GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Seattle Seahawks turned a close first half into a rout Sunday, beating the Arizona Cardinals 31-7 and extending Arizona’s streak of losses to Seattle to 10 straight meetings.
Second-half surge seals it for Seattle
After a 7-7 tie at the break, Seattle opened the second half with a touchdown drive and steadily widened the margin as Arizona’s offense faltered. The Seahawks’ defense clamped down on the Cardinals, shutting down the running game, pressuring quarterback Jacoby Brissett and forcing Arizona into short, underneath throws that yielded few yards.
Arizona, which began the season with a 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in its first game under coach Mike LaFleur, managed just 95 passing yards from Brissett, who threw one touchdown and one interception. The second-half breakdowns — both on defense and offense — turned what had been a competitive contest into a comfortable win for Seattle and sent many Cardinals fans toward the exits before the final whistle.
What went wrong for Arizona
The Cardinals had a period of success against Seattle beginning in 2019, winning three of four matchups, but the momentum has decisively shifted. Since that stretch Arizona has lost 10 straight against the Seahawks; seven of those defeats were by 10 points or more. The run includes last season’s 44-22 loss in Seattle, where Arizona fell behind 35-0.
Linebacker Zaven Collins summed up the frustration in the Arizona locker room:
“It's frustrating losing to the same team, just losing in general,” Collins said. “Especially when you know you have a good team, a really good offense, really good defense and special teams. It's just unfortunate.”
The Cardinals showed promise early Sunday but were undone by a series of defensive breakdowns and an offense that could not sustain drives in the second half. Missed opportunities in the first half — including red-zone chances — compounded as Seattle tightened its coverage and pressure.
Key figures and game flow
- Final score: Seattle Seahawks 31, Arizona Cardinals 7
- Halftime: 7-7 tie
- Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett: 95 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
- Arizona’s season opener: 26-14 win vs. Chargers under coach Mike LaFleur
| Period | Seattle | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| 1st half | 7 | 7 |
| 2nd half | 24 | 0 |
| Final | 31 | 7 |
Seattle’s defense was the decisive factor after intermission, repeatedly forcing Arizona into predictable plays and limiting explosive gains. The Cardinals’ attempts to establish a ground game were thwarted, and Brissett was pressured into shorter attempts that failed to move the chains.
For Seahawks fans and Seattle sports followers, the victory underscores the club’s ability to close games against a divisional opponent even when the first half is tight. For Arizona, the result deepens an emerging trend of struggles against Seattle dating back several seasons and puts added pressure on coach Mike LaFleur and the roster to find answers before the NFC West schedule tightens.
Seattle’s performance Sunday highlighted the importance of in-game adjustments and defensive execution, while Arizona’s miscues offered a reminder of the gap that still exists between the teams. As the season progresses, matchups like this will carry implications for playoff positioning within the marquee division.
Coverage from Glendale provided the game details and postgame locker-room comments that framed the outcome. The Seahawks leave with a road win and momentum; the Cardinals depart facing questions about how to reverse a persistent trend against their NFC West rival.
