Sunday, December 26, 2004
CARDINALS/SEAHAWKS
(final content posted ~5:18p)
Here's what I have for today's game notes. To see the Seahawks' playoff scenarios going into this one, scroll to Jeremy's post below this one or click here.
As for the surprise today, it looks like it's Trent Dilfer. Good luck, Trent.
As for the sad surprise today, it's Reggie White. I'm in disbelief.
To the game...
1ST QUARTER
>> 1st Arizona possession (AZ 30)
14:50 McCown quick pass Boldin right for 4
14:17 McCown to Fitzgerald right for 7 and a first down
14:00 handoff left to Emmitt Smith for a loss of 1
13:17 McCown changes play at line, Seahawks bring blitz, Boulware forces fumble, Arizona recovers...it was a nice blitz though, for a change (3rd/17)
12:38 Arizona timeout
12:31 McCown left to Ayanbadejo left for 1
I really liked that blitz on second down. They brought a ton of guys to the line and it actually worked for once. All in all, it was a good stop and a good way for the defense to start the game. Let's go offense.
>> 1st Seattle possession (SEA 20)
11:41 Dilfer sacked for Quentin Harris on the blindside, loss of 2
11:11 Alexander right side into the pile for 3 (3rd/9)
10:38 incomplete over middle, Tim Green says that Bobby Engram dropped that one....I didn't see it quickly enough
Three and freakin' out. I haven't heard myself say that before. It's not like the offense and the defense couldn't build on what the other half of their team does. It would just make too much sense. Here, the defense makes a good stop, and the offense does nothing. Infuriating.
>> 2nd Arizona possession (flags...illegal block on Arizona, AZ 29)
10:22 McCown left side to Boldin for an easy 19-yd catch, first down
10:02 handoff left Smith for 5
9:25 quick pass right side to Fitzgerald for 10 yds and a first down (SEA 37)
8:51 Smith right side for one (SEA 36)
8:14 Smith left side dances around for another loss, this one for 2 (SEA 38, 3rd/11)
7:29 McCown to Freddie Jones, who drops the ball
It got a little sketchy at points on that drive, but the Seahawk defense was eventually able to stop the drive, and that's a good thing. It's a bonus lately to keep the other teams out of field goal range as well.
>> 2nd Seattle possession (SEA 14)
7:16 Alexander runs into pile right, dances around for 1
6:42 Dilfer throws away right, but Adrian Wilson blitzed in untouched (3rd/9)
6:36 Strong right side for 7
I don't like this one bit. This is horribly discouraging. Three and out twice? I liked the meal that I ate about an hour and a half ago, but I'm not too convinced it would taste better coming out.
>> 3rd Arizona possession (AZ 48...sizable return, and Ken Walter was plowed on the play)
5:53 McCown left to Boldin drops the one-handed catch attempt
5:48 Smith through the middle for 7 (3rd/3)
5:08 McCown left side to Boldin, nice catch after getting hit by two defenders for 14 and a first down (SEA 31)
***4:23 McCown forever to throw, gets Boldin left sideline in the end zone (AZ 7-0)
Come on. The defense could only hold up so long. Of course, the Cardinals had a short field to work with anyway. Ken Lucas got worked. My goodness. Boldin had about a three-yard cushion.
>> 3rd Seattle possession (SEA 19...did I mention last week how I never have a feeling that the Seahawks will return a kickoff for a TD?)
4:11 Alexander right side for 1
3:34 Dilfer throws away, was going to get plowed by Bertrand Berry (3rd/9)
3:30 Dilfer to Adrian Wilson of the Cardinals, who dropped it
Trent Dilfer is getting no protection. It's no wonder he hasn't completed a pass yet.
>> 4th Arizona possession (AZ 46)
3:15 McCown to Ayanbadejo through the middle for 9
2:46 Smith left for a first down, 3 yds (SEA 42)
2:09 McCown to Fitzgerald right, broken up by Trufant
2:05 Smith right for 1 (3rd/9)
1:27 McCown to Johnson right sideline for 11 and a first down (SEA 30)...naturally they can't challenge the play. It's a force-out.
0:58 Smith through middle for 8
###0:17 McCown to Fitzgerald in the end zone INTERCEPTED, outjumps Fitzgerald
>> 4th Seattle possession (SEA 20)
0:11 Dilfer overthrows Rice down left sideline, Dilfer hurried again
0:04 Dilfer quick pass left Hannam fights for extra yardage, gets 18 and a first down (SEA 38)
Two of the last three plays were the most encouraging things about the whole first quarter. The offense didn't get a first down until the final play of the first quarter. However, Trent Dilfer is constantly being pressured. He's not having time to do anything back there.
2ND QUARTER
14:53 Dilfer pressured, dances right and throws to a defender, who drops it
14:49 Alexander left side tripped up after 3 yd (3rd/7)
14:13 Dilfer dumpoff to Morris underthrown...had some time to throw, but it was running out
This offense is comatose right now. Trent Dilfer's not wowing anyone right now, but neither is the Seahawks' offensive line. Dilfer is 1-for-8, Shaun Alexander has four carries and eight yards. Yippee.
>> 5th Arizona possession (AZ 26)
14:00 McCown quick pass left Boldin breaks three tackles, gets 11 yards and a first down (AZ 37)
13:28 Smith left side for 2
12:54 Smith right side for big run of 13 and a first down (SEA 48)
12:23 Smith right side for 2
11:45 Hamlin on a blitz tips the McCown pass right side (3rd/8)
11:39 McCown screen left to Scobey stuffed by Antonio Cochran, loss of 9
Two good plays by the defense stop the Cardinals' drive. At least there's something good to take out of this so far.
