Coby Bryant returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the visiting Arizona Cardinals 16-6 Sunday afternoon to move into a tie for first place in the NFC West.
Geno Smith completed 22 of 31 passes for 254 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Seahawks (6-5), who won their second consecutive divisional game.
Seattle’s Jason Myers kicked a 50-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining to help clinch the victory.
Kyler Murray was 24-of-37 passing for 285 yards with one interception for the Cardinals (6-5). Tight end Trey McBride established career highs of 12 catches and 133 yards.
Trailing 7-3, the Cardinals reached Seattle’s 40-yard line on their opening possession of the second half. They decided to go for it on fourth-and-1, with Murray rolling to his right in an attempt to run for the first down. But Murray’s path was blocked and he lofted a pass for Michael Wilson that was picked off by Bryant and returned down the left sideline.
The Seahawks took the lead for good on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 1:14 remaining in the second quarter. The key to the seven-play, 61-yard drive was a screen pass to Smith-Njigba that he turned into a 46-yard gain to Arizona’s 4. Smith-Njigba had six catches for 77 yards.
The Cardinals opened the scoring on a 35-yard field goal by Chad Ryland with 9:43 left in the second quarter. That came two plays after Murray found Wilson with a 7-yard pass in the front right corner of the end zone, a touchdown that was nullified by a holding penalty on Paris Johnson Jr.
Ryland also booted a 22-yarder early in the fourth quarter to pull the Cardinals within 13-6.
The Seahawks appeared to take the lead with 1:33 left in the first quarter when Leonard Williams hit Murray’s arm and Tyrice Knight recovered the ball and rumbled 33 yards to the end zone. But a video review determined Murray’s arm was coming forward and the call was changed to an incomplete pass.
–Field Level Media
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is coming out of retirement to rejoin the Detroit Lions, NFL Network reported Thursday. Bridgewater, 32, appeared in one game (three snaps) for the Lions last season….
The Detroit Red Wings fired Derek Lalonde and named Todd McLellan their new head coach on Thursday. Lalonde, 52, is 13-17-4 in his third season on the bench and 89-86-23…
Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep withdrew from qualifying for the Australian Open, citing knee and shoulder pain. Halep announced Thursday via Instagram that she also won’t compete in the…
Red Wings fire Derek Lalonde, hire Todd McLellan
Simona Halep, on comeback trail, pulls out of Australian Open
Predators face Blues, look to maintain momentum
Buccaneers place S Christian Izien (pectoral) on IR