The Seahawks gritty 17-3 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field didn’t just happen; it was a brutal grind, fueled by a short-handed roster and a quarterback who might not see the field next week. Seattle, absolutely beset by injuries, had to lean hard on its run game and defense, simplifying everything just to hold serve against the division rival. We were missing Sam Darnold, Leo Williams, Quenton Nelson, Uchenna Nwosu, Charles Cross, and Rashid Shaheed. That’s a lineup of crucial starters out, and yet the Hawks still found a way to win.
Lock’s Gutsy Performance, And The Looming QB Question
Drew Lock took the field clearly playing hurt, and he managed the offense well enough to get the win, avoiding major turnovers. He even slung a few in some seriously tight windows, so don’t mistake “managed” for “conservative.” The offense, under Brian Fleury’s guidance, only put up 295 total yards, which isn’t pretty by any stretch. But sticking with the run game helped shorten the game and kept us in it.
The real gut punch came when Lock, already battling an elbow injury that might explain some of the throws behind receivers, hurt his oblique during the game. He may not be able to go next week. That leads to the question nobody wants to ask: Is it Jalen Milroe time in Las Vegas? Our guy Lock showed toughness, no doubt, but that elbow and oblique are serious concerns.
Charbonnet’s Crunch, Barner’s Scores, And A Shifting Line
Even with the QB situation hanging heavy, there were bright spots on offense. Zach Charbonnet, man, that dude brings pure toughness. You want proof? Look at the last drive of the game where he just broke tackles, kept moving the chains, and ended the game. He’s not the fastest guy out there, but he runs *hard*. Charbonnet is like a middle ground between Jadarian Price and Emanuel Wilson, less explosive than Price but more than Wilson, with just as much toughness. That one-two punch of Charbonnet and Price could really be lethal moving forward.
The offensive line stepped up in a big way too. We didn’t give up a single sack all game, and I barely remember Lock being under pressure on his dropbacks. Was that a testament to Fleury getting the ball out fast or an indictment on the Cardinals’ pass rush? Either way, it helped. The only bummer here is Zabel might have to shift back to right guard when Quenton Nelson eventually returns. We were hoping for Zabel and Nelson to get some reps together against the Cardinals and Raiders to be ready for the San Francisco 49ers after the bye, but that’s not happening now. Get ready for some rough weeks ahead on the line.
And how about AJ Barner finally getting involved? I’ve been screaming for more Barner! He scored both of our red zone touchdowns. Yeah, his run-after-the-catch isn’t elite, but if it means more red zone TDs, I’ll take it every single time. Our red zone issues definitely improved on both sides, with the offense going 2-2 and the defense holding Arizona to 0-2.
Defense Holds The Line
Even short-handed, the defense absolutely stepped up. They held Arizona to just 3 points, including a crucial late-game fourth down stop from the two-yard line. That’s the kind of bend-don’t-break, or in this case, bend-and-then-straight-up-break-them mentality we need. DeMarcus Lawrence looked like the D-Law of 2025 out there, taking accountability and making plays.
Next up, the Seahawks are heading to Las Vegas, and the biggest question on everyone’s mind is who will be under center. Can we grind out another win if Jalen Milroe gets the call, or if a hobbled Drew Lock tries to push through? The stakes are high, and this team needs to dig deep again.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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