AAAALL BYYYY MYYYSEEEEELF...
>> 5th Seattle possession (SEA 25)
10:59 Dilfer quick short pass right Jackson for 17 and a first down (SEA 43)
10:28 Alexander right side into his own man, gets 1
9:42 Dilfer stays back, is pressured, runs to right sideline, throws incomplete to Jackson right sideline (3rd/9)
9:34 Dilfer to Morris right side for 3
Hey, at this pace the Seahawks might score a touchdown with about five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Trent Dilfer is getting hurried on just about every play. On the plays he isn't hurried, the receivers downfield are either covered or he's just not throwing to them. The Seahawks have run 11 pass plays and 6 running plays (5 to Alexander).
>> 6th Arizona possession (AZ 20)
8:50 Smith right side stuffed by Okeafor, loss of 1
8:19 Smith left side for 2 (3rd/9)
7:43 sketchy play...McCown left to Johnson for what appeared to be a first-down catch...looks like Lucas ripped the ball loose and it was ruled incomplete...RED FLAG TIME! I'm guessing it's overturned because the Seahawks are involved. IT STANDS. It was probably pass interference, but who cares?
>> 6th Seattle possession (AZ 20...Engram with the best special teams return on the year for 48 yards)
7:20 Dilfer overthrows Hannam over middle
7:12 Alexander up the middle for 3
6:41 Dilfer overthrows Jackson in end zone right, with flags...I'm guessing that's an uncatchable ball...BUT IT'S ILLEGAL CONTACT. FIRST DOWN!
6:36 Alexander cuts left for 4
6:03 Dilfer quick pass right Jackson, who stiff-arms a defender and goes for 5 (3rd/1)
5:23 Alexander left side close to the chains...FIRST DOWN, (2 yd, AZ 1)
***4:44 Alexander left side FUMBLES before getting into end zone, but recovers it in the end zone...ARIZONA RED FLAGS...IT STANDS. TOUCHDOWN (7-7)
I tell ya, I know I would have been ticked if for some reason they would have ruled Alexander down before the goal line. He wasn't down before he fumbled it, and he recovered it in the end zone. Plain and simple. Mega props to Bobby Engram, who set up that entire (short) drive. The Seahawks haven't done much at all today, but guess what? Now it's tied.
>> 7th Arizona possession (AZ 28)
4:32 McCown pass tipped by Koutouvides, Bates has the ball fall out of his hands
4:28 Smith right side to AZ 30 (2 yd)
3:47 McCown right side to Jones, wrapped up by Manuel, 3 yd short of the chains (AZ 35)
The defense isn't looking that bad today. Not only was that a three-and-out, Marquand Manuel made a nice open-field tackle on Freddie Jones. With how it's been going this year, I thought for sure that Jones was going to break that tackle. Instead, it's a third-down stop and a punt.
>> 7th Seattle possession (SEA 31)
3:08 quick pass left incomplete for Jackson, almost picked
2:59 Alexander's first big run, through middle for 14 and a first down (SEA 45)
2:29 quick pass right Jackson for 8 (AZ 47)
1:58 Alexander bounces off some bodies, cuts right for 3 yd and a first down (AZ 44)
1:52 Dilfer rolls right, gets Jackson near the chains
1:23 Alexander bounces left side for solid yardage, 11 and a first down (AZ 24)
0:53 Dilfer to Jackson just out of reach in end zone right
0:47 Alexander up middle for 5 (3rd/5)
0:40 Seattle timeout
0:35 Dilfer to Stevens right side two yards short (AZ 16)
0:03 Seattle timeout
***0:00 Brown from 34 (SEA 10-7)
I'm not sure that the Seahawks have any business leading at halftime here, but they are. Trent Dilfer had 1-for-8 passing to start the game, but has gone 6-for-10 since. Alexander had 3 carries and 5 yards in the first quarter, but had 10 carries and 47 yards in the second, with a touchdown to boot. The offensive line's protection seems to have gotten a little better on the last couple of possessions. Of course, the play that turned the half was Bobby Engram's 49-yard punt return.
More halftime stats -- Dilfer is 7-for-18 for 63 yards. Alexander has 13 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. Darrell Jackson has 4 catches for 39 yards. I'm not sure if Koren Robinson has even been on the field yet. I don't remember his name being called. Josh McCown is 11-for-18 for 103 yards and a touchdown. Emmitt Smith has 14 carries and 42 yards. Anquan Boldin has 5 catches for 79 yards. Arizona led in time of possession 17:01 to 12:59.
3RD QUARTER
>> 8th Seattle possession (SEA 30)
14:49 Alexander outside right for 3
14:13 Dilfer loft pass right sideline for Jackson, but he catches it out of bounds
14:09 Dilfer right side to Jackson, through his hands...he was pretty well-defended
Three and out. Me no likey. That's not a good start, and Arizona has good field position thanks to a 28-yard punt by Ken Walter. There's a reason this guy didn't have an NFL job for a couple of weeks this season.
>> 8th Arizona possession (AZ 39)
13:57 Smith outside left for 2
13:21 McCown quick pass right Boldin for 3...flags PULLED BACK, no illegal block (3rd/5)
12:50 McCown forever to throw, runs forward and is brought behind by Okeafor, possibly short of chains...IT IS
12:16 Arizona false start (4th/6)
12:05 Seattle 12 men (Okeafor) on field at snap...penalty declined
Dennis Green took the field position. In any event, that means it wasn't a 10-yard penalty, so no new set of downs. That was a nice tackle from behind by Okeafor on McCown on third down, and it stopped the drive. However, not getting off the field in time when the ball is snapped on a punt isn't so good. But the drive was stopped, and that's good.
