The Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks are two of the best teams in the NFC West this season. They’re matched up against each other for Thursday Night Football this week, a game that starts at 8:20 pm ET inside CenturyLink Field in Seattle. Both teams are currently 6-3, tied with the Los Angeles Rams for first place in the division.
The Cardinals and Seahawks have met a total of 43 times. Although they’ve tied once, the two teams have each won 21 times. That adds a bit of weight onto this game as the two rivals seek that all-time advantage over the other. It’s certainly been a battle the past 45 years.
The two have already played their first game against each other less than a month ago — they play twice each year due to being in the same division. It was a high-scoring game that ended 37-34 in the Cardinals’ favor in overtime. They’re the hotter team right now, so the Seahawks have a lot to prove.
Can Cardinals continue their breakout season?
The Cardinals started the season 2-0 but quickly started to regress with two straight losses following that. At 2-2, they decided who they wanted to be this season and have won four of their last five games. They’re also 3-1 on the road this season, which is where they find themselves this week.
The Cardinals average a respectable 29.6 points per game and over 430 yards per game. They nearly average 170 yards on the ground and a little over 260 through the air. On defense, they give up 23.3 points per game and just 389 yards per game.
The Cardinals are fresh off an exciting hail-mary victory against the Buffalo Bills in Week 10. It seemed like the Bills were going to win after a last-minute touchdown of their own.
But Kyler Murray came back with a beauty on the game’s last play, and DeAndre Hopkins made the winning catch between three defenders. They need to carry that momentum into Thursday.
Will the Seahawks remain undefeated at home?
The Seahawks were 5-0 at one point this season, but they’ve regressed since then and lost three of their past four games. In a division with two other teams currently owning 6-3 records, every win is crucial — not just for the division win, but for an NFC Wild Card spot.
The Seahawks currently average an astounding 32.2 points per game and 426 yards per game. While they only get around 115 yards on the ground each game, they put up nearly 310 yards through the air. On defense, they give up 29.6 points and a whopping 460 yards per game.
The Seahawks are desperate for a victory on Thursday. They’re entering a short week, but so are the Cardinals.
It’ll be a battle between which team wants it more and which team can overcome the lack of preparation. That’s where Russell Wilson plays a vital role in this game.
Betting Odds & Lines
Who takes home the victory in this week’s edition of Thursday Night Football? The Seahawks (-118) are three-point favorites over the Cardinals (-102). There is expected to be a lot of scoring, with the over/under listed at 58 total points.
Free Betting Pick
If you’re looking for a quality game to watch this week, Thursday Night Football delivers with one of the best. Seattle has gone from one of the hottest teams in the league to one of the most desperate. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are holding their own and making the NFC West a very interesting division.
A lot is up for grabs this week for both teams. With the Rams playing on Monday night against a tough Buccaneers team, there’s a chance the winner of this game takes the division lead all on its own. We’ll see what happens soon enough.
Final Score 34-24, Seattle Seahawks.
Our Pick: Seattle Seahawks (-3)