What we learned in Cards’ victory
Offense
In their past two games, both in prime time, the Cardinals have scored 38 and 37 points. And both came after terrible starts filled with penalties, missed blocks, dropped passes and other mistakes. But overall, the offense is beginning to fulfill lofty expectations. Kyler Murray passed for 360 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 67 yards and another score. He looked more comfortable in the pocket, and the accuracy issues that have popped up this season weren’t apparent Sunday night. You can see Murray’s development as a leader, too. Like when he chewed out tight end Darrell Daniels on the sideline after Daniels had missed a block. Like when he seemed excited and anxious to get on the field after Isaiah Simmons’ interception in overtime. The line deserves a lot of credit for the way it played Sunday night. Murray wasn’t sacked and no official quarterback hits were recorded. One of his few mistakes of the night came on the failed goal-to-go possession. On second down, it appeared he should have kept it on a run option instead of handing off the Drake. Murray would have been one-on-one with a defender, and he wins 90 percent of those battles. Murray seemed to realize it, clapping after the play. Kliff Kingsbury was criticized for going for it on fourth down but the Cardinals have a history of being successful in those situations this season.
The Cardinals rushed for 159 yards and averaged 4.8 yards a carry. Larry Fitzgerald played an integral role. He caught 8 passes for 62 yards and helped keep things moving late in the game.
Defense
Coordinator Vance Joseph discarded a big part of the game plan at halftime. He had to. Seattle had gained 377 yards and 27 points. In that half, the Cardinals were more concerned with keeping Russell Wilson in the pocket and preventing big plays than they were with pressuring him. Joseph adjusted. In the second half, the Cardinals came at Wilson more often. They often rushed six or seven defenders. Safeties blitzed. Linebackers. A cornerback occasionally. And they hoped that their secondary, especially cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, could hold up against receivers Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. For the most part, they did. Seattle scored just seven points in the second half and overtime. The threat of pressure led to Isaiah Simmons’ interception in overtime. Simmons dropped into coverage. Wilson, it appeared, never saw him. It was only the fifth defensive snap for Simmons all night. Without Chandler Jones, who is out for the season with a biceps injury, the Cardinals will have to manufacture pressure on the quarterback, just as they did Sunday night. It’s a fun style to watch and play, but it means giving up big plays occasionally.
Special teams
Kingsbury trusts kicker Zane Gonzalez. A lot. Why else would he have Gonzalez attempt a 41-yard field goal in overtime on second down with 2:47 left? OK, maybe Kingsbury panicked. Gonzalez missed, after Kingsbury was forced to use a timeout to prevent a delay of game penalty. As Kingsbury said, the whole sequence was a debacle.