>> 9th Seattle possession (SEA 12)
12:00 Alexander outside left for 12, first down (SEA 24)
11:22 Alexander right side for 1...Shawn Locklear is in for Steve Hutchinson right now on the line
10:39 Dilfer pressured left, throws wobbly ball to Rice which is nearly picked; Rice able to get hand on ball, but it drops (3rd/8)
10:38 delay of game Seattle (3rd/13)
10:32 Alexander on a draw right side, just short of the chains, flags HOLDING on Darrell Jackson...it comes back (3rd/23)
10:06 draw play Morris left side for 10...Walter Jones carted off the field
Let's hope Walter Jones is healthy for next week's game. Can there ever be enough injuries on this team? It's incredible.
>> 9th Arizona possession (AZ 33)
9:23 McCown quick pass right Johnson for 7
8:41 McCown downfield right side Boldin rips ball out of Trufant's hands, gets 21 yards and a first down (SEA 39)
8:10 Smith bounces around left side for nothing
7:30 McCown blindsided by Cochran, ball came loose, recovered by Arizona for loss of 6 (3rd/16)
6:34 McCown nailed and fumbles again, once again recovered by Arizona (AZ 47)
It's nice to see some defensive pressure by the Seahawks. Where did that come from? Either way, it took back a lot of yardage that Arizona got on the big catch by Anquan Boldin. Basically, the Seahawks didn't allow a yard after that Boldin catch play.
>> 10th Seattle possession (SEA 18)
5:45 Dilfer to Jackson right side, makes a couple of cuts...GOOD FOR 53 YARDS and a first down (AZ 29)
5:01 Alexander right side for 1
4:21 Alexander left side for 8 (AZ 20)
3:45 Dilfer short pass Engram right side for first down (3 yd, AZ 17)
***3:06 Alexander bounces off right side, gets block from Jackson downfield, 17-yard TOUCHDOWN (SEA 17-7)
Might this offensive have finally found their rhythm today? I'm not sure, but it looks a lot better than it did in the first quarter, I can tell you that much. They had two big plays on that drive, needless to say. The Jackson catch and run-very-long and the Alexander 17-yard scamper to paydirt were very scrumtrilescent.
>> 10th Arizona possession (AZ 34)
2:57 McCown throws away right side, Johnson overruns the route
2:51 McCown downfield right side intended for Johnson, RIGHT INTO HAMLIN'S BREADBASKET, and he drops it (3rd/10)
###2:43 McCown right sideline to MARCUS TRUFANT for an INTERCEPTION...he jumped in front of Larry Fitzgerald
>> 11th Seattle possession (AZ 39)
2:39 Morris outside right for short yardage, flags for DEFENSIVE OFFSIDE, repeat play (1st/5)
2:18 Alexander outside left for 7 and a first down (AZ 27)
1:42 Alexander outside right for no gain
1:01 Dilfer to Jackson over the middle just short of chains (3rd/1)
0:21 Alexander through the right side for a first down, key block by Heath Evans (5 yd, AZ 13)
Three quarters are in the books, the Seahawks have a ten-point lead, and they're within 13 yards of the end zone. This is good. At this point, I just want a win. I don't care about the Seahawks putting the Cardinals away on the next two possessions or anything. Just make sure you have more points at the end of the game than they do. By the way, Shaun Alexander has 23 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown after three quarters, and Darrell Jackson has 6 catches for 101 yards and he broke Brian Blades' franchise record.
4TH QUARTER
14:57 Dilfer to James Harding's hands, dropped. Holding on Seattle
***14:50 Alexander cuts through the right side, goes back to the middle and gets some blocks...23-yard TOUCHDOWN (SEA 24-7)
Make that a 17-point lead. After the first quarter, I didn't think Shaun Alexander could have this type of day. But they kept feeding him. Now he's up to 24 carries, 137 yards, and three touchdowns. Good times.
>> 11th Arizona possession (AZ 30)
14:39 Smith left side for 2
14:03 McCown to Boldin right side for 7 (3rd/1)
13:38 McCown right side to Ayanbadejo for a first down and some yards after the catch (16 yd, SEA 45)
13:22 McCown quick pass right side to Fitzgerald for 5
12:49 Smith cuts between defenders, goes right side for 11 and a first down (SEA 29)
12:13 McCown quick pass left side Fitzgerald breaks tackle in backfield, but gets no gain (2nd/10)
***11:32 McCown jump ball in end zone pulled down by Fitzgerald for a TOUCHDOWN. That's just a nice play there by Larry Fitzgerald (SEA 24-14)
The Ayanbadejo play on 3rd-and-1 was probably the breakthrough of the drive. The Cardinals went for the home-run ball on 2nd-and-long and it paid off. Larry Fitzgerald isn't chop liver, kids. Josh McCown is, but Fitzgerald isn't. That said, the Seahawks still lead by 10. Yes, I know about Week 5 against the Rams.
>> 12th Seattle possession (SEA 20)
11:26 false start Seattle (Mili)
11:21 Dilfer hurried, gets Jackson right sideline, but he was out of bounds
11:14 Alexander right side for 8 (3rd/7)
###10:35 Dilfer downfield right side to Engram INTERCEPTED by Starks (AZ 46)
There's a reason it's been quiet at the Q since Fitzgerald caught that touchdown pass. This reminds all the fans of...well, you know. Green sees the replay and says Engram had the defense beat, and Dilfer underthrew him.
