Last year, Mafe dominated in two games against the Cardinals, mainly against Johnson, who started at right guard as a rookie. In those two games, he collected seven pressures, a sack and an extra quarterback hit, constantly harassing Murray from the edge. Although he barely played in the first game, Hall also had one of his better games against Arizona in the season finale in January, racking up two pressures and a quarterback hit in a reserve role. With the home crowd behind them, both those players and Jones, who had two quarterback hits in the first game between these teams last year, will look to do some damage again against a much-improved tackle group that could be further strengthened by Williams. ‘ yield.

—Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett vs. Cardinals cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting, Garrett Williams and Starling Thomas: The Cardinals rebuilt their secondary this offseason, pushing Williams into a full-time starting role and signing Murphy-Bunting in free agency, and those moves have paid off significantly. Through ten games, the cornerback group has allowed just five touchdown passes, and both Williams and Thomas rank in the top twelve in the NFL in completion percentage, at less than 56 percent each. Williams was particularly sparse in coverage, ranking ninth in passer rating with an interception and three pass breakups.

In their two games last season, Metcalf only played in the final, catching one pass for 10 yards while being largely contained in Glendale. However, Lockett got the better of Thomas and had a 34-yard touchdown against him in that game, while Smith-Njigba caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown in the first game in Week 7, finding success against multiple corners on the outside. . Jake Bobo also scored an 18-yard touchdown against Thomas in coverage in that game, and Seattle’s depth/talent on the outside could present challenges that Arizona’s corners haven’t faced thus far, especially since Smith- Njigba has been on a tear from the slot lately.

—Seahawks linebackers Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight vs. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, running backs James Conner and Trey Benson: Few teams boast a more dangerous run game than the Cardinals, who create significant problems for opponents who deal with it schematically due to Murray’s dual-threat abilities and the duo of Conner and Benson flanking him in the backfield. Fully healthy after missing much of last year while recovering from an ACL tear, Murray has been dynamic as a runner so far this season, averaging 8.1 yards per carry on 13 runs of 10 or more yards. Conner, a battering ram with bad intentions who controls the ball, leads all backs in forced missed tackles and is in the top five in yards after contact, while Benson has gradually taken on a bigger role in recent weeks and is currently averaging 3.2 yards per carry. contact.

Jones and Knight started together for the second time on Sunday and were instrumental in holding Christian McCaffrey to just 79 yards last weekend, each tallying double-digit tackles and combining for eight stops of three yards or less while missing zero tackles . However, Jones allowed five catches on five targets in coverage, and the Cardinals use their backs as a key part of the passing game, as evidenced by Conner’s five receptions for 80 yards in Week 10 against the Jets. Both he and Benson can do damage as receivers, putting significant pressure on the Seahawks’ linebackers while also worrying about Murray’s mobility extending the play.

—Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith vs. Cardinals safeties Budda Baker and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson: Baker, the quarterback of Arizona’s defense, has not generated an interception this year, but he has been a threat to opponents with his ability to wreak havoc near the line of scrimmage while defending the run and as a lightning fast pass rusher. Through ten games, he already has 100 tackles and 21 run stops per PFF, the best in the league, with five pressures and a sack, making him a defender that quarterbacks always have to consider. Taylor-Demerson, a rookie at Texas Tech, has seen limited action when Jalen Thompson got fouled, generating two pass breakups on nine targets and posting a stellar 62.3 passer rating against in coverage.

Going up against a Cardinals defense that hasn’t had as much success generating pass rush from the front four, Smith will have to keep his head on a swivel knowing where the disruptive Baker is every second as he will line up as a deep security agent. , in the box and in the slot. In the passing game, however, the veteran’s safety has been vulnerable at times this year, allowing 310 passing yards, two touchdowns and a 124.3 passer rating, creating some potential opportunities for the quarterback to test him vertically with the the Seahawks’ talented arsenal of receivers. as well as a healthy Noah Fant.

—Seahawks cornerbacks Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe vs. Cardinals receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson, tight end Trey McBride: By orchestrating one of the most efficient passing games in the NFL, Murray has spread the wealth to an exciting stable of receivers that now features a lethal vertical threat in Harrison Jr., who already has six catches and three touchdowns on throws that travel more than twenty yards. But the first-round pick wasn’t actually the target in Arizona’s offense, with McBride taking the title and leading the team in receptions and yards, putting much of that damage on the slot. The athletic tight end creates matchup problems against small corners and has led to nine missed tackles this year, demonstrating a penchant for producing yardage after the catch.

Given the way Arizona uses McBride, Witherspoon should see extensive action in coverage against him as the nickel corner, matching his physicality against the tight end’s size and speed in what should be a big matchup. On the outside, Woolen’s sub-4.30 speed will be tested by Harrison, who is already in the discussion as one of the best wideouts in the field. But the Seahawks can’t afford to sleep on Wilson either, as the 6-3 target has 30 receptions and three touchdowns so far this year and his size and catch radius could pose problems against Jobe at the other boundary spot.

—Seahawks running backs Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet versus Cardinals linebackers Mack Wilson and Kyzir White: Like the Seahawks, the Cardinals had major problems defending the run early in the season, allowing at least 130 rushing yards in five of their first six games as they started a dismal 2-4. But during their four-game winning streak, the tables have turned 180 degrees, as defensive coordinator Nick Rallis’ group has held three of the past four opponents to 79 rushing yards or less, including shutting out the Chargers to just 59 yards. yards on the ground in Week 7. White and Wilson were central to these improvements, each ranking in the top 20 qualified inside linebackers in run defense class.

Seattle has been unable to undo its ground game for most of the season and currently ranks 28th in rushing yards and 23rd in yards per attempt. Still, Walker has made the most of the poor blocking, averaging 3.14 yards per carry after contact and 43 missed tackles, third-most among backs in the NFL. His ability to turn nothing into something could make a difference against Arizona, but most notably, the Seahawks should look to get him involved in the passing game with White allowing 30 receptions for 365 yards in coverage this year and on the Ranked 46th out of 47 linebackers. in that department so far.

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