Arizona Cardinals offense stalls, falling to Seattle Seahawks 19-9

SEATTLE, WA (3TV/CBS 5) -- The Arizona Cardinals offense stalled on Sunday afternoon, falling to the Seattle Seahawks 19-9. Missed opportunities led to scoreless drives for the Cardinals offense at many points in the game. The Red Birds were held to only nine points total, only scoring three in the first half. They are now 2-4 and last in the NFC West.

It wasn’t the Cardinals day for fourth down attempts or high-scoring offense. The team was only able to convert one fourth down, and the offense didn’t score a touchdown. With just under four minutes in the game, Murray and company decided to go for it on 4th and 11. The ball was underthrown to Hollywood Brown, and Tariq Woolen came down with the pick. The Cardinals went 1/5 on fourth down attempts.

Late in the third quarter, Kyler Murray scrambled to Seattle’s 30-yard line, but had the ball stripped away by cornerback Coby Bryant and recovered by Seattle. However, a Seattle muffed punt led to the Cardinals special teams recovering in the endzone for the first touchdown of the game. Matt Ammendola missed the extra point, and the Cardinals cut the lead to 12-9. Seattle had a quick answer though to open the fourth quarter. Kenneth Walker III scrambled to the outside, grabbing the touchdown and putting Seattle ahead 19-9.

Murray broke open the start of the game with a 42-yard run, driving into Seattle territory. The Cardinals were able to snap their skid of scoreless first quarters, thanks to a field goal from Ammendola. Safety Budda Baker came up big for the Cardinals defense, causing quarterback Geno Smith to fumble the ball. Smith recovered, but the Seahawks were held to a field goal, tying the game at three apiece. However, Cardinals defense was able to keep Seattle at bay, holding them to only 59 total yards in the first quarter.

Cardinals were facing a fourth down situation to open up the second quarter, and went for it. Murray decided to go for a short pass to Rondale Moore, but the pass was incomplete. The Cardinals turned it over on downs. With just under two minutes left in the half, Murray was sacked by Seattle’s Darrell Taylor, fumbling the ball. Kelvin Beachum was able to fall on the ball, recovering the fumble for the Cardinals.

Seattle found some last-minute momentum before the half. Smith connected with Marquise Goodwin for 22 yards, then scrambled for another 24 on the next play. Cardinals defense was able to keep Seattle out of the endzone for the time being. The latter opted for the field goal as time ran out. Besides a field goal, it was a relatively quiet offensive first half for the Red Birds, going into halftime down 9-6.

Injuries kept plaguing the Red Birds. After losing three running backs, James Conner, Darrel Williams and Jonathan Ward, rookie Keontay Ingram took the field for his NFL debut alongside Eno Benjamin. Cardinals lost guard Justin Pugh to a knee injury, and linebacker Dennis Gardeck also went back to the locker room with an ankle injury.

But there’s a bright side Cardinals fans can look forward to. DeAndre Hopkins will be eligible to return for the team’s Thursday night game after a six-game PED suspension.

The Cardinals will play on primetime this week, traveling back home to State Farm Stadium to face off against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday at 5:15 p.m.

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