MX23RW : Sunday, December 29 01:37:49| >> :600:58461160:58461160:
Oct 18, 2013 at 1.25am UK at ​University of Phoenix Stadium
Seattle Seahawks
34-22
Arizona Cardinals
FT
Rice (7:13)
7
Q1
0
Miller (13:25)
10
Q2
10
Mendenhall (3:40)
Davis (7:48), Lynch (3:52)
14
Q3
3
3
Q4
9
Brown (5:13)

Live Commentary: Seattle Seahawks 34-22 Arizona Cardinals - as it happened

Join Sports Mole for all the action from the NFL clash between the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks.
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The Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks met in their NFL clash on Thursday Night Football at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Bruce Arians's side were looking to bounce back from their defeat to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, while the Seahawks were hoping to increase their lead at the top of the NFC West.

Pete Carroll's men did just that as they moved to 6-1 with a comfortable victory over their divisional rivals as quarterback Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes.

Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.


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Good morning and welcome to the live commentary of the NFL clash between the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks.

The Cardinals are coming into the game with a 3-3 record in the NFC West after losing at the weekend to rivals the San Francisco 49ers. They're two games behind the leaders in the division, their opponents tonight in this clash.

The Seahawks responded to their first defeat of the season with a solid win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday to tighten their grip on the division. A win tonight would give them the advantage over the Cardinals as well as the 49ers in a potential tie-breaker situation.

An important factor in Seattle's win over the Titans was the running of back Marshawn Lynch, who again is having a wonderful season for Pete Carroll's side. He has five touchdowns and 487 yards in the ground this season and if he carries on at this pace, he will be a cert for the Pro Bowl.

Quarterback Russell Wilson hasn't quite lived up to the hype of last season despite having a quarterback rating in the early '90s. His passing hasn't quite been at it's best but he has amassed over 160 yards on the ground in the last two games and with that dual threat he is still a problem for any opponent he faces.

The Cardinals play at quarterback this season has improved on last year's debacle although it wasn't hard to. Carson Palmer has been inconsistent for Bruce Arian's side and for every good pass he makes he seems to make one bad one. So far his stats are underwhelming throwing seven touchdowns to 11 interceptions in his six games son far this season. He will need to improve if his side are to challenge the Seahawks and the 49ers in the NFC West.

Another underwhelming player has been running back Rashard Mendenall following his off-season move to the club. The former first-round pick has amassed just 259 yards on the ground on 79 carries, which is just an average of 3.3 yards a carry, not what Arians had in mind for the back this season.

However, one area of quality that will be on display today is the cornerbacks. We have two of the best in this game tonight in the form of the Cardinals' Patrick Peterson and the Seahawks' Richard Sherman. Both are outstanding players and have made their mark in the NFL, since arriving in the league in 2011.

Both players already have three interceptions this season and look certs to be voted to the Pro Bowl and to the All-Pro latest this year. They both have the ability to shut down the number one receiver's of any team. Sherman will be tested tonight when he goes up against All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald, that should be where the game is decided.

The inactives list have been released and we'll start with the home side.

CARDINALS INACTIVES: Golden, Lindley, Williams, Moch, Demens, Watford, Jefferson.

SEAHAWKS INACTIVES: Daniels, Ware, Wagner, Giacomini, Hauptmann, Mayowa.

Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell plays in the game tonight despite being stretchered off at the weekend against the 49ers with a neck injury and is expected to start.

The Seahawks will be without linebacker Bobby Wagner and tackle Breno Giacomini, which will be a blow for them as both are usual starters for Carroll's side.

Hauschka's kick is downed in the endzone by Peterson and Palmer will being at the 20.

The Cardinals get a first down immediately as Ellington collects the ball on swing pass from Palmer, evades a tackle and gets to the marker, after Mendenhall found six tough yards through the middle.

Palmer finds Roberts on third down and six for a tough pick up over the middle as he receiver runs a good quick out and beats his man in coverage to catch the ball at the marker.

