Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson makes a long run to out of bounds near the end zone that was called back on a holding penalty in the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, in Seattle.Elaine Thompson/The Associated Press
Swarmed by the blitzing rush of the best team in the NFL, Russell Wilson scrambled, slipped, eluded and finally got the Seattle Seahawks in the end zone.
Considering the circumstances, it was probably Seattle's most important drive of the season as the Seahawks handed the Arizona Cardinals their second loss of the season, 19-3 on Sunday.
Wilson was sacked a season-high seven times by Arizona's ultra-aggressive defence and the assortment of blitzes they called to confuse and fluster the Seahawks quarterback. But when Seattle (7-4) needed a scoring drive, after squandering advantageous field position throughout the game, Wilson delivered.
Wilson found backup tight end Cooper Helfet on a 20-yard catch-and-run touchdown late in the third quarter in a victory that was a must for Seattle if it had any hopes of getting back into the division race. The Seahawks entered the day trailing Arizona (9-2) by three games in the NFC West. Wilson finished 17 of 22 for 211 yards and added 73 yards rushing.
Arizona was held to a season-low 204 total yards. A week after throwing for a career-high 306 yards, Drew Stanton was 14 of 26 for 149 and one interception.
Wilson had a possible 49-yard touchdown run in the first half brought back on a downfield holding call. Lynch was corralled by Arizona's third-best rush defence and held to 39 yards on 15 carries, making it 21 straight games the Cardinals have not allowed a 100-yard rusher.
Steven Hauschka hit on field goals of 27, 32, 52 in the first half and a 40-yarder in the third quarter after DeShawn Shead blocked Drew Butler's punt.
Stanton was minus a weapon with Larry Fitzgerald inactive due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Fitzgerald sat for the first time in 110 games and for just the fifth time in his career . John Brown continued his stellar rookie season with three catches for 61 yards, but Michael Floyd was shut out, defended much of the game by Richard Sherman.