Takeaways from Seahawks 20-10 win over Cardinals

SEATTLE - A standout defensive performance, a 100-yard rushing day from Ken Walker III, and touchdowns from rookies Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo helped the Seattle Seahawks overcome the self-inflicted wounds of three turnovers in a 20-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Smith-Njigba scored his first NFL touchdown and Bobo delivered a highlight reel score with a one-handed, toe-tap catch to help Seattle deal with the absence of DK Metcalf, who missed the game due to a rib and hip injuries. Walker's 105 yards on the ground helped balance the attack as well.

But the three turnovers combined with the offense being unable to find the end zone after getting first-and-goal from the 1-yard line in the third quarter resulted in a sloppy performance overall for the unit. Geno Smith tossed a bad interception and had a fumbled exchange with backup center Olu Oluwatimi. Additionally, a fumbled punt return from DeeJay Dallas directly led to three of Arizona's 10 points.

"We had three horrible turnovers in this game," head coach Pete Carroll said. "It's hard to win at minus-3 in a game. So the game stays close because of that, but the defensive guys did a good job going out there and answering the bell."

A better opponent may have been more capable of making the Seahawks pay for those mistakes. But the Arizona Cardinals are not that team.

Quarterback Joshua Dobbs scored on a 25-yard touchdown run on one of the few defensive breakdowns of the day for Seattle. The Seahawks limited the Cardinals to 249 yards of total offense. Only one drive all game netted more than 30 yards for the Arizona offense.

That's three straight weeks of really strong defensive performances for the Seahawks as all areas of that defense seem to be working together in unison.

Here are the takeaways from the Seahawks win over Arizona:

– Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo step up in absence of DK Metcalf.

For the first time in five years in the NFL, DK Metcalf missed a game for the Seahawks. He was unable to play due to rib and hip injuries that kept him from being able to suit up on Sunday.

While Tyler Lockett did deliver a pair of key third down conversions for Seattle's offense, it was Smith-Njigba and Bobo that came through with the biggest plays of the day for the passing attack.

"With (Metcalf) out we knew we were going to have to step up," Bobo said. "Obviously he’ll be back soon, he’ll be back healthy. I was just looking to fill his big shoes and it felt like we did a little bit of that today.

Smith-Njigba was left wide open for a 28-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith that gave the Seahawks a 7-0 lead. It took six games, but Smith-Njigba finally found the end zone for the first time in the NFL.

"I don't think they get any more open than that," Smith said. "Coach called it up, dialed it up for the right coverage. We got exactly what we wanted. The protection was great. Gave me a chance. And then Jaxon obviously ran his route, made a great catch, and scored. It was great for him to get that first touchdown."

Smith-Njigba finished the day with four receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown to lead the team. Meanwhile, Bobo also had four catches for 61 yards and his second career touchdown, which was one of the best of the day across the NFL.

Bobo beat cornerback Starling Thomas for an 18-yard score as Smith dropped a beautiful throw over the Arizona defender. Bobo had to make the catch with just his right arm and managed to get his right toe to tap just inside the sideline in the end zone for the touchdown. The play was initially ruled incomplete before being overturned on a successful challenge from Pete Carroll.

It's the first time two Seahawks rookies have caught touchdowns in the same game since Thomas Rawls and Tyler Lockett did so against the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 22, 2015.

"It was great to see Jaxon get his first touchdown," Carroll said. "He had a number of contributions. And Bobo, a frickin' circus grab to hold that ball and get it by an eyelash down there and make that touchdown. It was a great play by both Geno and Bobo. But it's great for us, here we are, coming to the halfway point and having the pups play like that, they can play like starters. And they did. So that's a great accomplishment through the process.

– Sloppy mistakes weren't just limited to turnovers.

The turnovers were easily the most noticeable mistakes in the game against the Cardinals, but they were far from the only ones.

Smith was intercepted on a particularly ill-advised throw by Garrett Williams in the third quarter that cost the Seahawks three points. Smith was rolling to his left and Jake Bobo was double-covered as Williams sat underneath and cornerback Marco Wilson was over the top. Smith threw the pass anyway, which was slightly impacted by an impending quarterback hit from Dennis Gardeck.

