Seahawks miscue on interception turns into fumble as Cardinals capitalize for early lead

GLENDALE, Ariz. — A chaotic opening sequence set the tone for Thursday night as Seattle’s hopes for an early takeaway dissolved into a fumble after a defender collided with a teammate. Coby Bryant intercepted Kyler Murray’s pass intended for Marvin Harrison Jr. but, while looking to make a bigger play, Bryant ran into fellow Seattle linebacker Tyrice Knight and coughed the ball up. Arizona recovered and moved into Seattle territory, later cashing in with a field goal to seize the first lead of the night.

Seattle players initially celebrated what they believed was a turnover, racing to the end zone in anticipation of a big swing in the early going. But officials ruled that the ball remained Cardinals’ possession, preserving Arizona’s drive. The Cardinals finished that opening series with another points, extending the edge to 3-0 before the Seahawks answered with a score of their own later in the half.

In the second quarter, Arizona again tested Seattle’s defense on a crossing route aimed at Harrison. Harrison bobbled the ball, and it landed in the hands of Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones IV, giving the Seahawks a short field and momentary momentum shift. Seattle then pushed its lead to 14-3 by halftime thanks to a late second-quarter scoring sequence. On the night, Darnold completed 8 of 10 passes for 123 yards and threw a touchdown to A.J. Barner, while Seattle’s Zach Charbonnet added a rushing TD with about a minute left before the break. Arizona countered with a solid first-half showing from Murray, who finished 12-for-19 for 67 yards, and Trey McBride led Arizona receivers with five catches for 39 yards.

The Cardinals will look for a second-half push to swing momentum in their favor, while Seattle aims to maintain the advantage and extend the lead as the game progresses in Glendale.