>> 12th Arizona possession (AZ 46)
10:24 Ayanbadejo through middle for 6
10:00 Ayanbadejo through middle for 3
9:28 Smith left side for big loss, but flags...LATE HIT...IT'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING, doesn't it?!?!?! (SEA 33)
9:10 Smith left side for 5
8:40 Smith outside left for 2 (3rd/2)
7:59 Okeafor sacks McCown from the blind side...THAT'S CLUTCH. That's a fist-pumper for me. Nice ankle tackle by Okeafor.
7:36 Seattle timeout, trying to ice Neil Rackers before the field goal attempt
###7:31 Rackers NO GOOD, he hooks it from 52
>> 13th Seattle possession (SEA 43)
7:27 Alexander right side for 2
6:41 Alexander dances around the right side, gets nothing
6:40 Arizona timeout
6:34 Alexander right side 5 yards short of the chains
You know, just one more first down would have been real nice.
>> 13th Arizona possession (AZ 28)
5:43 McCown to Johnson right side for 5
5:17 Smith left side taken down in the backfield, loss of
4:44 McCown to Johnson over the middle STRIPPED by Boulware, but Scobey recovers...first down Arizona at the AZ 46
4:13 McCown downfield to Johnson ALMOST PICKED by Hamlin
4:08 Smith right side on a draw for 5 (3rd/5)
3:39 McCown pressured, throws and incomplete to Edwards on the right sideline...Boulware had the coverage (4th/5)
3:35 McCown over middle to Johnson deflected, but Johnson comes down with it...flags, HANDS TO THE FACE...ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH
3:26 McCown stays back, then runs right side for 6
3:00 McCown to Ayanbadejo left side for 8
***2:30 McCown jump ball to Fitzgerald, same damn result. He had about seven yards on Ken Hamlin (SEA 24-21)
I wonder what it would have been like if the Seahawks got even ONE first down on that last possession?! Now they have to bring out the hands team. What do I think about the hands team in the fourth quarter? See the Monday Night game. It's dead quiet at the Q right now.
No on-side kick? I'll take that.
>> 14th Seattle possession (SEA 20, touchback)
2:25 Alexander outside left for 1
2:24 Arizona timeout
2:18 Alexander right side for 3 (SEA 24)...please get a first down here...(3rd/6)
2:07 Dilfer hurried, escapes tackles, fumbles out of bounds, but IT'S A FIRST DOWN! (7 yd, SEA 32)
1:59 knee
1:19 knee
0:39 knee
SEAHAWKS 24, CARDINALS 21
PLAYOFFS!!!! PLAYOFFS!!! Jim Mora is NOT needed in this case.
Well, I got what I wished for going into the fourth quarter. I didn't expect the Seahawks to put the Cardinals away, and they didn't. In fact, the Cardinals scored two touchdowns after the Seahawks scored on the second play of the final quarter. So despite the pretty solid outings from Josh McCown, Anquan Boldin, and Larry Fitzgerald, the Seahawk defense held strong early -- they only allowed seven points through three quarters -- and bended but didn't break in the fourth quarter.
Raw stats...
Arizona -- Josh McCown 21-for-33, 248 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 picks; Emmitt Smith 23 carries for 65 yards; Anquan Boldin 7 catches for 107 yards a touchdown; Larry Fitzgerald 4 catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns
Seattle -- Trent Dilfer 10-for-26 for 128 yards and a pick; Shaun Alexander 30 carries for 154 yards and three touchdowns, Darrell Jackson 6 catches for 101 yards
The Cardinals got their three touchdowns through the air, and all three of those pass plays started from outside the red zone. The Seahawks got their three touchdowns on the ground. The Seahawks threw 26 times and ran the ball 36 times. However, only 10 of those 26 passes were caught, though Shaun Alexander got 30 of those run plays. Run Shaun Run turned out to be a big part of the game after all, possibly a testament to how badly the Seahawk offense played in the first quarter, and possibly a testament to Trent Dilfer's throwing being a bit off, Darrell Jackson was the only Seattle receiver who caught more than one pass.
But man, I was ticked after that illegal hands to the face penalty on fourth down of that last Arizona drive. But I was kinda surprised that Dennis Green didn't on-side kick it with under three minutes remaining, down three points. His defense had stopped the Seahawks on the two drives before that, however. They had one timeout left at that point. Just a thought.
In short, the defense kept the Seahawks in the game until the offensive line and Shaun Alexander got into gear. The crowd at the Q was silenced after the first Larry Fitzgerald touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, and you could probably have heard a pin drop in there after Fitzgerald's second touchdown. However, the final time the Seahawks got the ball, Trent Dilfer scampered for a very important first down, enabling the Seahawks to take a couple of knees and scratch this one up in the win column.
Congrats to Darrell Jackson for breaking Brian Blades' franchise single-season record for receptions, and to Shaun Alexander for breaking the franchise single-season rushing record as well.
I hope Walter Jones is okay for next week.
Did anyone hear Koren Robinson's name called? Did he even make it on the field?
I guess I got a lot of things I didn't expect from the Seahawks in this game. I didn't expect Trent Dilfer to start. I didn't expect Koren Robinson to not get a catch. I didn't expect the Seahawks' special teams to pull off a big return. I didn't expect the passing game to be quite that sluggish. I didn't expect the running game to start that sluggish either. But during the game, I didn't expect Shaun Alexander to start running wild after that slow start. Most of all, I didn't expect the Seahawks' defense to keep this team in the game after being behind early. Let's get Ray Rhodes to talk to the media every week. It's nice to see the defense do better, but how about a full 60 minutes of good defense? Granted, the downfield bombs against the secondary accounted for all of the Cardinals' offense, but still...
I've only got one more thing to say about Week 16...GO EAGLES!!
