3 favorable matchups for the Cardinals in Week 11 vs. the Seahawks
By Sion Fawkes
Arizona’s pass rush vs. Seattle’s offensive line
One reason for Russell Wilson’s struggles in 2021 may be a product of a bad offensive line. Wilson has been sacked 16 times in 2021, and his backup, Geno Smith, 13 times. Over nine games, the Seahawks have allowed 29 sacks, and they are on pace for 55 sacks allowed.
On the flip side, the Cardinals have enjoyed one of the league’s best pass-rushing units. They’re tied for eighth in the NFL with 25 sacks, and they are ninth in the league with a 10.1 knockdown percentage. They should be able to enjoy a full afternoon’s worth of pressuring Russell Wilson into making even more ill-fated decisions with the football, as we saw last week in Green Bay.
Markus Golden has been a revelation in 2021, and he will lead the charge and try to notch double-digit sacks for the first time since 2019. Golden had a career-best 12.5-sack campaign in 2016 and is on pace to supersede it. And, of course, Chandler Jones (six sacks) will also apply heat from the edge.
Look for the Cardinals to blitz the Seahawks often and take advantage of their poor offensive line play. And while Wilson will surely be a better version of himself than he showed in Week 10, applying regular pressure will force him into making hurried decisions with the football.