Wilson sharp in win; Sherman out for season
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes to Jimmy Graham and the Seattle Seahawks added to their history of success in Arizona but lost Richard Sherman for the season.
The Seahawks (6-3) limited Adrian Peterson to 29 yards in 21 carries in a 22-16 win Thursday night in a game marred by a host of injuries.
The Seahawks improved to 4-0-1 in Arizona during Bruce Arians’ five seasons as coach of the Cardinals. The only time the Seahawks haven’t beaten Arians’ team in Arizona was in last season’s 6-6 tie.
Seattle’s Kam Chancellor forced a fumble by Peterson on Arizona’s first offensive play and later tackled him in the end zone for a safety.
Sherman limped off the field in the third quarter, one of at least seven players who left the game with injuries. Head coach Pete Carroll said Sherman had a ruptured Achilles tendon.
The All-Pro had been bothered by a sore Achilles’ tendon all season and went down while trying to intercept a pass. He lay on the field clutching his right heel before limping off the field to the bench, where he appeared to tell teammates he had torn the tendon. Carroll said Sherman will have surgery after the swelling goes down.
Wilson, sacked a season-high five times, completed 22 of 32 passes for 238 yards, including the night’s biggest play. Early in the fourth quarter, Wilson scrambled and spun away from Arizona pursuers repeatedly before throwing from his heels to Doug Baldwin. Antoine Bethea fell down trying to knock the pass away and Baldwin raced downfield on a 54-yard play to the Arizona 2-yard line.
“That was an extraordinary play,” Carroll said. “I need to see it again because I can imagine all of those spins and all that stuff he was doing to find the time. ‘’
Wilson threw 2 yards to Graham on the next play for a 22-10 lead with 12:49 to play.
Arizona’s Drew Stanton, in his second start since Carson Palmer went down with a broken arm, completed 24 of 47 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown. Larry Fitzgerald caught 10 passes for 113 yards for the Cardinals (4-5), topping 15,000 career yards receiving.
Arizona left tackle D.J. Humphries and safety Tyvon Branch left with right knee injuries early in the game.
Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury; left tackle Duane Brown, in his second game since being acquired in a trade from Houston, went down with an ankle injury in the second quarter; and linebacker Michael Wilhoite (calf ) and Arizona tight end Ifeanyi Momah (ankle) also had to leave the game.
The Seahawks already were without safety Earl Thomas, who sat out the game with a hamstring injury.