SACK! Palmer takes a huge loss as McDaniel bursts through the middle of the line to drop him for sack of 14 yards. The quarterback does well to find Floyd for 11 yards on second but he's forced to scramble on third and can't get the yardage needed for the first down pick up and Zastudil punts. His punt is collected at the two and Tate returns it to the 17.

Wilson gets his side moving straight away as he fakes the hand off to Lynch and runs himself down the right-hand side after the defenders bite on the fake for 11 yards.

Wilson drops back to pass this time and spreads the ball outside to his tight end Wilson on a clearout route and he runs down the sideline for a 23-yard gain, moving the chains.

Lynch gets the ball on this occasion and he finds all sorts of space down the left-hand side and powers over the tackle of Powers for 15 yards.

TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!

The Seahawks take the lead on a broken play as Wilson is forced out of the pocket and he scrambles down the right but throws on the run deep to the endzone where Rice has found space, the pass is right on the money and the receiver makes a simple catch for a 31-yard score.

Arenas returns Hauschka's kick to the 17 where Palmer will begin.

Palmer hooks up with Fitzgerald for the first time of the night as he fires the ball to him on a crucial third down pass on a short out route and the 30-year-old comes up with the crucial catch to move the chain after Ellington and Mendenhall could only combine for one yard.

Roberts gets his side a big pick up on second down as Palmer is forced out of the pocket and just slings the ball to the sideline where the receiver jumps up to snag the ball at about eight feet in the air and taps his toes to the ground quickly before falling out of bounds. Great catch.

INTERCEPTION SEAHAWKS!

Palmer is intercepted with a great play from Browner and Thomas, the quarterback throws deep looking for Fitzgerald and Browner knocks the ball away from the receiver, it deflects up and Thomas dives to reach it and makes the pick getting his knee down in bounds. What a play!

The Seahawks get back to work and find a first down as Wilson throws over the middle on a quick release to Miller, who does well to hold off a challenge from Bell to keep hold of the ball and reach the first down marker.

Wilson keeps his side moving downfield as he finds Tate on screen pass from a bunch formation and the receiver beats his man for speed and finds 14 yards on the ground before being pushed out of bounds. The Seahawks had looked in trouble on third and two but a timeout called from the sideline bailed them out following a botched snap.

Lynch is finds four yards on second down with a powerful run through the middle of the line to get the yardage after Wilson and Tate had linked up on first for six yards.

END OF FIRST QUARTER: Seattle Seahawks 7-0 Arizona Cardinals

The Seahawks get a break as they're moved forward 15 yards downfield as Abraham hits Wilson late and the referees flag the defensive end for unnecessary roughness to move the visitors to the Arizona 13.

TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!

The Seahawks go further ahead as Wilson throws a strike down the seam for his tight end Miller, who goes above safety Bell to make the catch and gets his knee down in bounds at the back of the endzone. The visitors got away with a false start penalty which backed them up five yards and also a near fumble by Lynch, but he was able to gather before Wilson struck for the 15-yard score.

Palmer and co will begin at the 20 as Hauschka's kick goes out of bounds.

SACK! Clemons comes up with a huge sack of Palmer on third down killing the Cardinals' drive as beats Sowell and drops the quarterback for a nine-yard loss, after Palmer had gotten away with a poor throw on first which Floyd did well to knock out of the hands of Sherman.

A costly block in the back from Morgan costs his side a touchdown as he knocks over his man and allow Tate to coast in for the 50-yard score, which is immediately brought back by the officials. The Seahawks will begin at the 50.

Lynch gets nine yards on first down but can't get the yardage on second and third as he gets stopped just short of the marker by some solid tackling from the home side. However, Seattle opt to go for it on fourth.

CARDINALS GET THE STOP! Wilson goes for himself on fourth and can't find a hole and as a result is drive back by some ferocious defense from the home side. That could be the spark they need to get back into the game.

