Week 14 Game Recap: Seattle Seahawks 21, Arizona Cardinals 27

What you need to know

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks blew a fourth quarter lead and missed the chance to clinch their division after fumbling away possession on three occasions.

Matt Hasselbeck looked better than in recent games and played well for the first time since his return from injury. He threw touchdown passes to D.J. Hackett, Nate Burleson and Darrell Jackson. Hasselbeck also scrambled well and converted two long third down situations.

Shaun Alexander had a quiet game, despite carrying 22 times. He was held to 76 yards rushing and did not find the end zone. Alexander took a hard hit early in the game and fumbled the ball away, but he was able to return despite being shaken up.

D.J. Hackett led the Seahawks in receiving with four catches for 104 yards and a 47 yard touchdown. Darrell Jackson had a total of 60 yards receiving and a score, while Nate Burleson also found the end zone on his only catch.

The Seahawks surrendered over 100 yards and a touchdown on the ground to Edgerrin James, and the defense was only able to generate one turnover in the game.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals jumped out to a 14-0 lead but had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to win the game. The offense was more balanced than usual with 33 running plays and 34 passing plays.

Matt Leinart played well, throwing for 232 yards and two touchdowns. The first was to Bryant Johnson for 56 yards on the Cardinals’ first play of the game, and the other was a short pass to Larry Fitzgerald. Leinart did throw one interception but the ball was caught and wrestled away from Fitzgerald and Leinart was not to blame.

Edgerrin James ran for over 100 yards for the second consecutive game. He scored on a seven yard run in the first half but gained most of his yardage after the interval.

Bryant Johnson scored a 56 yard touchdown on the Cardinals’ first play of the game. Larry Fitzgerald had a number of important catches, finishing with seven receptions for 79 yards and a five yard touchdown.

The Cardinals’ defense did well, recovering three fumbles from the Seahawks. The defense held Shaun Alexander to 76 yards on 22 carries and made an important stop in the passing game in the final minute of the game.

What you ought to know

QB Matt Hasselbeck, Pass: 20 - 28 - 243 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 32 - 0

Hasselbeck started slowly but had his best game since returning from a knee injury in November. His day started badly with a three and out. He was sacked and lost a fumble on the following drive. Hasselbeck started to play well on the Seahawks’ fourth possession, finding D.J. Hackett for a 47 yard gain and then immediately afterwards for a 23 yard touchdown. Hasselbeck showed good scrambling ability, despite continuing to wear a knee brace. He converted a third and 11 with a 15 yard run, and then ran for 18 yards on third and 12. On the Seahawks’ final possession of the half, Hasselbeck connected with Deion Branch for a 20 yard gain and then hit Nate Burleson across the middle for a five yard touchdown. The Seahawks’ opening drive of the second half saw Hasselbeck continue to look good. He converted a third and five with an 18 yard pass to Darrell Jackson who was tackled at the two yard line. Then on third and goal, Jackson was the recipient of a two yard touchdown pass. After losing the lead, the Seahawks had an opportunity in the final minutes of the game. Hasselbeck moved the ball well with passes of 23 yards to Darrell Jackson and 16 yards to Deion Branch. He overthrew D.J. Hackett who was open in the end zone and was forced to try and convert a fourth and 20 with a minute left in the game. Hasselbeck found Deion Branch but the tackle was made with Branch a yard shy of the marker and the game was over. Hasselbeck was still playing with two fingers taped together on his left hand due to a broken finger.

RB Shaun Alexander, Rush: 22 - 76 - 0, Rec: 2 - 6 - 0 (2 targets)

Alexander took a while to get going in this game, carrying just nine times for a total of 26 yards in the first half. He was hit hard by Robert Griffith on the Seahawks’ third drive and he fumbled the ball away to the Cardinals. Despite playing hurt after the hit, the Seahawks seemed to make an effort to get him more involved in the second half. He had five straight carries on the opening possession of the half. He was also given a carry at the two yard line at the end of the drive, but was unable to gain any yardage. Alexander ended another drive after failing to convert on third and one. He kept alive his streak of games with a gain of at least 10 yards, eclipsing the record of 60 held by Barry Sanders. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, Alexander had to wait until inside two minutes and his 12 yard run was his only carry of the game that went over ten yards. The Seahawks no longer seem content to pound away with the running game when they reach the goal line.

RB Maurice Morris, Rush: 4 - 12 - 0, Rec: 1 - -5 - 0 (2 targets)

Morris had four carries in the game, converting the first two for first downs. He was targeted twice, catching one for a five yard loss and dropping the other.

RB Mack Strong, Rec: 3 - 12 - 0 (4 targets)

Strong caught three of his four targets for a total of 12 yards. On the final catch, he fumbled the ball away to the Cardinals after being hit by Gerald Hayes.

