Russell Wilson and the Seahawks escaped Arizona with a 22-16 victory over the Cardinals, but they did not get out unscathed.
Seattle has a long list of injuries, including what appears to be a serious injury to cornerback Richard Sherman. Sherman, listed on the injury report with an Achilles earlier in the week, grabbed his Achilles after making a tackle in the third quarter.
His body language did not give the impression that it was nothing to worry about. Sherman hugged teammates on the sideline as if he had received bad news, and in a postgame interview, Wilson sounded as if the Seahawks will play without their All-Pro cornerback the rest of the season.
The Seahawks also have concerns about left tackle Duane Brown, who left in the first half with a right ankle injury, their other starting cornerback, Shaquill Griffin, who left with a shoulder injury, running back C.J. Prosise, who has an ankle injury, defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who has a hamstring injury, and linebacker Michael Wilhoite, who has a calf injury.
Safety Kam Chancellor, the only remaining starter in the secondary after Sherman went out, entered the medical tent in the final two minutes.
But the Seahawks did have Wilson for all but one play when he left for what was supposed to be a check for a concussion after being hit in the chin. He completed 22 of 32 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Jimmy Graham scored both touchdowns, on catches of 6 and 2 yards.
Wilson pulled off a Houdini move in the fourth quarter to give Seattle some breathing room. On second-and-21, Wilson ran around with Chandler Jones and Tyrann Mathieu chasing him. He ran left and right and pump faked to get Mathieu off his feet and ran some more.
Doug Baldwin, who started the play blocking, ran down the sideline when the play broke down. Wilson threw it up to him, and Baldwin leaped to grab it over safety Antoine Bethea before running 54 yards to the Cardinals 2. Wilson hit Gresham for the touchdown on the next play and a 22-10 lead.
Ball game.
Here are five more things we learned during Thursday Night Football:
1. The list of great players on injured reserve is unbelievable already: Aaron Rodgers, J.J. Watt, Odell Beckham Jr., Deshaun Watson, Andrew Luck, Eric Berry, Andrew Luck, Julian Edelman, David Johnson, Carson Palmer, Joe Thomas, Greg Olsen, Marshal Yanda, Ryan Tannehill, Jason Peters, Whitney Mercilus and Jason Verrett among others.
Sherman’s injury did not look good. Neither did his reaction. Or his noticeable limp.
The league can’t afford to keep losing great players week after week after week, but it appears another great one will go on the shelf for the rest of the season.
2. Adrian Peterson looks like the old Adrian Peterson. Adrian Peterson looks old.
One week it’s one Adrian Peterson and the next week it’s the other. He had 26 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns in the first game after joining the Cardinals in a trade from New Orleans, but then had 11 carries for 21 yards against the Rams. He rebounded with 37 carries for 159 yards four days ago.
But against the Seahawks, Peterson lost a fumble on his first carry and took a safety on his ninth. He finished with 21 carries for 29 yards.
3. The Seahwaks still don’t have a running back or a running game.
Last week Pete Carroll vowed to hand over the running game to Eddie Lacy. Lacy lasted for six carries and 20 yards before leaving with a groin injury as Wilson was their leading rusher with 10 carries for 77 yards.
Seattle, which lost rookie running back Chris Carson to a Week 4 leg injury, vowed this week to feature Thomas Rawls.
Rawls had 10 carries for 27 yards as the Seahawks had 23 rushes for 75 yards.
Somehow, someway the Seahawks have to find a better ground game if they are going to top the Rams for the division title. Wilson needs help.
4. Larry Fitzgerald is one of the greatest of all time. As if you didn’t know that before Thursday night. . . .
The Cardinals star receiver showed it again with 10 catches for 113 yards against the Seahawks. He now has 60 receptions for 677 yards this season.
Did somebody say retirement? He shouldn’t even think about it.
Despite being 34 years old and in his 14th season, Fitzgerald is showing no signs of slowing down. Please, Larry, the game needs you another year . . . or two . . . or three.
5. Blair Walsh missed three field goals in Sunday’s 17-14 loss to Washington. His misses of 44, 39 and 49 yards all were wide left.
The Seahawks not only kept him on their roster but kept the faith. Walsh rewarded them with field goals of 33 and 43 yards. Seattle won by six points.
Walsh lost his job in Minnesota last season by making 12 of 16 field goals. He entered Thursday’s game 12-of-16, so he needed a confidence-builder, and he got it.
The Seahawks now get an 11-day break to figure out how to overcome the injuries and keep Walsh on track.