Falcons. Seahawks. Next Sunday.
Here's what I have for today's game notes. To see the Seahawks' playoff scenarios going into this one, scroll to Jeremy's post below this one or click here.
As for the surprise today, it looks like it's Trent Dilfer. Good luck, Trent.
As for the sad surprise today, it's Reggie White. I'm in disbelief.
To the game...
1ST QUARTER
>> 1st Arizona possession (AZ 30)
14:50 McCown quick pass Boldin right for 4
14:17 McCown to Fitzgerald right for 7 and a first down
14:00 handoff left to Emmitt Smith for a loss of 1
13:17 McCown changes play at line, Seahawks bring blitz, Boulware forces fumble, Arizona recovers...it was a nice blitz though, for a change (3rd/17)
12:38 Arizona timeout
12:31 McCown left to Ayanbadejo left for 1
I really liked that blitz on second down. They brought a ton of guys to the line and it actually worked for once. All in all, it was a good stop and a good way for the defense to start the game. Let's go offense.
>> 1st Seattle possession (SEA 20)
11:41 Dilfer sacked for Quentin Harris on the blindside, loss of 2
11:11 Alexander right side into the pile for 3 (3rd/9)
10:38 incomplete over middle, Tim Green says that Bobby Engram dropped that one....I didn't see it quickly enough
Three and freakin' out. I haven't heard myself say that before. It's not like the offense and the defense couldn't build on what the other half of their team does. It would just make too much sense. Here, the defense makes a good stop, and the offense does nothing. Infuriating.
>> 2nd Arizona possession (flags...illegal block on Arizona, AZ 29)
10:22 McCown left side to Boldin for an easy 19-yd catch, first down
10:02 handoff left Smith for 5
9:25 quick pass right side to Fitzgerald for 10 yds and a first down (SEA 37)
8:51 Smith right side for one (SEA 36)
8:14 Smith left side dances around for another loss, this one for 2 (SEA 38, 3rd/11)
7:29 McCown to Freddie Jones, who drops the ball
It got a little sketchy at points on that drive, but the Seahawk defense was eventually able to stop the drive, and that's a good thing. It's a bonus lately to keep the other teams out of field goal range as well.
>> 2nd Seattle possession (SEA 14)
7:16 Alexander runs into pile right, dances around for 1
6:42 Dilfer throws away right, but Adrian Wilson blitzed in untouched (3rd/9)
6:36 Strong right side for 7
I don't like this one bit. This is horribly discouraging. Three and out twice? I liked the meal that I ate about an hour and a half ago, but I'm not too convinced it would taste better coming out.
>> 3rd Arizona possession (AZ 48...sizable return, and Ken Walter was plowed on the play)
5:53 McCown left to Boldin drops the one-handed catch attempt
5:48 Smith through the middle for 7 (3rd/3)
5:08 McCown left side to Boldin, nice catch after getting hit by two defenders for 14 and a first down (SEA 31)
***4:23 McCown forever to throw, gets Boldin left sideline in the end zone (AZ 7-0)
Come on. The defense could only hold up so long. Of course, the Cardinals had a short field to work with anyway. Ken Lucas got worked. My goodness. Boldin had about a three-yard cushion.
>> 3rd Seattle possession (SEA 19...did I mention last week how I never have a feeling that the Seahawks will return a kickoff for a TD?)
4:11 Alexander right side for 1
3:34 Dilfer throws away, was going to get plowed by Bertrand Berry (3rd/9)
3:30 Dilfer to Adrian Wilson of the Cardinals, who dropped it
Trent Dilfer is getting no protection. It's no wonder he hasn't completed a pass yet.
>> 4th Arizona possession (AZ 46)
3:15 McCown to Ayanbadejo through the middle for 9
2:46 Smith left for a first down, 3 yds (SEA 42)
2:09 McCown to Fitzgerald right, broken up by Trufant
2:05 Smith right for 1 (3rd/9)
1:27 McCown to Johnson right sideline for 11 and a first down (SEA 30)...naturally they can't challenge the play. It's a force-out.
0:58 Smith through middle for 8
###0:17 McCown to Fitzgerald in the end zone INTERCEPTED, outjumps Fitzgerald
>> 4th Seattle possession (SEA 20)
0:11 Dilfer overthrows Rice down left sideline, Dilfer hurried again
0:04 Dilfer quick pass left Hannam fights for extra yardage, gets 18 and a first down (SEA 38)
Two of the last three plays were the most encouraging things about the whole first quarter. The offense didn't get a first down until the final play of the first quarter. However, Trent Dilfer is constantly being pressured. He's not having time to do anything back there.
2ND QUARTER
14:53 Dilfer pressured, dances right and throws to a defender, who drops it
14:49 Alexander left side tripped up after 3 yd (3rd/7)
14:13 Dilfer dumpoff to Morris underthrown...had some time to throw, but it was running out
This offense is comatose right now. Trent Dilfer's not wowing anyone right now, but neither is the Seahawks' offensive line. Dilfer is 1-for-8, Shaun Alexander has four carries and eight yards. Yippee.
>> 5th Arizona possession (AZ 26)
14:00 McCown quick pass left Boldin breaks three tackles, gets 11 yards and a first down (AZ 37)
13:28 Smith left side for 2
12:54 Smith right side for big run of 13 and a first down (SEA 48)
12:23 Smith right side for 2
11:45 Hamlin on a blitz tips the McCown pass right side (3rd/8)
11:39 McCown screen left to Scobey stuffed by Antonio Cochran, loss of 9
Two good plays by the defense stop the Cardinals' drive. At least there's something good to take out of this so far.