Palmer gets his offense moving as he hits Floyd on a crossing route for 10 yards as he beats the coverage of Sherman and moves across the field and gets over the first down marker with the aid of a block from Fitzgerald on Thurmond.

Palmer finds his receiver Brown on a screen pass for nine yards on second down as he is dropped just before the first down marker and Mendenhall can't pick up the first on third down and one, but Arians decides to go for it on fourth and one.

CARDINALS GET THE FIRST DOWN! Mendenhall powers through the middle of the line for a tough yard and earns his team another set of downs.

SACK! Avril gets to Palmer this time and knocks the ball out his hand, fortunately for the quarterback it lands out bounds. Another Cardinals' drive comes to an end but this time Feely will have a chance at a field goal from 49 yards.

FIELD GOAL GOOD!

Feely knocks the ball through the posts from 49 yards to make it an 11-point game.

Kearse brings the ball out of his endzone from Feely's kickoff but he's brought down at his own 13 by a tackle from Smith.

FUMBLE!

Shaughnessy gets to Wilson and sacks him and strips the ball out of his hands with a great move to get free of his blocker. The ball lands at the feet of Campbell, who gathers setting his offense up at the three-yard line of the Seahawks.

TOUCHDOWN CARDINALS!

Palmer hands the ball off to Mendenhall on first down and he jinks his way through the line on first down to get in for the three-yard score to get his side back into the game. A good move from the back on goalline.

Wilson bounces back to get his side moving again as he finds Coleman down the right-hand sideline for eight yards before he's pushed out of bounds by Shaughnessy.

The Seahawks face third down and one after the two minute warning as on second Campbell bursts through the line to bring down Lynch for only a yard.

The Seahawks get the first down as Wilson finds Miller over the middle for a pick up of seven yards to move them to their own 47.

Big moment in the game on third down and eight as Wilson is chased out of the pocket and throws on the run to find Rice down the right-hand sideline. The receiver believes that he had made the grab but the official rule that he didn't. However it will be reviewed by the booth.

CATCH! Seattle get the first down on the 35-yard line as the booth confirms that it was indeed a catch by Rice.

Wilson gets his side moving further into Cardinals territory as he throws a back shoulder throw to Kearse, who makes the catch for 17 yards at the Arizona 17 and gets out of bounds to kill the clock.

The Seahawks can't punch the ball into the endzone as Dansby breaks up a pass from Wilson to Tate down the seam with his back and knocks the ball to the ground with his hands on the rebound. On third they get pushed back third and 25 due to a holding call and a false starting leaving Hauschka with a 51-yard field goal attempt.

FIELD GOAL GOOD!

Hauschka knocks his kick through the posts from 51 yards to make it a seven-point game.

HALF-TIME: Seattle Seahawks 17-10 Arizona Cardinals

The Seahawks lead at the break but it should be so much more comfortable for them than it as they've dominated the first half with some excellent quarterback play from Russell Wilson the reason. He found Rice and Miller with two brilliant throws to the endzone while he could have had a third just before the break if not for Dansby. However, his one mistake has cost his side as he fumbled the ball on his goalline allowed Mendenhall to get a score back for the home side.

The Cardinals are lucky to be in the game as their offense has been extremely poor in the first half. Only a good play from Shaughnessy has kept them in it as Palmer has been very shaky at quarterback after throwing one interception and coming very close to throwing a second just after. He will need to improve his form if they're to have a chance in the game.

The quarterback stats at the break are: Wilson is 12-18 for 152 yards on his throws for two touchdowns, while Palmer is 8-12 for 70 yards for one interception.

Feely kicks the ball out of the endzone and Wilson will start at his own 20.

SACK! Wilson goes down for a six-yard loss on second down as Abraham gets to him for the tackle. That puts the Seahawks in third and 16 and Washington shoots the gap on third and drops Lynch for a three-yard loss. Ryan punts to the Arizona 48 where Peterson gathers.