An incomplete pass would have set up a 34-yard field goal attempt that would have given Seattle a two-score lead. Instead, the Cardinals remained just a touchdown behind.

"I thought Bobo did a great job extending the play to the second play," Smith said. "He wheeled up, was actually open on the sideline. I was giving him a shot, was going to throw that high ball, maybe he can get his feet in. And my arm got hit. Obviously it changed the trajectory of the football. … If we clean up those mistakes, how good can we be? So as always, I put that on myself. No one else made that mistake but me. So I've just got to be better in those situations."

Smith also had a fumbled exchange with Oluwatimi in the fourth quarter that the Cardinals recovered. However, Matt Prater yanked a 34-yard field goal wide left as Arizona was unable to take advantage.

"I mean, as a center, you always take ownership," said Oluwatimi, who was making his first start in place of an injured Evan Brown. "I think I was a little late. We were going on a quick cadence. I might have been a little late. So you know, get in the film, watch it and get better."

DeeJay Dallas also was stripped of the football on a punt return by former Seahawks safety Joey Blount. Arizona took over at the Seattle 30-yard line and Prater converted a 44-yard field goal three plays later to cut Seattle's lead to 7-3.

But beyond the turnover, Jason Myers kicked the opening kickoff out of bounds to give Arizona the ball at the 40-yard line to begin the game. Then in the third quarter after Smith's interception, the Cardinals took over at the 1-yard line backed up against their own goal line. Dre'Mont Jones jumped into the neutral zone to give Arizona a free five yards and breathing room to operating their offense.

The Cardinals gained less than 20 yards on each of those two drives so neither mistake did any lasting damage.

Additionally, guard Anthony Bradford lined up in the neutral zone directly in-line with center Olu Oluwatimi as Seattle tried a sneak play much like the Philadelphia Eagles have run with Jalen Hurts, only with DeeJay Dallas taking the snap instead. The Seahawks offense converted the following third-and-6 anyway with a completion to Smith-Njigba, so that's another mistake that didn't hurt Seattle.

– Defensive surge continues with third straight strong performance.

It may not be the Legion of Boom, but the Seahawks defense is playing terrific football right now.

Seattle held an opponent to under 250 total yards for the third straight game. They've allowed just 3, 17 and 10 points over that span.

"I think these last three or four weeks we’ve really been finding our identity," said Jordyn Brooks, who had nine tackles and a half sack in the win. "I’m just happy where we are, and excited to see where we’re going."

The Seahawks combined to sack Joshua Dobbs four times and held the Arizona offense to just 5-of-15 on third downs. Dobbs completed just 19-of-33 passes and was held to 146 passing yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

"We’ve been taking away the big plays," safety Quandre Diggs said. "I think that’s been the biggest part. We are taking away big plays and you got to earn your big plays. Any time you do that to take away the big plays and try to make teams one dimensional. Today they were able to run the ball, but they couldn’t throw it, you make teams one dimensional and you win a lot of football games."

Arizona collectively gained 127 yards on the ground with Dobbs accounting for 43 yards and a touchdown on seven carries and Emari Demercado added 58 yards on 17 carries. Wide receiver Rondale Moore also had four carries for 24 yards. But none of that felt significant as the game progressed.

Seattle made one mistake on Dobbs 25-yard touchdown run. It appeared as though Darrell Taylor crashed down the line of scrimmage and gave Dobbs the edge. Dobbs then bounced off a weak tackle attempt form Riq Woolen and walked into the end zone for Arizona's lone touchdown of the day.

"The quarterback element is really the hardest factor," Carroll said. "We had a scheme. We just didn't execute it as well as we needed to keep him down, but we're playing well there (on the running game)."

Seattle had to play the entire second half without linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who left the game with a pectoral strain.

Carroll said they didn't know the extent of Nwosu's injury, but it forced Taylor and rookie Derick Hall to play significant snaps in the second half.

"So the game stays close because of that but the defensive guys did a great job going out answering the bell," Carroll said. "I think they got three points out of the three turnovers. That's huge. It's a big source of pride to us that we do that well. And we have been doing it well during the season already and we just did it again. I'm really fired about that. The pass rush was alive again today. A lot of opportunities for us to go get it. And I was really fired up that we finished it."