AAAALL BYYYY MYYYSEEEEELF...
>> 5th Seattle possession (SEA 25)
10:59 Dilfer quick short pass right Jackson for 17 and a first down (SEA 43)
10:28 Alexander right side into his own man, gets 1
9:42 Dilfer stays back, is pressured, runs to right sideline, throws incomplete to Jackson right sideline (3rd/9)
9:34 Dilfer to Morris right side for 3
Hey, at this pace the Seahawks might score a touchdown with about five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Trent Dilfer is getting hurried on just about every play. On the plays he isn't hurried, the receivers downfield are either covered or he's just not throwing to them. The Seahawks have run 11 pass plays and 6 running plays (5 to Alexander).
>> 6th Arizona possession (AZ 20)
8:50 Smith right side stuffed by Okeafor, loss of 1
8:19 Smith left side for 2 (3rd/9)
7:43 sketchy play...McCown left to Johnson for what appeared to be a first-down catch...looks like Lucas ripped the ball loose and it was ruled incomplete...RED FLAG TIME! I'm guessing it's overturned because the Seahawks are involved. IT STANDS. It was probably pass interference, but who cares?
>> 6th Seattle possession (AZ 20...Engram with the best special teams return on the year for 48 yards)
7:20 Dilfer overthrows Hannam over middle
7:12 Alexander up the middle for 3
6:41 Dilfer overthrows Jackson in end zone right, with flags...I'm guessing that's an uncatchable ball...BUT IT'S ILLEGAL CONTACT. FIRST DOWN!
6:36 Alexander cuts left for 4
6:03 Dilfer quick pass right Jackson, who stiff-arms a defender and goes for 5 (3rd/1)
5:23 Alexander left side close to the chains...FIRST DOWN, (2 yd, AZ 1)
***4:44 Alexander left side FUMBLES before getting into end zone, but recovers it in the end zone...ARIZONA RED FLAGS...IT STANDS. TOUCHDOWN (7-7)
I tell ya, I know I would have been ticked if for some reason they would have ruled Alexander down before the goal line. He wasn't down before he fumbled it, and he recovered it in the end zone. Plain and simple. Mega props to Bobby Engram, who set up that entire (short) drive. The Seahawks haven't done much at all today, but guess what? Now it's tied.
>> 7th Arizona possession (AZ 28)
4:32 McCown pass tipped by Koutouvides, Bates has the ball fall out of his hands
4:28 Smith right side to AZ 30 (2 yd)
3:47 McCown right side to Jones, wrapped up by Manuel, 3 yd short of the chains (AZ 35)
The defense isn't looking that bad today. Not only was that a three-and-out, Marquand Manuel made a nice open-field tackle on Freddie Jones. With how it's been going this year, I thought for sure that Jones was going to break that tackle. Instead, it's a third-down stop and a punt.
>> 7th Seattle possession (SEA 31)
3:08 quick pass left incomplete for Jackson, almost picked
2:59 Alexander's first big run, through middle for 14 and a first down (SEA 45)
2:29 quick pass right Jackson for 8 (AZ 47)
1:58 Alexander bounces off some bodies, cuts right for 3 yd and a first down (AZ 44)
1:52 Dilfer rolls right, gets Jackson near the chains
1:23 Alexander bounces left side for solid yardage, 11 and a first down (AZ 24)
0:53 Dilfer to Jackson just out of reach in end zone right
0:47 Alexander up middle for 5 (3rd/5)
0:40 Seattle timeout
0:35 Dilfer to Stevens right side two yards short (AZ 16)
0:03 Seattle timeout
***0:00 Brown from 34 (SEA 10-7)
I'm not sure that the Seahawks have any business leading at halftime here, but they are. Trent Dilfer had 1-for-8 passing to start the game, but has gone 6-for-10 since. Alexander had 3 carries and 5 yards in the first quarter, but had 10 carries and 47 yards in the second, with a touchdown to boot. The offensive line's protection seems to have gotten a little better on the last couple of possessions. Of course, the play that turned the half was Bobby Engram's 49-yard punt return.
More halftime stats -- Dilfer is 7-for-18 for 63 yards. Alexander has 13 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. Darrell Jackson has 4 catches for 39 yards. I'm not sure if Koren Robinson has even been on the field yet. I don't remember his name being called. Josh McCown is 11-for-18 for 103 yards and a touchdown. Emmitt Smith has 14 carries and 42 yards. Anquan Boldin has 5 catches for 79 yards. Arizona led in time of possession 17:01 to 12:59.
3RD QUARTER
>> 8th Seattle possession (SEA 30)
14:49 Alexander outside right for 3
14:13 Dilfer loft pass right sideline for Jackson, but he catches it out of bounds
14:09 Dilfer right side to Jackson, through his hands...he was pretty well-defended
Three and out. Me no likey. That's not a good start, and Arizona has good field position thanks to a 28-yard punt by Ken Walter. There's a reason this guy didn't have an NFL job for a couple of weeks this season.
>> 8th Arizona possession (AZ 39)
13:57 Smith outside left for 2
13:21 McCown quick pass right Boldin for 3...flags PULLED BACK, no illegal block (3rd/5)
12:50 McCown forever to throw, runs forward and is brought behind by Okeafor, possibly short of chains...IT IS
12:16 Arizona false start (4th/6)
12:05 Seattle 12 men (Okeafor) on field at snap...penalty declined
Dennis Green took the field position. In any event, that means it wasn't a 10-yard penalty, so no new set of downs. That was a nice tackle from behind by Okeafor on McCown on third down, and it stopped the drive. However, not getting off the field in time when the ball is snapped on a punt isn't so good. But the drive was stopped, and that's good.
