Arizona Cardinals proving they can hang with the league’s best

The Arizona Cardinals proved they can hang with the NFL’s elite following their thrilling win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football.

At halftime, the Arizona Cardinals were down and out. Their defense, which throughout the first six weeks of the season allowed 18.7 points per game, had no answer for Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense.

For the sixth time in as many games, Russell was cooking. Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett made spectacular catch after spectacular catch. By the end of the first half, the Cards had given up 377 total yards and 27 points. And when the Cardinals defense stepped up and made a big play, Kyler Murray and company squandered their opportunity to cut the deficit.

But facing a ten-point deficit midway through the fourth, Kyler Murray and the offense stepped up when it mattered the most. The stingy defense we’ve become accustomed to seeing ravaged Wilson for two sacks in overtime and picked him off three times. With the third interception being the charm that led to the game-winning kick.

After this thrilling win, the Cardinals have taken the step from a team in transition to a force to be reckoned with throughout the NFL. In week one, they showed flashes when they upset the defending NFC Champions, the San Francisco 49ers.

But Sunday night’s win has placed the Cardinals up another rung in the NFL Hierarchy. Yeah, it was an ugly win. Yeah, the Seahawks had them on the ropes about a half-dozen times gearing up for the knockout punch. You can even argue the Seahawks outplayed them. But none of that matters.

Instead of succumbing to the final blow, the Cardinals kept it interesting against what was one of two undefeated teams in the NFL. Good teams keep games interesting. We knew the 2020 Cardinals are a good football team.

Great teams relish the moment, seize the opportunity, and find ways to win close ball games. Especially against a team as powerful as the Seattle Seahawks, who had until Sunday night’s outing had gone 14-2 in one-possession games dating back to 2019.

The Cardinals have shown up. They are a legitimate contender. And they deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the NFL’s best.