Seahawks vs. Cardinals: 5 Must-Know Storylines, Players to Watch From One of the NFL’s Newer Rivalries in Week 4

The Seahawks are packing their bags for Arizona, where they’ll square off with the Cardinals on Thursday Night under the prime-time lights. Both squads come in at 2-1, but they’ve taken completely different routes to get here. Seattle stumbled out of the game against the 49ers, then found their rhythm and stacked up back-to-back wins.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, came out hot with a 2-0 start, only to cough up a late lead last week against…yes, those same Niners. Now we have two teams with the same record, but very different vibes in Week 4. And with all that said, this matchup has plenty of juice. Let’s break down the five biggest storylines you’ll want to keep an eye on before the kickoff.

The story behind Sam Darnold’s offense’s success

The Seahawks’ offense has surged since that sluggish Week 1 loss to the Niners (17-13). Right at the center of it is Sam Darnold. Through three games, he’s been sharp: Completing over 70% of his passes (sixth-best in the league), pushing the ball downfield at a career-high 9 yards per attempt, and barely getting touched with only three sacks. His receivers have been right there with him, too.

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Seattle has piled up 278 passing yards against the Steelers and 233 against the Saints, thanks to Jaxon Smith-Njigba stepping up in a big way. The third-year wideout went for 103 yards on 8 catches in Week 2, then followed it up with 96 yards on 5 grabs in Week 3. And of course, having Cooper Kupp running alongside him just makes this offense that much harder to stop. The run game, meanwhile, hasn’t quite clicked yet, but Thursday night might be the perfect chance for it to get rolling.

The Cardinals’ offense is stuck amid injury crises

One big problem for the Cardinals heading into Week 4 is their run game, even though they’ve enjoyed success on the ground. James Conner is out for the year with a foot injury, and Trey Benson steps in. Benson flashed with a 5.0 yards per rush in his career, but he’s never handled more than 13 touches in a game. Bottom line: He’ll need help, and the run blocking has to improve. The issue?

Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and backup Kelvin Beachum are both banged up and questionable. And it’s not just the run game holding them back. Kyler Murray’s been fine, but the passing attack is still shaky. Arizona managed only 154 yards through the air last week, with three brutal drops in the second half.

Arizona’s offense meets Seattle’s top-tier defense

No doubt, the Seahawks’ secondary has been banged up: CB Devon Witherspoon (knee), rookie Nick Emmanwori (ankle), and Julian Love (hamstring) all were down in Week 3. Even so, this defense is shaping up into a top-tier unit. Through three games, Seattle has allowed the second-fewest points per game (15-7). The team’s yet to allow over 18 points per game this season. On top of that, the run defense ranks third at 3.2 yards per attempt, and the team is also generating the fourth-best QB pressure rate at 44.3%.

The Seahawks’ special teams units have something special

Seattle dominated the Saints in all phases, but a big reason for the blowout and those franchise-tying 21 first-quarter points was special teams. Rookie Tory Horton took a punt 95 yards to the house, setting a new team record. D’Anthony Bell added a blocked punt that set up another score, and Dareke Young’s 60-yard kick return sparked yet another touchdown. It’s too early to say if the unit can deliver like that again, but you can bet the Seahawks are counting on it.

Will the Seahawks remain persistent on the road?

The Seahawks finally secured a much-needed home win last week. On the road, though, they’ve been doing really well under head coach Mike Macdonald for a time now. The team has won 8 of their 9 away games, including a win in Pittsburgh in week 2. And when it comes to playing in Arizona? That’s something worth talking about. In Arizona, Seattle has been dominant.

They’ve defeated the Cardinals seven times in a row overall. And if you look at their games in Arizona since 2013 (the year they won the Super Bowl), the Seahawks have an incredible record there as well: 10 wins, 1 loss, and 1 tie. That said, it’d be intriguing to see whether Seattle would remain persistent or the Cardinals manage to break the streak.

Players to watch out for heading into Week 4

Heading into Week 4, both teams have key players listed as questionable for Thursday Night Football. Even so, there are still a few names worth keeping an eye on. Leading the chorus is:

Trey Benson (RB, Arizona Cardinals)

With Conner out for the season due to a foot injury, second-year running back Trey Benson steps into a prominent role. Last week, Benson complemented Murray in the rushing attack as he rushed for 42 yards on 10 carries. He lacks experience, no doubt. But as things stand, the Seahawks are surely counting on the 23-year-old back.

2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR, Seattle Seahawks)

There’s a reason behind the Seahawks’ top-tier passing game: Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The third-year wideout has been efficient through three games of the season. In the team’s season opener loss, the wideout caught 9 receptions for 124 yards, which he followed with eight receptions for 103 yards in Week 2 and 96 yards on 5 grabs in Week 3. As the Seahawks now head to the desert, Smith-Njigba has been named a team captain for the Week 4 game.

3. Tory Horton (WR, Seattle Seahawks)

Tory Horton had a day against the Saints last week. The rookie wideout caught three passes for 32 yards and a touchdown on offense (his second straight game where he produced a receiving touchdown), while also recording a 95-yard punt return touchdown in the first quarter. That being said, the prime time game is just a few hours away. Stay tuned for this week’s Thursday Night Football.

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