>> 9th Seattle possession (SEA 12)
12:00 Alexander outside left for 12, first down (SEA 24)
11:22 Alexander right side for 1...Shawn Locklear is in for Steve Hutchinson right now on the line
10:39 Dilfer pressured left, throws wobbly ball to Rice which is nearly picked; Rice able to get hand on ball, but it drops (3rd/8)
10:38 delay of game Seattle (3rd/13)
10:32 Alexander on a draw right side, just short of the chains, flags HOLDING on Darrell Jackson...it comes back (3rd/23)
10:06 draw play Morris left side for 10...Walter Jones carted off the field
Let's hope Walter Jones is healthy for next week's game. Can there ever be enough injuries on this team? It's incredible.
>> 9th Arizona possession (AZ 33)
9:23 McCown quick pass right Johnson for 7
8:41 McCown downfield right side Boldin rips ball out of Trufant's hands, gets 21 yards and a first down (SEA 39)
8:10 Smith bounces around left side for nothing
7:30 McCown blindsided by Cochran, ball came loose, recovered by Arizona for loss of 6 (3rd/16)
6:34 McCown nailed and fumbles again, once again recovered by Arizona (AZ 47)
It's nice to see some defensive pressure by the Seahawks. Where did that come from? Either way, it took back a lot of yardage that Arizona got on the big catch by Anquan Boldin. Basically, the Seahawks didn't allow a yard after that Boldin catch play.
>> 10th Seattle possession (SEA 18)
5:45 Dilfer to Jackson right side, makes a couple of cuts...GOOD FOR 53 YARDS and a first down (AZ 29)
5:01 Alexander right side for 1
4:21 Alexander left side for 8 (AZ 20)
3:45 Dilfer short pass Engram right side for first down (3 yd, AZ 17)
***3:06 Alexander bounces off right side, gets block from Jackson downfield, 17-yard TOUCHDOWN (SEA 17-7)
Might this offensive have finally found their rhythm today? I'm not sure, but it looks a lot better than it did in the first quarter, I can tell you that much. They had two big plays on that drive, needless to say. The Jackson catch and run-very-long and the Alexander 17-yard scamper to paydirt were very scrumtrilescent.
>> 10th Arizona possession (AZ 34)
2:57 McCown throws away right side, Johnson overruns the route
2:51 McCown downfield right side intended for Johnson, RIGHT INTO HAMLIN'S BREADBASKET, and he drops it (3rd/10)
###2:43 McCown right sideline to MARCUS TRUFANT for an INTERCEPTION...he jumped in front of Larry Fitzgerald
>> 11th Seattle possession (AZ 39)
2:39 Morris outside right for short yardage, flags for DEFENSIVE OFFSIDE, repeat play (1st/5)
2:18 Alexander outside left for 7 and a first down (AZ 27)
1:42 Alexander outside right for no gain
1:01 Dilfer to Jackson over the middle just short of chains (3rd/1)
0:21 Alexander through the right side for a first down, key block by Heath Evans (5 yd, AZ 13)
Three quarters are in the books, the Seahawks have a ten-point lead, and they're within 13 yards of the end zone. This is good. At this point, I just want a win. I don't care about the Seahawks putting the Cardinals away on the next two possessions or anything. Just make sure you have more points at the end of the game than they do. By the way, Shaun Alexander has 23 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown after three quarters, and Darrell Jackson has 6 catches for 101 yards and he broke Brian Blades' franchise record.
4TH QUARTER
14:57 Dilfer to James Harding's hands, dropped. Holding on Seattle
***14:50 Alexander cuts through the right side, goes back to the middle and gets some blocks...23-yard TOUCHDOWN (SEA 24-7)
Make that a 17-point lead. After the first quarter, I didn't think Shaun Alexander could have this type of day. But they kept feeding him. Now he's up to 24 carries, 137 yards, and three touchdowns. Good times.
>> 11th Arizona possession (AZ 30)
14:39 Smith left side for 2
14:03 McCown to Boldin right side for 7 (3rd/1)
13:38 McCown right side to Ayanbadejo for a first down and some yards after the catch (16 yd, SEA 45)
13:22 McCown quick pass right side to Fitzgerald for 5
12:49 Smith cuts between defenders, goes right side for 11 and a first down (SEA 29)
12:13 McCown quick pass left side Fitzgerald breaks tackle in backfield, but gets no gain (2nd/10)
***11:32 McCown jump ball in end zone pulled down by Fitzgerald for a TOUCHDOWN. That's just a nice play there by Larry Fitzgerald (SEA 24-14)
The Ayanbadejo play on 3rd-and-1 was probably the breakthrough of the drive. The Cardinals went for the home-run ball on 2nd-and-long and it paid off. Larry Fitzgerald isn't chop liver, kids. Josh McCown is, but Fitzgerald isn't. That said, the Seahawks still lead by 10. Yes, I know about Week 5 against the Rams.
>> 12th Seattle possession (SEA 20)
11:26 false start Seattle (Mili)
11:21 Dilfer hurried, gets Jackson right sideline, but he was out of bounds
11:14 Alexander right side for 8 (3rd/7)
###10:35 Dilfer downfield right side to Engram INTERCEPTED by Starks (AZ 46)
There's a reason it's been quiet at the Q since Fitzgerald caught that touchdown pass. This reminds all the fans of...well, you know. Green sees the replay and says Engram had the defense beat, and Dilfer underthrew him.
