Seahawks offense woefully bad in first half vs. Cardinals
SEATTLE – The Seahawks' offensive statistics in the first half on Saturday were startling bad:
Russell Wilson was sacked five times. They gained only 94 yards and scored just three points against the Cardinals.
Given that performance, their statistics in the second half were startling good.
Wilson was sacked only once. They gained 297 yards and scored 28 points.
So how did coach Pete Carroll explain the difference? Not in any detail.
“We didn’t play well from the start,” he said.
“We had all kinds of problems protecting and running the football. We got nothing done in the first half.
“It’s surprising to see how we turned it around, as far off as we were early.”
The Cardinals didn’t have much of an explanation, either.
“You have to respect those guys,” defensive tackle Calais Campbell said. “They always fight back. I’m just happy to be able to get the win.”
More milestones for Johnson
The Cardinals are running out of superlatives to describe running back David Johnson’s performance this season.
That’s OK, because numbers tell the story.
Johnson’s 20 touchdowns are a franchise record, breaking John David Crow’s mark of 17 set in 1962.
Johnson has gained at least 100 total yards in 15 consecutive games, tying Barry Sanders (1997) for the longest streak in NFL history.
Johnson also became the first Cardinal to gain more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, and in 31 games over two years, he’s scored 33 touchdowns.
“There’s nothing else to be said,” quarterback Carson Palmer said. “I think every adjective (used) to describe him is spot-on. There’s not one that’s a reach.”
Scoring 33 touchdowns in 31 games rushes against the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at CenturyLink Field. is “rarefied air right there,” receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. “He’s on Mount Everest. He does something special every single game we play.”
Only in his second year, Johnson isn’t eligible for a contract extension until after the 2017 season. That doesn’t stop Fitzgerald from teasing General Manager Steve Keim.
“I was messing with Steve earlier (saying), we need to get his contract done right now, because after every game he’s getting more and more expensive," Fitzgerald said.
"He’s going to be like 10 percent owner of the franchise.”
Pocket passer
Fitzgerald attempted his first pass of the season in the first half and it wasn’t pretty.
Palmer lateraled to Fitzgerald, who puckered when he saw defensive end Michael Bennett rushing him. Fitzgerald’s pass ended up woefully short of Johnson, his target.
“You know, I realized I’m a clean pocket passer,” Fitzgerald said. “I was asking Carson, ‘How do you keep your eyes downfield when you see a guy barreling down on you?’
“I’ve never been in that position before. I went from looking up (at Johnson) to looking down (at Bennett) and just tried to chuck it out there. It wasn’t good.”