The Cardinals came into Sunday’s game with the Seahawks on a nine-game winning streak that saw them post blowout wins in each of the last two weeks.
They got a taste of how the other half lives in Week 17, however. The Seahawks scored on their first possession of the game, put up points on their next four drives and cruised to a 36-6 victory that bumps them to a 10-6 record for the season.
Russell Wilson continued his spectacular second half of the season by completing 19-of-28 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns. Wilson, who didn’t play in the fourth quarter, ends the regular season with 24 touchdowns and one interception in his last seven games, six of which were Seattle wins that turned the year around after a shaky start to the season. Wilson also ends the season with Seahawks records for the most passing yards and touchdowns in a single season and he became the first player in league history with 4,000 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns and 500 rushing yards in one season.
The defense also will take a bow after Sunday’s win, which assured the Seahawks will finish as the league’s top scoring defense for the fourth straight season.
Seattle will wait for the result of Sunday night’s game between the Packers and Vikings to find out where they will play in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. If Green Bay wins, they’ll head to Washington and they’ll be in Minnesota should things go the other way at Lambeau. Wherever they go, their finishing kick to the season has them heading into the playoffs with a head of steam that should make them an unwelcome opponent.
Carson Palmer was pulled at halftime for the Cardinals, who will get a bye as the No. 2 seed in the NFC. It was a disappointing performance for the Cardinals, which coach Bruce Arians can only hope erases any complacency that might have seeped into the locker room while Arizona was rolling toward the finish line.