Seahawks Instant Reaction: 710 ESPN Seattle on 23-13 loss to Cardinals

The Seattle Seahawks lost for the fifth time in their last six games on Sunday, falling to the Arizona Cardinals 23-13 at Lumen Field to drop to 3-7 on the season.

Seahawks’ free fall continues with 23-13 loss to Cards

As we do after each Seahawks game, we have collected the instant reactions from the voices of 710 ESPN Seattle. See what they have to say below, and tune into the station all week for full Seahawks coverage beginning at 6 a.m. Monday with The Mike Salk Show and the weekly Pete Carroll Show with the Seahawks head coach at 9:30 a.m.

Mike Salk – The Mike Salk Show

The Seahawks were just outplayed in every conceivable way by a division rival playing without its star quarterback, wide receiver and defensive end. In a game they absolutely had to have, they barely even showed up.

There are no real excuses after this game. No officials to blame or injuries to heal. There was no scheme problem or major coaching decision. The Seahawks just got beat. Flat-out beat. Their roster wasn’t as good as Arizona’s roster, and it was obvious over 60 largely lifeless minutes.

Sure, there is some credit to be doled out. The defense played hard and kept Seattle nominally in the game for 58 minutes. But on a final stand they simply had to make, they whiffed on a sack, gave up a key third-down conversion, and took a penalty in the end zone after a reversed touchdown call gave them new life.

Russell Wilson was certainly more accurate than last week, but he was constantly under pressure and unable to escape. Thirteen points just doesn’t cut it in the NFL.

At 3-7, the playoffs are out of reach for this group. They’ll have seven games to play for pride and to figure out what next year will look like. It is unfamiliar territory for a Russell Wilson team, but it may determine whether this is his team next year.

Bob Stelton – Wyman and Bob

3-7?

The Seahawks are 3-7 for the first time since 2009. What is even left to say at this point? We can sit here and break down the plays that worked and the plays that didn’t work, but in the end what has been true all season and remains true is this is just not a good team.

Individually, there is a lot of talent on this roster, but collectively they can’t find a rhythm on either side of the ball. While the defense was certainly playing better than the offense coming into this game, Cardinals backup QB Colt McCoy just lit them up for 328 yards and two touchdowns on 35 of 44 passing.

Colt McCoy?!?!

And it started on the Cardinals’ very first drive of the game. They went 82 yards on 16 plays and chewed up 9:27 off the clock. Another drive of 92 yards, 13 plays, 6:31 off the clock. There were more sustained drives, but you get the point. This defense got worked by a team with a backup QB and missing their best offensive weapon, DeAndre Hopkins.

But the defense is far from the biggest problem. This Seahawks’ offense is flat-out absent. This also started at the very beginning of the game. Rashaad Penny gains 18 yards on his first carry of the game and then immediately motions to the sideline to come out of the game, dealing with yet another injury. He had one carry the rest of the game.

Russell Wilson looks like a shell of his former self. He says the finger is not an issue. If that’s true, his play is even more concerning because he seems to have lost his accuracy and decision making. Throw in questions about this O-line and the offensive scheme, and it explains why this offense has looked as atrocious as it has.

The rest of the season is more about players and coaches playing for their futures here in Seattle – if this is where they want to be – because the talk of playoffs at this point seems almost comical.

The Groz – Host emeritus, 710 ESPN Seattle

As Bill Parcells (among others) has said, “You are what your record says you are.” The Seahawks are 3-7, and on Sunday they basically played like it.

The offense is a mess, and at this point Seattle appears to have made a mistake in their choice of offensive coordinator. The Seahawks’ offense was terrible when it counted in the game as they struggled to find a rhythm. Another week where Russell Wilson looked average, except you could see he has regained his touch on the long passes.

The defense played OK at best as they let Colt McCoy throw it all over the place as well as put together long scoring drives. Replay calls hurt as I imagine the sound of boos did, as well.

The season is on the brink. I believe teams will need nine wins to make the playoffs in the NFC. That would mean a 6-1 finish for the Seahawks. I simply don’t see it.

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