Arizona Cardinals: Return to primetime television

The Arizona Cardinals make their second, and likely final, primetime appearance on Thursday night

When the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks get together it usually has a lot on the line. Who can forget the Cardinals trying to keep their playoff hopes alive last season in Glendale only to tie the Seahawks 6-6?

This season’s game in Glendale has meaning.  It may mean the end of the playoff hunt for the Cardinals.  For the Seahawks it means to try and gain a tie for first this week with the Los Angeles Rams.

A win for the Cardinals would go a long way in quieting some critics.  It won’t shut them all up but should move some doubters to believers for at least a week.

However the Cardinals once again start Drew Stanton at quarterback.  The last time he started against the Seahawks was in Seattle in November 2014.  It was the week after losing Carson Palmer for the season.

The Cardinals lost 19-3, stayed in the game thanks to defense.  They will be looking to do the same on Thursday night at University of Phoenix Stadium.

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This time the Cardinals have a running back who can pound it.  Adrian Peterson, stepping in for the injured David Johnson, had 159-yard rushing on 37 carries just a couple of days ago.

Will Peterson be given the ball 37 times on Thursday night?  The likely answer is no.  There could be more of a balance of carries between Peterson and Kerwynn Williams.

The Seahawks and Cardinals would be tied at 5-4 should the Cardinals come away with the win.  The prevailing guess is points will come at a premium.  The Cardinals will need balance once again though.

For the Cardinals, this is their second primetime appearance of the season.  They lost on Monday Night Football at home to the Dallas Cowboys back on September 25th.

The only way the Cardinals will play in primetime again this season would be if a game were to be flexed to Sunday night.  Don’t count on it.  Right now the Cardinals are just worried about taking it one game at a time.

If the Cardinals were to finish with a losing record, it may be the last primetime game for awhile, although they likely would have a Thursday night game against a divisional opponent next season. For now, it’s all day Adrian Peterson this Thursday night.