Packers, but they continue to play as a complete team and they have only one loss.

The Seahawks were one of the Super Bowl favorites coming into the season, and after beating the Packers and Broncos in the first few weeks, they did in fact look like they could repeat as Super Bowl champions. Then all of a sudden Seattle didn’t look the same and they managed to go only go 4-3 in their next seven games. The Seahawks shipped Percy Harvin to the New York Jets, had to deal with reports of a locker room that may be divided over QB Russell Wilson and put up with a possibly unhappy Marshawn Lynch. Here’s the thing though — while the Seahawks’ defense may not be as dominant as last year’s Super Bowl winning one, their defense is still better than most give it credit for. The Seahawks rank third against the pass (215.3 yards per game) and seventh against the rush (90.8 yards per game), and they are allowing just 21.5 points per game (12th). So while their defense isn’t the same as a year ago, it’s also doubtful the defense will lose a game for Seattle. Also, while their offense may not be prolific, they are still scoring more points (26.0 points per game – 10th) than they are allowing opponents to put up on them. Wilson isn’t going to throw for a million yards (2,019 this season), but he has 13 TDs to five interceptions with a great running game (174.2 yards per game, league’s best) to take some of the pressure off of him.

The problem for the Seahawks is the Cardinals’ defense is great at stopping the run. They are allowing 80.5 rushing yards per game (3rd), so Seattle may struggle to run the ball as effectively as they have this season. Arizona’s defense also ranks third in points per game (17.6), so points will come at a premium for Seattle. The Cardinals’ offense doesn’t exactly light up the scoreboard every week (averaging 23.7 points per game – 14th), but they are capable of putting up points. Another problem for the Seahawks is that their crowd, the 12th man, is not nearly as loud or disruptive this season. Normally Seattle is one of the hardest places to play in the NFL, but this season the 12th man is not out in full force.

Seattle can still make the playoffs this season, and a win at home against the Cardinals would go a long way towards achieving that goal; but the Cardinals are a better team than the Seahawks right now. Neither team will throw it a heck of a lot on Sunday, and the Cardinals’ run defense is better in addition to allowing fewer points per game. Plus, the Cardinals’ locker room chemistry is better, and that can’t be ignored.

Prediction: Cardinals 20, Seahawks 16

Justin Patrick is a New England Patriots writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @calling_allfans, like him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google. You can also email him at [email protected]

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