Seahawks edge Cardinals on game-winning field goal on the road

The Seattle Seahawks survived a late rally from the Arizona Cardinals to win 23-20 on Thursday night in Glendale, keeping Seattle on a 3-1 start while Arizona dips to 2-2. A tight defensive battle turned into a dramatic finish, with Seattle squeezing out the victory on a 52-yard field goal after a controversial kickoff and a decisive late drive.

Seattle built a 14-3 lead by halftime, getting on the board with two productive early drives. Sam Darnold connected with tight end A.J. Barner for a 16-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and Zach Charbonnet added a short two-yard run to push the margin. The Seahawks also nickel-and-dimed a patient drive into field-goal range, and Darnold finished with 18 completions on 26 attempts for 242 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Seattle’s receiving leader was Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who totaled 79 yards on four catches, with Kenneth Walker III contributing 81 rushing yards on 19 carries and Charbonnet adding 39 yards on 12 attempts. On the Cardinals’ side, Kyler Murray produced two touchdown passes but also two interceptions as Arizona briefly found its footing in the game’s closing minutes.

The third quarter included a trio of field goals as defense dictated play, setting up for a frantic fourth period. Seattle appeared poised to salt it away with a longer drive late in regulation, but a miscue flipped the script. After Chad Ryland’s kickoff bounced short and did not reach the intended landing zone between the goal line and the 20-yard line, Seattle recovered the ball and took over at its own 40-yard line. Darnold then connected with Smith-Njigba for a 22-yard gain, and Charbonnet followed with a four-yard run to move the Seahawks into field-goal range. Jason Myers then delivered from 52 yards to give Seattle a 23-20 lead with 0:XX remaining, and Arizona’s ensuing possession could not produce a winning tally.

The Cardinals answered in dramatic fashion on the final drive of regulation. Murray went 12 plays and 57 yards, and Emari Demercado streaked through the defense for a short score on second-and-goal with 28 seconds left, tying the game at 20-20 after the extra point. Murray finished 27-of-41 for two touchdowns and two interceptions, and Marvin Harrison Jr. had six receptions for 66 yards, including a late touchdown grab that briefly boosted Arizona’s momentum. Demercado, stepping in for the injured James Conner, carried 8 times for 35 yards in his first game as the primary back, while Trey Benson contributed 35 yards on eight carries and added five receptions for 19 yards.

Seattle’s final, game-deciding drive began with the short kickoff mishap, and Darnold guided the offense into range with precision. After the 22-yard connection to Smith-Njigba and Charbonnet’s decisive four-yard run, Myers completed the road victory with a 52-yard field goal that found its mark as time expired. The victory represented a telling stretch for Seattle, which weathered a perfectly capable Cardinals defense and endured a late scare to remain atop the early-season standings in the NFC West. Darnold’s efficiency and the run game’s balance provided the foundation, while Seattle’s defense withstood Arizona’s late push to preserve the win.

For Arizona, Murray’s two touchdowns came early in the game, and he added a late touchdown pass to Harrison Jr., but the errant throws and the Seahawks’ timely plays limited the offense’s impact for most of the night. Harrison’s 66 receiving yards led a group that also included a productive day from the backfield, though the combination of pressure and run-stopping by Seattle’s defense helped hold the visitors to a modest scoring output until the final minutes. The Cardinals will look to translate their late-quarter spark into a more complete performance as the season progresses.