Cardinals–Seahawks Rivalry

The Cardinals–Seahawks rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.

This is one of the newer rivalries in the NFL, emerging in the early 2000s, as the two teams only became rivals after both were relocated to the NFC West as a result of the league's realignment in 2002. This rivalry has become one of the NFL's more bitter in recent years, as the mid-to-late 2010s often saw the Seahawks and Cardinals squaring off for NFC West supremacy.

The Seahawks lead the overall series, 29–22–1. The two teams have not met in the playoffs.

History

1976–2001: Early years

The Seahawks came into the league in 1976 as an expansion team and play the Cardinals six times as an inter-conference opponent. As a St. Louis-based team, the Cardinals won both meetings between the two franchises, and as an Arizona-based franchise, the Cardinals went 3–1 against the Seahawks. The Cardinals won the first five games of the series until the Seahawks beat the Cardinals 33–14 at the Kingdome in 1998.

2002–2011: Move to NFC West

The rivalry between the Cardinals and Seahawks became a full-fledged one in 2002, when the two teams were placed in the NFC West as part of the NFL realignment. The teams split their 2000s meetings, going 8–8 against each other. Both teams swept the other en route to Super Bowl appearances, with the Seahawks sweeping the Cardinals in 2005 en route to a Super Bowl XL berth and the Cardinals returning the favor in 2008 en route to an appearance in Super Bowl XLIII.

In 2010, the Seahawks hired Pete Carroll as head coach. Carroll won his first three meetings against the Cardinals as Seahawks coach, before the Cardinals beat the Seahawks 23–20 in overtime in the final week of the 2011 season.

2012–2018: Fight for NFC West supremacy

In 2012, the Seahawks drafted Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft. After winning the starting job, Wilson's first game with the Seahawks was against the Cardinals in Arizona. With a last-second goal-line stand, the Cardinals won 20–16, which would be their last home win over the Seahawks until 2020. The Seahawks, however, exacted revenge with a 58–0 home win in Week 14. The Seahawks defense, which had become known as the Legion of Boom by this point, intercepted Cardinals quarterback John Skelton four times and scored two defensive touchdowns, while running back Marshawn Lynch scored three rushing touchdowns in the victory.

The next year, the Cardinals hired Bruce Arians as head coach and traded for quarterback Carson Palmer. Although Palmer lost his first game against the Seahawks at home in Week 7, he would overcome four interceptions to lead a last-second touchdown drive that would win the Week 16 rematch 17–10. Both teams finished with double-digit wins, but while the 13–3 Seahawks won the division (and went on to win Super Bowl XLVIII), the 10–6 Cardinals missed the playoffs.

In 2014, the Cardinals jumped out to a 9–1 start while the Seahawks began the season 6–3. However, Palmer suffered a torn ACL in Week 10 and missed both meetings against the Seahawks that season, which led to the Seahawks accumulating their first sweep of the Cardinals since 2010. This included a 35–6 Sunday Night Football road win in Week 16 that clinched the division for the Seahawks for the second-straight season. The Seahawks went on to Super Bowl XLIX, which was coincidentally held in the Cardinals home stadium, but lost to the Patriots in their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions. The Cardinals, meanwhile, qualified for the playoffs with an 11–5 record as a Wild Card, but lost to the Carolina Panthers.

The following year, the Cardinals won the NFC West for the first time since 2009 with a 13–3 record. The Seahawks, meanwhile, suffered a Super Bowl hangover with a 10–6 record. The two teams split their meetings, with the Cardinals winning the Week 10 meeting in Seattle 39–32, and the Seahawks blowing out the Cardinals 36–6 in the season finale in Arizona. Both teams once again made the playoffs, and both would go on to lose to eventual NFC champion Carolina, with the Seahawks falling in the Divisional Round and the Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game. This is the last time both teams made the playoffs in the same season to date.

The Cardinals and Seahawks played to a 6–6 tie in their Week 7 Sunday Night meeting in Arizona, which was also the first tie on Sunday Night Football. Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro and his Seattle counterpart, Stephen Hauschka, each missed field goals that would have won the game for either team. Catanzaro, however, kicked the game-winning field goal during the meeting in Seattle that gave the Cardinals a 34–31 victory. Seattle won the NFC West with a 10–5–1 record, while the Cardinals missed the playoffs with a 7–8–1 record, their first losing season since 2012.

