by Peter King
One year ago today, Arizona, on the outside of the playoffs looking in, went to Seattle and spanked the Seahawks, 17-10. The Seahawks were one of the best teams in the league, but as they walked off CenturyLink Field, a doubt or two had to be creeping in. They were just 3-2 in Weeks 12 through 16, and Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch were playing meh football.
On Sunday night, Arizona, having clinched a playoff spot and now playing for the NFC West title, hosted Seattle. Seahawks 35, Cardinals 6. Seattle is 5-0 over the past five weeks. The Seahawks have outscored teams 114-33 in those five games, and Wilson’s been a maestro and Lynch a battering ram.
The Cardinals, in the span of a month, have lost to Seattle 19-3 and 35-6, and have to be thinking, Where have you gone, Carson Palmer? A Valley turns its lonely eyes to you. Not that Palmer, or some combination of Dan Marino and Steve Young, would matter against the Seahawks right now. This Seattle team is stacked and as healthy as it’s been all season, and, if this weekend taught us anything it’s this: If you want to beat Seattle right now, you’d better bring your A-plus game.
THE FINE FIFTEEN
1. Seattle (11-4). I hadn’t planned on jumping any team ahead of New England, but then I watched the Seahawks offense rack up 596 yards on a very good Cardinals defense.
2. New England (12-3). Not sure whether to give the Patriots a mulligan for a truly unimpressive offensive day at the Meadowlands, or to have some concern for what happens when a good defense comes to Foxboro in the playoffs. Leaning toward the latter. Julian Edelman, the Kent State security blanket, had better be healthy in January or teams will devote way too much defensive energy on Rob Gronkowski.
3. Green Bay (11-4). Tampa’s 10 possessions ended in: punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, field goal, punt, punt, punt, interception. Now, the Bucs are the NFL’s version of the Toledo Mud Hens, but a 20-3 road win’s a 20-3 road win.
4. Denver (11-3). Not too concerned about the “Peyton Manning—questionable” line on the injury report entering the game. Kind of reminds me of all those “Tom Brady—questionable” weeks when he had a 0.0 percent chance of not playing.
5. Dallas (11-4). Average score in the Cowboys’ three-game win streak: Dallas 40, Foes 20. Most impressive for Dallas on Sunday was the defensive performance, stifling Andrew Luck to the point where the Colts had to pull Luck for his own good.
6. Arizona (11-4). So many concerns about the offense right now, obviously, and they’re hitting the road to end the season against a 49er team that will be hungry to send off coach Jim Harbaugh with a win. Arizona will need to force at least four turnovers to win in Santa Clara.
7. Detroit (11-4). Matthew Stafford was drafted first overall to win games like next Sunday’s, the NFC North championship game and a first-round bye. This hasn’t been his best year. Sunday was not a particularly good day for him in Chicago. But these are the kinds of games that help define a career.
8. Pittsburgh (10-5). TheSteelers had six sacks in the 20-12 win over Kansas City. Lawrence Timmons had 13 tackles. James Harrison took care of Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher (not exactly rare, from the glimpses I’ve had of Fisher this year). The Steelers are getting defensively fit and will be a dangerous January team.
9. Cincinnati (9-4-1). Amazingly, it’s not a given that the Bengals make the playoffs now. Two losses in six days likely knocks them out—and those two games are against Denver and Pittsburgh (combined record: 21-8).
10. Indianapolis (10-5). All I could think of while watching that debacle in Dallas was this: Not Indy’s year. Ryan Grigson needs another good draft.
11. San Diego (9-6). Lost to Miami by 37. Scored 24 points, combined, in Weeks 14 and 15. Playing their 49th-string center in front of Philip Rivers. Who, by the way, probably needs back surgery. But be honest: If you’re Pittsburgh or Cincinnati or Indianapolis, you don’t want to see them on wild-card weekend in 12 or 13 days, do you?
12. Houston (8-7). Thanks for the six-for-six in field goals, Randy Bullock. The Texans are likely homebound for the playoffs, but pretty dangerous, even with Case Keenum playing. What a great halfback-option pass for a touchdown by Arian Foster against the Ravens. Quirky scoring line: 25 points, none provided by the quarterback.
13. Baltimore (9-6). When Joe Flacco is lousy, and Justin Forsett’s rushing line is 10 for 19, it’s going to be a very bad day. And that was a very bad day in Houston.
14. Buffalo (8-7). Kyle Orton’s expiration date: Nov. 30, 2014.
15. Miami (8-7). So much for Harbaugh to the Dolphins.
