Cardinals (8-2) at Seahawks (3-6)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Lumen Field, Seattle
TV: Fox
Tipico Sportsbook line: Cardinals by 2 ⁄2
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Cardinals’ keys to victory: QB Kyler Murray has come into his own in his third season in the NFL and should be considered an early MVP candidate. The Cards should continue to ride his hot hand and test the Seahawks’ starting cornerbacks with superstar WR DeAndre Hopkins and their resurgent No. 2 option, WR A.J. Green. Murray should be fresh after missing the last two games due to an ankle injury.
Seahawks’ keys to victory: Seattle’s defense has improved by leaps and bounds since a rough first month of the season. Credit should go to defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. as well as playmakers at all three levels, but underrated FS Quandre Diggs deserves the most. Diggs is the Seahawks’ best ball hawk since Richard Sherman in his prime. If he can pick off a long ball by Murray, it might swing the momentum enough to give his team a chance.
Matchup to watch: Cardinals TE Zach Ertz vs. Seahawks SS Jamal Adams. After giving up two first-round draft picks to get him, the Seahawks had no choice but to make Adams the highest-paid safety in the NFL. Adams remains a brilliant pass rusher and run defender, but he’s had some issues covering bigger tight ends and slot receivers this year. The size advantage Ertz (6-5, 250 pounds) has over Adams (6-1, 214 ) may be a factor on a critical pass play.
Who wins? Seattle has almost nothing to lose, so a blowout is unlikely. That said, Arizona is the superior team and QB Russell Wilson looked rusty last week in his return from finger surgery.
Cardinals, 27-23