Both teams missed the playoffs in 2017, with a Week 17 Cardinals victory in Seattle sealing the Seahawks' playoff fate. Both Arians and Palmer retired after the season, with Palmer missing both meetings against Seattle again, this time due to a broken arm sustained in Week 7. When starting with the Cardinals, Palmer would ultimately go undefeated in Seattle with a 3–0 record with the team at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks would go 10–6 in 2018 and sweep the Cardinals, who finished with a league-worst 3–13 record to clinch the first overall pick in the following draft.

2019–present: Kyler Murray arrives, Russell Wilson leaves

The Cardinals drafted quarterback Kyler Murray in 2019 with the first overall pick. His first meeting against Wilson was a 27–10 home loss in Week 4 that was highlighted by newly-acquired Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney intercepting a Murray screen pass that he returned 27 yards for the game's first touchdown. The Cardinals, however, beat the Seahawks in the Week 16 rematch behind 166 rushing yards and three scores from running back Kenyan Drake.

In 2020, the 5–0 Seahawks traveled to Arizona to meet the 4–2 Cardinals for a Week 7 game that got flexed into the Sunday Night Football time slot due to COVID-19 concerns regarding the original matchup (Tampa Bay vs. Las Vegas). In a back-and-forth game that went into overtime, Murray and Wilson combined for 77 completions, 748 yards, and six touchdowns through the air. However, Wilson threw three costly interceptions, including one to Cardinals rookie linebacker Isaiah Simmons in overtime that set up Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez's game-winning field goal on the game's final play, resulting in the Cardinals handing the Seahawks their first loss of the season as well as beating the Seahawks at home for the first time since 2012. One of the highlights of the game was Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf chasing down Cardinals safety Budda Baker following Baker intercepting Wilson. Metcalf tracked Baker down inside the 10-yard line following a 90-yard return, and his track down proved to be important as the Cardinals could not score in the four go-to-goal plays following Baker getting taken down. Four weeks later, the two teams now sporting identical 6–3 records met for a Thursday Night Football rematch in Seattle, which Seattle won after a fourth-down sack of Murray by Seahawks defensive end Carlos Dunlap late in the game. After the game in Seattle, the teams went in opposite directions going forward. The Cardinals proceeded to finish the season 8–8, winning only two of their final six games, and were eliminated from playoff contention altogether. Seattle, on the other hand, used the victory as a springboard to a 4–1 season finish, winning the NFC West with a 12–4 record.

The following season, the Cardinals and Seahawks met in Arizona during the final week of the season in a game that had significant playoff implications for the Cardinals. While the Seahawks had been eliminated from playoff contention and clinched their first losing season since 2011 two weeks prior, the Cardinals needed a win to clinch the division title, while a loss would lead to the Rams sealing the win with a 62-yard touchdown run.

Following the 2021 season, the Seahawks traded Wilson to the Denver Broncos. Wilson ended up compiling an 11–8–1 record against the Cardinals, including a 7–2–1 record in Arizona. Coincidentally, Wilson's first and last games as the Seahawks QB, as well as his first and last touchdown passes as a Seahawk, came against the Cardinals in Arizona.

Season-by-season results

, -
,
, style=", Cardinals
30–24
, Kingdome
, Cardinals
1–0
, Seahawks join the National Football League (NFL) as an expansion team and are placed in the National Football Conference (NFC) and the NFC West. In the following season, the Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers switched places, with the Seahawks moving to the American Football Conference (AFC) and the AFC West, where they would remain until the 2002 season.
Game was Seahawks' inaugural franchise game.
, -
,
, style=", Cardinals
33–28
, Busch Stadium
, Cardinals
2–0
, First and only meeting in St. Louis and at Busch Memorial Stadium.
, -
,
, style=", Cardinals
34–24
, Kingdome
, Cardinals
3–0
, Cardinals relocate to Phoenix, Arizona last season.
, -
,
, style=", Cardinals
30–27 (OT)
, Kingdome
, Cardinals
4–0
,
, -
,
, style=", Cardinals
20–14 (OT)
, Sun Devil Stadium
, Cardinals
5–0
, First meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, and at Sun Devil Stadium.
Cardinals rename themselves to "Arizona Cardinals" last season.
, -
,
, style=", Seahawks
33–14
, Kingdome
, Cardinals
5–1
, Final meeting at Kingdome.
, -

, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Seahawks
27–6
, style=", Cardinals
24–13
, Cardinals
6–2
, During the NFL realignment, Cardinals and Seahawks are placed in the NFC West, resulting in two meetings annually.
Seahawks open Seahawks Stadium (now known as Lumen Field).
Seahawks record their first road win against the Cardinals.
, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Seahawks
38–0
, style=", Seahawks
28–10
, Cardinals
6–4
,
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Cardinals
25–17
, style=", Seahawks
24–21
, Cardinals
7–5
,
, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Seahawks
33–19
, style=", Seahawks
37–12
, Tie
7–7
, Last meeting at Sun Devil Stadium (now known as Mountain America Stadium).
Seahawks sweep the NFC West for the first time in franchise history.
Seahawks lose Super Bowl XL.
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Cardinals
27–21
, style=", Seahawks
21–10
, Tie
8–8
, Cardinals open University of Phoenix Stadium (now known as State Farm Stadium).
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Cardinals
23–20
, style=", Seahawks
42–21
, Tie
9–9
,
, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Cardinals
34–21
, style=", Cardinals
26–20
, Cardinals
11–9
, Cardinals sweep the NFC West for the first time in franchise history.
Cardinals lose Super Bowl XLIII.
, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Cardinals
31–20
, style=", Cardinals
27–3
, Cardinals
13–9
, In Seattle, Cardinals record their largest victory over the Seahawks with a 24–point differential.
As of , this remains the most recent season the Cardinals swept the season series against the Seahawks.
, -

, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Seahawks
36–18
, style=", Seahawks
22–10
, Cardinals
13–11
,
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Cardinals
23–20 (OT)
, style=", Seahawks
13–10
, Cardinals
14–12
,
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Cardinals
20–16
, style=", Seahawks
58–0
, Cardinals
15–13
, Seahawks draft QB Russell Wilson, who makes his NFL debut in Arizona.
In Seattle, Seahawks set franchise records for their largest victory overall with a 58–point differential and their most points scored in a game. Meanwhile, the Cardinals set franchise records for their worst loss overall and their most points allowed in a game.
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Seahawks
34–22
, style=", Cardinals
17–10
, Cardinals
16–14
, First meeting between Carson Palmer and Wilson.
Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII.
, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Seahawks
35–6
, style=", Seahawks
19–3
, Tie
16–16
, In Arizona, Seahawks clinch the NFC West with their win.
Seahawks lose Super Bowl XLIX.
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Seahawks
36–6
, style=", Cardinals
39–32
, Tie
17–17
, In Seattle, Cardinals score their most points in a game against the Seahawks.
, -
,
, style=",
, Tie

, style=", Cardinals
34–31
, Cardinals
18–17–1
, In Arizona, Seahawks' K Stephen Hauschka and Cardinals' K Chandler Catanzaro missed short field goals that would have won the game in overtime.
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Seahawks
22–16
, style=", Cardinals
26–24
, Cardinals
19–18–1
, Cardinals eliminate Seahawks from playoff contention with their win.
, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Seahawks
20–17
, style=", Seahawks
27–24
, Seahawks
20–19–1
, Both games were decided by game-winning Seahawks' field goals.
Seahawks take the lead in the season series for the first time.
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Seahawks
27–10
, style=", Cardinals
27–13
, Seahawks
21–20–1
,
, -

, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Cardinals
37–34 (OT)
, style=", Seahawks
28–21
, Seahawks
22–21–1
,
, -
,
, Tie 1–1
, style=", Seahawks
38–30
, style=", Cardinals
23–13
, Seahawks
23–22–1
, Game in Arizona was Russell Wilson's final game as a Seahawk.
Seahawks' win prevents the Cardinals from clinching the NFC West.
, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Seahawks
31–21
, style=", Seahawks
19–9
, Seahawks
25–22–1
,
, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Seahawks
21–20
, style=", Seahawks
20–10
, Seahawks
27–22–1
, Game in Arizona was Pete Carroll's final game as head coach of the Seahawks.
, -
,
, style=",
, style=", Seahawks
30–18
, style=", Seahawks
16–6
, Seahawks
29–22–1
, Seahawks have won seven straight meetings (2021-present).
, -

, -
, Regular season
, style=",
, Seahawks 14–10–1
, Seahawks 15–12
, Cardinals are 1–0 in St. Louis (1983).
, -

See also

* List of NFL rivalries
*NFC West

References

General

Cardinals vs Seahawks Results

Specific

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cardinals-Seahawks rivalry
NFL rivalries
St. Louis Cardinals (football)
Arizona Cardinals rivalries
Seattle Seahawks rivalries