The Cardinals get a break moving the chains for 16 yards as Sherman is flagged for pass interference on Floyd on second down when he got his hands to the receiver just a fraction of a second to early. He is not happy about that decision.

Arizona's drive comes grinding to a halt as Roberts drops the ball on third and nine under pressure from Thurmond on a an out route, he got his hands to the ball but the pressure from the corner did enough to force it out. Needed stronger hands there the receiver, as he forces Feely into a 52-yard field goal.

FIELD GOAL GOOD!

Feely knocks his kick through the posts from 52 yards to make it a four-point game.

Wilson will start at the 20 following Feely's touchback.

Seattle are rolling immediately as Tate beats Peterson on a slant route and Wilson fires him the ball over the middle of the field for a 25-yard pickup to move his side to their own 45.

Wilson somehow gets the ball out before being sacked by Washington on third down and his pass is caught by Miller for a six-yard gain to pick up the first down. An incredible play from the quarterback.

Wilson gets the ball out his hands quickly and hits Baldwin on a quick in route over the middle of the field and he spins out of tackle before going down at the Arizona 26 for a 16-yard pick up.

Lynch lowers his head and goes right through the middle of the Arizona defense for 18 yards to move his side within striking distance of the endzone as he burst through several tackles to pick up the yardage.

TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!

Wilson gets his third touchdown of the game as he hits tight end Davis at the back of the endzone for a one-yard score on a play-action pass and the tight end found enough space to come down with the catch. Lynch thought he had powered his way in for the score on the previous play but he was stopped on the one-yard line. The Seahawks extend their lead to 11 points once again.

Hauschka's kick goes out of the endzone so Palmer and co will begin at the 20.

Palmer gets into a groove straightaway and finds Floyd on an out route for 11 yards to move the chains for the Cardinals. They need a score on this drive to answer back against the visitors.

Palmer scrambles himself for two yards on first before finding Dray over the middle of the field for eight yards on a crossing route to get the first down for his side.

INTERCEPTION SEAHAWKS!

Palmer is intercepted for the second time of the game as he throws the ball straight into the hands of Browner, as he was on his back foot looking for Roberts on a hitch route but the corner made a good play on the ball and took it back to the Cardinals' three-yard line.

TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!

The Cardinals managed to repel the run of Lynch on first down but they couldn't stop him on second as he powered through the middle of the line and dove over the goalline for the score from three yards out. A solid run from the back and he deserved that touchdown.

Palmer will begin again on the 20.

Palmer drops back and throws an out route to Peterson, who plays his first offensive snap of the game, for a pick up of 19 yards and a first down.

The Cardinals are moving as Palmer throws deep to his tight end Housler on play-action for a 17-yard gain on first down to move the chains again.

SACKS! Palmer goes down on back-to-back plays for a combined loss of 17 yards as first Wright gets to him through the middle of the line, then Clemons bull rushes Sowell into the quarterback and taps his ankles to bring him down. Zastudili punts into the endzone so Wilson will begin at his 20.

FUMBLE!

Wilson fumbles the ball again as he gets hit by Abraham and sacked. Shaugnessy dives on the ball to recover it for the home side giving them a chance to get back into the game. That's the second time Wilson has coughed the ball up to the Cardinals in a bad area.

Palmer looks for Ellington on first down to the endzone but the throw is just too far over his head so that he could bring it down for a catch. On second he goes short for Floyd who makes the catch for seven yards to move his side to the eight.

END OF THIRD QUARTER: Seattle Seahawks 31-13 Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are handed the first down as Avril jumps into the neutral zone gifting them five yards to move the home side to the three-yard line.

The Cardinals are kept out the endzone as Palmer's first pass to Roberts is deflected away, his second to Dray is caught but the tight end is pushed out of bounds before he can get a foot down, on third he throws the ball into space expecting Fitzgerald to make a move but the receiver is static. Feely is forced into a 22-yard field goal attempt.

