Cardinals bold predictions for Week 7 game against Seahawks 

Cardinals bold predictions for Week 7 game against Seahawks

Photos: Arizona Cardinals’ Joshua Dobbs, Budda Baker and Zach Ertz VS. Geno Smith, Bobby Wagner and Jamal Adams of the Seattle Seahawks

It was fun for a second or two. But Week 7 of the Arizona Cardinals matchup with the Seattle Seahawks is not filled with optimism for a 1-5 card, and fans’ eyes may turn to the team’s franchise quarterback and when he will return to the field. But right now Joshua Dobbs is in the middle. Sure, Dobbs was an integral part of that team’s huge upset against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3. But the momentum didn’t carry very far, as the team went on to lose three straight games, none of which were particularly competitive. It certainly feels like Dobbs is on loan with Kyler Murray to practice.

The Seahawks, on the other hand, were not far from extending their winning streak to four games before losing an ugly contest to the Cincinnati Bengals 17-13 during the week. a winnable game they didn’t win. One team appears to be in the hunt as a playoff contender; another is due for $230.5 million soon. To prepare you for this NFC West showdown, here are some Cardinals Week 7 predictions; can’t hurt right?

RB James Conner had a strong campaign in 2023 before landing on IR last week with a knee injury. Arizona still managed a fairly effective ground game without the bell, albeit from a commission. Keaontay Ingram, Damien Williams and Emari Demercado combined for 87 yards on 20 carries. Don’t expect even that much success against Pete Carroll’s team. The Seahawks are allowing just 79.2 rushing yards per game to opposing teams, the fifth-best mark in the NFL. Arizona’s rushing attack ranks sixth in the NFL at 141.0 yards per game, so let’s look at strength against strength.

Expect Seattle to counter the Cardinals’ rushing attack and dare Dobbs to beat them in this game. Had Conner been healthy, there might have been a little more optimism here. But without game changers in the backfield now, Arizona will lose this battle.

If the ground game is bottled up, what else can a team do besides open up the passing game? Seattle has the fifth worst pass defense in the NFL. Why not embrace this weakness and try to make them pay with an airstrike while you’re in Arizona? And speaking of hugging, Joshua Dobbs knows his time as this team’s original QB is on the decline. There’s no reason to go out without making some noise first. With nothing to lose and signs of a future as a major league starter, Dobbs should be allowed to fly and chase the big game if possible.

Kyler Murray and Marquise Brown’s eyeball emojis in the background. Cardinals WR Marquise Brown’s comments to Kyler Murray should surprise the NFL

Marquis “Hollywood” Brown should like the sound of that. Brown already absorbs many goals; he hasn’t had fewer than five in any game this season and has 10 in four of the Cardinals’ six games. If ever there was a time for this duo to hit a 40-yard TD bomb, it’s Sunday. Make it happen boys.

Seahawks down Cardinals, score 14

It definitely feels like a crossover between these two teams. The Seahawks rolled before a disastrous run in the red zone hurt their chances of beating the Bengals. But this team has a 3-2 record and a 16-point lead. At home, Seattle should look to get back on track in the NFC series this week. For the Cardinals, they are officially in a weird mess. Kyler Murray is waiting in the wings. Will Dobbs’ great play hold up to adding the former No. 1 back to the lineup? Is it a good game? Or will it be Murray’s show when he’s ready, regardless? Maybe the team will rally around Dobbs one last time and send him out as a starter in style. We think the Cardinals are more likely to play as a distracted unit already in the basement of the NFC West and look forward to 2024 more than anything else. This leads to a nice loss.