>> 12th Arizona possession (AZ 46)
10:24 Ayanbadejo through middle for 6
10:00 Ayanbadejo through middle for 3
9:28 Smith left side for big loss, but flags...LATE HIT...IT'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING, doesn't it?!?!?! (SEA 33)
9:10 Smith left side for 5
8:40 Smith outside left for 2 (3rd/2)
7:59 Okeafor sacks McCown from the blind side...THAT'S CLUTCH. That's a fist-pumper for me. Nice ankle tackle by Okeafor.
7:36 Seattle timeout, trying to ice Neil Rackers before the field goal attempt
###7:31 Rackers NO GOOD, he hooks it from 52
>> 13th Seattle possession (SEA 43)
7:27 Alexander right side for 2
6:41 Alexander dances around the right side, gets nothing
6:40 Arizona timeout
6:34 Alexander right side 5 yards short of the chains
You know, just one more first down would have been real nice.
>> 13th Arizona possession (AZ 28)
5:43 McCown to Johnson right side for 5
5:17 Smith left side taken down in the backfield, loss of
4:44 McCown to Johnson over the middle STRIPPED by Boulware, but Scobey recovers...first down Arizona at the AZ 46
4:13 McCown downfield to Johnson ALMOST PICKED by Hamlin
4:08 Smith right side on a draw for 5 (3rd/5)
3:39 McCown pressured, throws and incomplete to Edwards on the right sideline...Boulware had the coverage (4th/5)
3:35 McCown over middle to Johnson deflected, but Johnson comes down with it...flags, HANDS TO THE FACE...ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH
3:26 McCown stays back, then runs right side for 6
3:00 McCown to Ayanbadejo left side for 8
***2:30 McCown jump ball to Fitzgerald, same damn result. He had about seven yards on Ken Hamlin (SEA 24-21)
I wonder what it would have been like if the Seahawks got even ONE first down on that last possession?! Now they have to bring out the hands team. What do I think about the hands team in the fourth quarter? See the Monday Night game. It's dead quiet at the Q right now.
No on-side kick? I'll take that.
>> 14th Seattle possession (SEA 20, touchback)
2:25 Alexander outside left for 1
2:24 Arizona timeout
2:18 Alexander right side for 3 (SEA 24)...please get a first down here...(3rd/6)
2:07 Dilfer hurried, escapes tackles, fumbles out of bounds, but IT'S A FIRST DOWN! (7 yd, SEA 32)
1:59 knee
1:19 knee
0:39 knee
SEAHAWKS 24, CARDINALS 21
PLAYOFFS!!!! PLAYOFFS!!! Jim Mora is NOT needed in this case.
Well, I got what I wished for going into the fourth quarter. I didn't expect the Seahawks to put the Cardinals away, and they didn't. In fact, the Cardinals scored two touchdowns after the Seahawks scored on the second play of the final quarter. So despite the pretty solid outings from Josh McCown, Anquan Boldin, and Larry Fitzgerald, the Seahawk defense held strong early -- they only allowed seven points through three quarters -- and bended but didn't break in the fourth quarter.
Raw stats...
Arizona -- Josh McCown 21-for-33, 248 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 picks; Emmitt Smith 23 carries for 65 yards; Anquan Boldin 7 catches for 107 yards a touchdown; Larry Fitzgerald 4 catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns
Seattle -- Trent Dilfer 10-for-26 for 128 yards and a pick; Shaun Alexander 30 carries for 154 yards and three touchdowns, Darrell Jackson 6 catches for 101 yards
The Cardinals got their three touchdowns through the air, and all three of those pass plays started from outside the red zone. The Seahawks got their three touchdowns on the ground. The Seahawks threw 26 times and ran the ball 36 times. However, only 10 of those 26 passes were caught, though Shaun Alexander got 30 of those run plays. Run Shaun Run turned out to be a big part of the game after all, possibly a testament to how badly the Seahawk offense played in the first quarter, and possibly a testament to Trent Dilfer's throwing being a bit off, Darrell Jackson was the only Seattle receiver who caught more than one pass.
But man, I was ticked after that illegal hands to the face penalty on fourth down of that last Arizona drive. But I was kinda surprised that Dennis Green didn't on-side kick it with under three minutes remaining, down three points. His defense had stopped the Seahawks on the two drives before that, however. They had one timeout left at that point. Just a thought.
In short, the defense kept the Seahawks in the game until the offensive line and Shaun Alexander got into gear. The crowd at the Q was silenced after the first Larry Fitzgerald touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, and you could probably have heard a pin drop in there after Fitzgerald's second touchdown. However, the final time the Seahawks got the ball, Trent Dilfer scampered for a very important first down, enabling the Seahawks to take a couple of knees and scratch this one up in the win column.
Congrats to Darrell Jackson for breaking Brian Blades' franchise single-season record for receptions, and to Shaun Alexander for breaking the franchise single-season rushing record as well.
I hope Walter Jones is okay for next week.
Did anyone hear Koren Robinson's name called? Did he even make it on the field?
I guess I got a lot of things I didn't expect from the Seahawks in this game. I didn't expect Trent Dilfer to start. I didn't expect Koren Robinson to not get a catch. I didn't expect the Seahawks' special teams to pull off a big return. I didn't expect the passing game to be quite that sluggish. I didn't expect the running game to start that sluggish either. But during the game, I didn't expect Shaun Alexander to start running wild after that slow start. Most of all, I didn't expect the Seahawks' defense to keep this team in the game after being behind early. Let's get Ray Rhodes to talk to the media every week. It's nice to see the defense do better, but how about a full 60 minutes of good defense? Granted, the downfield bombs against the secondary accounted for all of the Cardinals' offense, but still...
I've only got one more thing to say about Week 16...GO EAGLES!!
Falcons. Seahawks. Next Sunday.
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