FIELD GOAL GOOD!

Feely knocks his field goal through the posts to make it a 15-point game.

Wilson will start on the 20 as Feely kicks the ball out of the endzone.

Lynch gets his side moving with a first down as he powers through the middle of the line on a draw play for six yards after a offside penalty on Arizona gifted them five yards on third down.

Wilson moves his side into Arizona territory with a huge pick up of 32 yards as he hits Tate on a deep post route over the middle of the field. A great throw and catch by the quarterback and the receiver.

However, the Cardinals make a stand and stop Wilson's offense in their tracks as he can only find a three-yard completion on third down needing four for another set of downs as Rice is tackled by Peterson. Hauschka is brought on for a 42 yard field goal attempt.

FIELD GOAL GOOD!

Hauschka knocks the 42 yarder through the posts to extend his side's lead.

SACK! Palmer is sacked for sixth time of the game as Smith brings him down for an eight-yard loss on third down forcing a punt from Zastudil.

Sherman muffs the punt from Zastudil but he manages to gather the ball for a loss of six yards on the play so Wilson will begin on his 28.

Wilson nearly goes down for a huge loss but again he manages to get the ball away before he is brought down by Mathieu on third down but the pressure forces an incompletion and the Seahawks go three and out.

Housler is in the action again for his side an he gets the chains moving with a big pick up over the the middle of field for 18 yards before he's brought down by Thomas.

Palmer moves his side further into Seattle territory as he hits Floyd on a crossing route and he catches the ball and turns it into a 19-yard gain as he crosses the field and gets down the right-hand sideline before he's knocked out of bounds.

Roberts and Ellington keep the chains moving on short passes from Palmer for six and five yards respectively to move their side into Seattle's 10-yard line.

TOUCHDOWN CARDINALS!

Palmer throws his first touchdown pass of the night as he finds Brown at the back of the endzone on a slant route, he throws the ball up high and the receiver makes a good catch to go and get the ball and bring his feet down in bounds.

The Cardinals go for two but Sherman breaks up the pass to Floyd.

The home side try a pooch kick to try and steal the ball back on the kickoff but Davis does well to knock the ball out of bounds before a Cardinals player can get to it.

The Seahawks go three and out as Wilson is stopped just short of the marker on third down after a run from Lynch had picked up five on second, which gave them third and two. Ryan's punt is downed at the Arizona 30.

Palmer moves the ball and picks up back-to-back first downs but the clock keeps moving and his side are only at the 50 with just two minutes left in the game, making a comeback very unlikely.

Smith collects a swing pass from Palmer and moves the Cardinals to the Seattle 37 at the two minute warning.

Housler gets a five-yard pass from Palmer but has the ball poked from his grasp by Browner but Sendlein falls on the ball and gathers for the home side.

Palmer gets sacked for the seventh time of the night as McDonald brings him down for a six-yard loss and that leaves him in third and 16 with time ticking away.

Palmer nearly goes down for the eighth time of the night as he just throws the ball away on fourth down and that will be that.

Wilson kneels down and the game ends.

FULL-TIME: Seattle Seahawks 34-22 Arizona Cardinals

The Seahawks move to 6-1 in their season with a comprehensive victory over the Cardinals as Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes, while running back Marshawn Lynch had 91 yards on the ground and a score of his own.

Seattle's defense had their way with Arizona's offensive line as they sacked Palmer seven times during the game while also getting two interceptions, holding him to 258 yards of passing.

The Cardinals defense actually had a very good game and presented their offense with two great opportunities to get points on the board when they forced Wilson to fumble the ball on two occasions. They did a decent job on Lynch for the majority of the game and they're not the reason why they slipped to 3-4. If the Cardinals are to have any aspirations of the post-season Palmer needs to play a lot better than he did in this game and so does his offensive line, who were extremely poor.

Thanks for joining our commentary, we'll be back with all the NFL action on Sunday.

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