The Seattle Seahawks secured a crucial win over the Arizona Cardinals in the battle for the NFC West as they powered to a 19-3 victory.
The Seahawks forced a three and out from the Cardinals on their first drive of the game, and Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson clicked into gear to drive the home side into field-goal range. Steven Hauschka was able to fire his side into the lead with an accurate kick from 37 yards.
Seattle almost got into the endzone when Wilson tried his luck downfield as he managed to hit Ricardo Lockette before he was pushed out of bounds at the Arizona eight-yard line. However, Wilson was sacked twice to stop a touchdown, leading to another Hauschka field goal.
The Seahawks kept the pressure on the Cardinals when Drew Stanton was intercepted by Byron Maxwell, but Wilson couldn't take advantage as he was sacked by Calais Campbell. However, Hauschka nailed a 52-yard kick through the posts.
The Cardinals could get nothing going on the offensive side of the ball as Stanton was sacked by Cliff Avril, but on the other side their defense prevented Wilson from scoring as Tommy Kelly brought him down for a loss. Then on the next play Kelly blocked Hauschka's field goal.
Jaron Brown had the chance to score a touchdown late in the half for the visitors, but he dropped Stanton's pass, which forced Chandler Catanzaro into a field goal to cut the Seahawks' lead to six points.
The Seahawks continued to dominate after the break as they blocked a punt, but they struggled to find the endzone as Hauschka fired a 40-yard field goal through the posts to extend their lead to nine points.
Seattle finally found the endzone when Wilson picked out his tight end Cooper Helfet on a screen pass, and he managed to evade several tackles before he leaped over the pylon to register the 24-yard touchdown.
Arizona tried to get a late touchdown to put pressure on the Seahawks, but the home side held firm to secure their seventh win of the season.
Simon Sinclair
