Seahawks Dominate Cardinals, Command NFC West
It was not for the championship, but this Week 14 rematch carried serious implications. Seattle entered at 7-5, leading the NFC West after a three-game win streak starting with a gritty 20-17 win in San Francisco. Arizona, reeling from two straight losses and surrendering the division lead, desperately needed a win to avoid falling two games back.
Both teams framed the game as a chance for minor adjustments rather than sweeping changes. That held true until Kenneth Walker III was ruled out, thrusting Zack Charbonnet into the starting role. Charbonnet’s presence proved to be the catalyst Seattle needed—and one Arizona was not prepared for.
This was Charbonnet’s first start since Week 3, where he racked up ninety-one yards and two touchdowns against the Dolphins. That win marked the high point of Seattle’s now-overlooked 3-0 start. What followed were four straight losses, many in catastrophic fashion. The Week 4 loss to Detroit epitomized those struggles. Despite dominating time of possession and outgaining the Lions 516-389 in total yards, Seattle leaned too heavily on the pass. Jared Goff went 18-for-18, and the Seahawks fell 42-29.
At the time, I wrote: “Seattle’s failure to establish the run early was critical… Grubb’s commitment to the run will be crucial moving forward.” Those concerns only grew in Week 5’s loss to the Giants, where Seattle rushed just twice in the first half and totaled only nine carries after halftime. Geno Smith, the quarterback, was the team’s leading rusher that game. Head coach Mike McDonald admitted postgame: “That is a fair question… We need to get the run game going.”
Fast forward to Sunday, and it is clear Seattle has finally embraced the balanced approach this writer called for. Charbonnet exploded for 134 yards on twenty-two carries and two touchdowns, including a spectacular 51-yard dash to the end zone. He added fifty-nine receiving yards on seven catches, while Kenny McIntosh chipped in thirty-eight rushing yards on seven carries. Geno Smith played the efficient facilitator, going 24-for-30 for 233 yards, a touchdown, and zero interceptions. Crucially, Geno was not sacked once, thanks to a dominant performance by the offensive line.
Ryan Grubb, often criticized for pass-heavy play-calling, orchestrated his finest game as an NFL coordinator. Meanwhile, Mike McDonald’s defense turned in another lights-out performance, solidifying their status as one of the league’s most dangerous units.
This was the epitome of complementary football. A balanced offense, suffocating defense, and sharp play-calling laid the foundation for a decisive 27-13 victory. If Seattle sustains this level of execution, the sky’s the limit for this team.
As I have said all season: “Run the ball, play balanced football, and success will follow.” Consider this my “I told you so.”
mer
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