Rookie Kenneth Walker III, making his first career start, rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and Seattle kept the Arizona Cardinals’ offense out of the end zone as the host Seahawks posted a 19-9 victory Sunday afternoon.
Jason Myers kicked four field goals — from 39, 27, 34 and 32 yards — for the Seahawks (3-3), who pulled into a first-place tie with the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West while leaving the Cardinals (2-4) alone in last.
Geno Smith completed 20 of 31 passes for 197 yards for the Seahawks. Arizona’s Kyler Murray was 23-of-37 passing for 222 yards and rushed for a game-high 100 yards on 10 attempts.
With running backs James Conner (ribs) and Darrel Williams (knee) out with injuries, the Cardinals were forced to rely on Eno Benjamin, who managed just 37 yards on 15 carries.
Seattle’s last-ranked defense limited the Cardinals to 315 yards of total offense, sacked Murray six times and stopped four of five fourth-down conversion attempts. Rookie Tariq Woolen had an interception and recovered a fumble.
With Seattle leading 12-3, the game’s first touchdown came via Arizona’s special teams with 54 seconds left in the third quarter.
Seattle’s Michael Dickson stood just inside his own goal line ready to punt when the Cardinals’ Ezekiel Turner rushed untouched up the middle. Dickson, realizing he had no chance to get a kick away, tried to run but Turner forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Chris Banjo in the end zone. Matt Ammendola missed the extra point, leaving Seattle with a 12-9 lead.
The Seahawks marched 75 yards on their ensuing possession, with Walker scoring on an 11-yard run to make it 19-9.
The Cardinals took the opening kickoff and drove to Seattle’s 1-yard line before having to settle for Ammendola’s 23-yard field goal — the first points Arizona scored in the opening quarter of a game this season. Murray had a 42-yard run and a 26-yard pass to Rondale Moore on the possession.
Myers kicked three first-half field goals, the last on the final play of the second quarter, to give the Seahawks a 9-3 lead at the break.
–Field Level Media
