Wilson, Seahawks clearly NFC’s best
First off, Russell Wilson had to apologize.
The Seahawks quarterback showed up to his postgame interview session Thursday night still wearing his uniform and just didn’t have time to change into his suit and tie.
A huge contingent of Seahawks fans at University of Phoenix Stadium kept him out on the field following Seattle’s 34-22 victory over the Cardinals and well, you know, he didn’t want to let them down.
“Those fans out there are crazy. It’s awesome that we had so many fans here. That was the best part of the night,” Wilson said after dismantling the Cardinals in multiple ways, including throwing three touchdowns to three different receivers as Seattle improved to 6-1 to boast the best record in the NFC.
Wilson showed great poise in helping the surging Seahawks to their second win in five days, using his legs and his arms to stifle a Cardinals defense that thought it could corral him.
“I don’t know where we’d be without him,” coach Pete Carroll said of Wilson, who was 18 of 29 for 235 yards and was not intercepted.
With him, and a dominating defense and one of the toughest running backs in the league, Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks clearly have emerged as the NFC’s top contender to reach the Super Bowl.
They might not be getting as much attention as Peyton Manning and the unbeaten Broncos, but there can be no hiding from the truth: Who’s better in the NFC than these guys?
They have a defense that sacked Carson Palmer seven times and intercepted him twice.
“There’s no argument — this is the best secondary in football,” NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said.
Lynch might be fueled by Skittles candy, but he runs like an absolute beast, finishing with 91 yards on 21 carries, including a touchdown. On a handful of occasions, the Cardinals needed six to seven defenders to bring him down.
“There were at least five, six plays where he just kept going, churning,” Carroll said.
Everybody contributed in this one, though, from Sidney Rice breaking open for a 31-yard touchdown, to tight ends Zach Miller and Kellen Davis each catching a touchdown pass, and cornerback Brandon Browner returning a Palmer interception 49 yards to set up Lynch’s scoring run.
“I stumbled there at the end,” Browner said, “or I would have scored. You never want to fall like that and I’m sure I’ll hear about it from the guys.”
That was about the only negative thing on the night for the Seahawks, who, get this, actually think they’re going to get even better.
“We don’t feel like we’re playing as clean as we want yet,” Carroll said. “…It feels like we’re still growing. But we have enough firepower in a lot of areas to overcome some of the things that are going in the wrong direction and we welcome the challenge wherever we’ve got to go, whoever it is.
“We’ll throw our game out there and see if we have a chance.”
Next week, star receiver Percy Harvin may be able to return from a hip injury, giving the Seahawks yet another loaded weapon.
“Getting Percy back, it’s just an added benefit,” Wilson said. “He’s a great football player, one of the best in the National Football League, and we’re excited about that opportunity.”