A positive came by way of defensive pressures. The team had five sacks and eight tackles for loss. Four of their five sacks came on third down. Defensive lineman Dante Stills, Collins, and outside linebacker Jesse Luketa, the team’s top three players in sacks, all got home.
The moments that hurt the Cardinals on Sunday were Geno Smith’s play extensions. The Seahawks quarterback was able to scramble out of the pocket and connect on downfield passes that kept drives alive. Seattle was 7-of-14 on third-down.
“Guys are covering their butts off,” Collins said. “There’s certain plays that we call it ‘leakage’ and that build up. It happens.”
Sunday’s outcome made the NFC West race tighter with six games remaining on the schedule. The Cardinals will get another crack at Seattle in two weeks at State Farm Stadium. Current tiebreakers have the Cardinals in second place to the Seahawks, but a game ahead of the Rams and 49ers.
First-rounder Darius Robinson is on track to make his NFL debut this weekend, Gannon said Monday. They’ll also welcome back safety Jalen Thompson, who has been inactive for the last two weeks with an ankle injury.
It’s rare to hear Gannon, or anybody on the team, mention the postseason. By looking too far ahead, the collective eyes of the team begin to wander from their upcoming opponent.
However, as the calendar flips to December, Gannon knows how important each game is, especially ahead of a big matchup in Minnesota.
“We’re one round at a time, but we’re in playoff football right now,” Gannon said. “It is what it is and we don’t shy away from that. With the holiday coming up, you can be thankful we’re playing meaningful games right now because we’ve earned that right. But it really doesn’t mean you know what. We’ve got to put all of our energy and focus into Minnesota.”
