Cardinals vs Seahawks
A bitter NFC West rivalry born from 2002 realignment, featuring close battles and no playoff meetings.
The Cardinals–Seahawks rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. This is one of the newer rivalries in the NFL, emerging in the early 2000s, as the two teams only became rivals after both were relocated to the NFC West as a result of the league's realignment in 2002. This rivalry has become one of the NFL's more bitter in recent years, as the mid-to-late 2010s often saw the Seahawks and Cardinals squaring off for NFC West supremacy. The Seahawks lead the overall series, 31–22–1. The two teams have not met in the playoffs.
- Division
- NFC West
- First Meeting
- 2002
- Primary Context
- Playoff Implications
- Notable Venue Clash
- State Farm Stadium vs. Lumen Field
- Key Dynamic
- Weather and Home-Field Advantage
Lore & Background
The Seahawks came into the league in 1976 as an expansion team and played the Cardinals six times as an inter-conference opponent. As a St. Louis-based team, the Cardinals won both meetings, and as an Arizona-based franchise, the Cardinals went 3–1 against the Seahawks. The Cardinals won the first five games of the series until the Seahawks beat the Cardinals 33–14 at the Kingdome in 1998. The rivalry became full-fledged in 2002 when both teams were placed in the NFC West as part of NFL realignment. The teams split their 2000s meetings, going 8–8. Both teams swept the other en route to Super Bowl appearances: the Seahawks in 2005 and the Cardinals in 2008. In the 2010s, the rivalry intensified as the teams fought for NFC West supremacy. Notable moments include the Seahawks' 58–0 home win in 2012, the Cardinals' 6–6 tie in 2016, and the Cardinals' overtime win in 2020 that handed the Seahawks their first loss of the season.
In Their Own Story
The rain lashes against the turf at Lumen Field, turning the grass into a slippery challenge. A Cardinals receiver, number 17, plants his feet in the mud near the goal line as the Seattle defense converges. The crowd roars, a deafening wall of sound that seems to vibrate through the stadium seats. With seconds ticking down on the clock and the division title hanging in the balance, the quarterback scans the field, looking for an opening in the grey storm.
Reader's Guide
The Seahawks lead the overall series 31–22–1. The two teams have not met in the playoffs. Key seasons: 2005 (Seahawks sweep en route to Super Bowl XL), 2008 (Cardinals sweep en route to Super Bowl XLIII), 2013 (Seahawks win division and Super Bowl XLVIII), 2014 (Seahawks sweep and win division), 2015 (Cardinals win division), 2016 (6–6 tie), 2020 (Cardinals win at home for first time since 2012).
Did You Know?
- The Cardinals won the first five games of the series until the Seahawks beat them in 1998.
- The teams split their 2000s meetings 8–8.
- The Seahawks' 58–0 win in 2012 is the largest margin of victory in the series.
- The 2016 Week 7 meeting was the first tie on Sunday Night Football.
- Russell Wilson compiled an 11–8–1 record against the Cardinals as a Seahawk.
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