WR Darrell Jackson, Rec: 5 - 60 - 1 (7 targets)

Jackson did not make much of a contribution in the first half, catching one of his two targets for an eight yard gain. But he began the second half well as Hasselbeck found him for an 18 yard gain before he was tackled at the two yard line. After two unsuccessful attempts to score, Hasselbeck went back to Jackson on third down and he scored a two yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone. Jackson made a 22 yard reception on the Seahawks’ third drive of the second half, and it would have been a first down. Unfortunately, Jackson fumbled the ball and lost 15 yards before the Seahawks were able to recover. His final contribution of the game was a 23 yard catch on the Seahawks’ final drive.

WR D.J. Hackett, Rec: 4 - 104 - 1 (5 targets)

Hackett was targeted three times in the first half. He caught the first catch in double coverage for a 47 yard gain. He was targeted on the very next play and scored a 23 yard touchdown on a well thrown ball. His final catch of the half converted a third and six as he gained 27 yards. Hackett had a short gain on his next catch in the second half, and was unable to bring in his final target in the end zone. Hackett played well and was effective when the ball was thrown in his direction.

WR Deion Branch, Rec: 3 - 54 - 0 (8 targets)

Branch was targeted four times in the first half. The first pass was uncatchable, and Branch had to wait until his fourth target before making his first catch. He gained 20 yards on the play before being tackled at the five yard line. On his first target of the second half, Branch drew a pass interference penalty to give the Seahawks a seven yard gain. He caught a 16 yard pass for a first down on the Seahawks’ final drive of the game. Branch was again the target on fourth and 20 with a minute remaining in the game. He made the catch and looked likely to get the first down, but Adrian Wilson closed quickly to tackle him a yard short of the marker.

WR Nate Burleson, Rec: 1 - 5 - 1 (1 targets)

Burleson was only targeted once in the game. He caught a pass over the middle and turned quickly to take it into the end zone for a five yard score. He was also used in the return game and played well. His first kick return went for 50 yards to give the team excellent field possession.

WR Bobby Engram

Engram was inactive for the game.

TE Jerramy Stevens, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

Stevens had just one target and he held on for a seven yard gain.

PK Josh Brown 0 - 0 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 3 points

Brown made all three extra point tries but was not required to attempt any field goals.

SEA Rush Defense

The Seahawks started well against the run, holding Edgerrin James to three yards per carry in the first half. But James was able to evade three tacklers to score on a seven yard run on the Cardinals’ third drive. As the game wore on, the defense started to give up more yardage. James moved the ball effectively and was able to push the pile. The Cardinals ended with 113 net rushing yards.

SEA Pass Defense

Seattle began badly, allowing Bryant Johnson to score a 56 yard touchdown on the Cardinals’ first play of the day. Marcus Trufant slipped on the play to allow Bryant to get open. The defense came up with a big play on the following drive, as Julian Peterson wrestled an apparent reception away from Larry Fitzgerald. The play was challenged as Fitzgerald appeared to be down, but the interception stood. Fitzgerald caused the defense the most trouble during the game, and he scored a five yard touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter to give the Cardinals the lead for good.

QB Matt Leinart, Pass: 21 - 34 - 232 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - -3 - 0

Leinart began the game by throwing a 56 yard touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson on the Cardinals’ opening play. Marcus Trufant slipped on the play, but Johnson would still have made the catch. The following drive looked promising as Leinart connected with Larry Fitzgerald for a 22 yard gain. He hit Fitzgerald again for 17 yards, but the ball was wrestled free by Julian Peterson. Fitzgerald looked to be down on the play but the Cardinals’ challenge was unsuccessful. Leinart was not to blame for the interception. Leinart looked to be comfortable in the offense and he appeared to have the confidence of the team. With 30 seconds left in the first half, the Cardinals had possession at their own 20. Rather than run out the clock, Leinart was allowed to try and make something happen in the remaining time. He was unable to do so, but it was significant that the coaches thought that he was capable. Leinart led the team into long field goal range at the start of the second half, but the kick was wide. He threw one touchdown in the second half, finding Larry Fitzgerald for a five yard score. The ball was thrown high for Fitzgerald to leap above the defender. Leinart only threw seven times to Anquan Boldin in the game, completing four of the passes with a long gain of 20 yards.

RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 26 - 115 - 1, Rec: 2 - 6 - 0 (2 targets)

James looked more effective than he has in most games this season. He gained positive yardage on 23 of 26 carries, and did not lose yardage on any carry. He was replaced on third and one by Marcel Shipp twice in the first half, but stayed in during key situations for the remainder of the game. James eluded three tacklers to score on a seven yard run on the Cardinals’ third possession, but was only able to average three yards per carry in the first half. James improved in the second half and helped bring the team back from a three point deficit. He showed a great burst to break into the secondary for a 17 yard gain to give the Cardinals first and goal. He then carried two yards to the five before Leinart threw a touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals looked to control the game on the ground after recapturing the lead, and James was able to make that happen. He had three runs for first downs on the Cardinals’ fourth possession of the second half, the last of which saw him breaking tackles for another 17 yard gain. He finished the game with 26 carries for 115 yards; his second consecutive 100 yard game.

RB J.J. Arrington, Rush: 2 - -3 - 0, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets)

Arrington had two carries for a total loss of three yards. He caught the one ball thrown his way for a four yard gain on third and 11. Arrington’s main role was in the return game.

RB Obafemi Ayanbadejo, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (2 targets)

Ayanbadejo carried once for three yards and caught both targets for a further seven yards.

RB Marcel Shipp, Rush: 2 - 1 - 0

Shipp came in to convert on third and one on the Cardinals’ third drive of the game. He was given the ball in a similar situation later in the half, but failed to convert. That was his last action of the game.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 7 - 79 - 1 (14 targets)

Fitzgerald was Matt Leinart’s favorite target with 14 targets. He caught a 22 yard pass on the Cardinals’ second possession and should have had a 17 yard reception later in the drive. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Fitzgerald had the ball wrestled away by Julian Peterson. The call was challenged as Fitzgerald appeared to be down, but the challenge failed. Fitzgerald had a nine yard catch on third and two on the following drive which resulted in an Edgerrin James touchdown. Fitzgerald was again the target on third down on the next drive and he converted by making an 11 yard catch. The second half saw Leinart continuing to look for Fitzgerald. The two connected for gains of 12 yards and 16 yards on the Cardinals’ opening possession of the half. Leinart then threw an inaccurate pass out of bounds while trying to find Fitzgerald again, and the drive stalled with a missed field goal. Fitzgerald had four more targets in the game, catching one for a five yard score. Leinart threw the ball up for Fitzgerald to leap above the defender in the end zone.

WR Anquan Boldin, Rec: 4 - 47 - 0 (7 targets)

Boldin had a very quiet start to the game, and did not see his first target until the Cardinals’ fifth drive. He caught the pass for a 20 yard gain and a first down, and had a nine yard gain later on the same drive. Boldin caught two of his four targets in the second half, including one for an 11 yard gain and a first down.

WR Bryant Johnson, Rec: 3 - 81 - 1 (5 targets)

Johnson scored a 56 yard touchdown on the Cardinals’ first play of the game. He was targeted deep and was able to get clear after Marcus Trufant slipped while trying to cover him. Johnson converted a third and seven by making an 11 yard reception three drives later. He then gained 14 yards on a slant on the following possession to keep alive a drive that led to a field goal. All of Johnson’s targets came in the first half.

WR Troy Walters, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (2 targets)

Walters caught one of his two targets for a five yard gain. He also returned three punts.

TE Leonard Pope, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets)

Pope caught his only target for a three yard gain.

TE Adam Bergen (1 targets)

Bergen was targeted once in the game on a deep pass but was unable to make the catch.

PK Neil Rackers 2 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 9 points

Rackers just made a 32 yard field goal which sneaked inside the upright. He then missed a 53 yard field goal wide left, but clearly had enough distance. He made his only other try from 40 yards and converted all three extra point attempts.

ARI Rush Defense

The Cardinals were able to contain Shaun Alexander for most of the game. He was held to 76 yards on 22 carries and there was less than two minutes on the clock when Alexander finally extended his streak of games with a play of ten yards or more to 61 games. Alexander carried once from the two yard line and was stopped by the defense. Robert Griffith hit Alexander hard enough to knock the ball free in the first half, and Adrian Wilson recovered for the Cardinals.

ARI Pass Defense

The Cardinals began well against the pass, forcing a three and out on the Seahawks’ first possession. Darnell Dockett then sacked Hasselbeck on the following drive and forced a fumble for Gabe Watson to recover for the Cardinals. The defense gave up two big plays to D.J. Hackett to allow the Seahawks to move the ball 70 yards for a touchdown. Nate Burleson and Darrell Jackson also scored to give the Seahawks the lead. But after the opening drive of the second half, the Cardinals tightened up defensively. Gerald Hayes stripped Mack Strong for Chris Cooper to recover. With the game on the line, Chike Okeafor sacked Hasselbeck to bring up fourth and 20 for the Seahawks. Adrian Wilson made a vital tackle to hold Deion Branch a yard short of the marker on the following play.