Written by Chris Wessling at NFL.com
Jimmy Graham hauled in a pair of touchdown passes to lead the Seattle Seahawks to a 22-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Here’s what we learned on Thursday night:
1. The Seahawks overcame shaky pass protection, a dysfunctional ground attack and an ongoing rash of penalties to salvage a costly victory that left a handful of key players licking their wounds. Left tackle Duane Brown(ankle), running back C.J. Prosise(ankle), defensive tackle Jarran Reed(hamstring), defensive end Frank Clark(thigh), safety Kam Chancellor (stinger) and linebacker Michael Wilhoite (calf) each failed to return after getting dinged. The injury that has the Seattle faithful most upset, though, is the one to Richard Sherman. The All-Pro cornerback immediately reached for his ankle area after colliding with wide receiver John Brown late in the third quarter. He didn’t return to the game, and coach Pete Carroll told reporters the cornerback suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon. He is done for the season.
2. The Seahawks’ 6-3 record leaves them in pole position for their annual playoff run. While their talent, experience, coaching acumen and collective pride should not be discounted, the obstacles are mounting. They have yet to fix the offensive line issues or identify a tailback capable of sustaining a consistent ground attack. They continue to shoot themselves in the foot, racking up more penalties than any other team this season. The latest concern is a depleted defense that is used to shouldering a heavy load to compensate for the unreliable offense. As if that litany of challenges isn’t enough, the remaining schedule offers few breaks, featuring clashes with playoff contenders such as the Falcons, Eagles, Jaguars, Rams and Cowboys.
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