Through the first three weeks of the season, the Arizona Cardinals just might be the NFL's worst team -- but the naming of a new starting quarterback has at least provided fans with a sense of hope heading into a matchup with their hated rivals from the Pacific Northwest.
The 1-2 Seattle Seahawks come to State Farm Stadium on Sunday to tangle with rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, who will make his first-ever NFL start. Will Rosen guide the 0-3 Cards to their first victory of the season?
Here are a pair of predictions from the ABC15 sports team, as well as a bonus pick from WWE superstar Daniel Bryan, who lives in the Valley but is a Washington native and a lifelong Seahawks fan.
ABC15 sports director Craig Fouhy
The Seahawks are favored by 3 points in this one, but let’s be honest: The Cardinals are, by far, the worst offensive team in the league and starting Josh Rosen isn’t going to help the cause.
Rosen will make his first career start against the Seahawks and I have to believe the Hawks are licking their chops, anxious to face a rookie quarterback. Seattle safety Earl Thomas may have an early feast with Rosen trying to spot open receivers. The Seahawks will try and take away Cards running back David Johnson and make Rosen beat them.
Problem is, I don’t expect much out of Rosen this week, and I don’t think the Cardinals defense is up to the task of stopping Russell Wilson. Seattle covers the spread and wins an ugly game. Seahawks 24, Cardinals 12
ABC15.com sportswriter Shane Dale
Playing behind an injury-riddled offensive line, there was never going to be an ideal game for Josh Rosen to make his first NFL start this season -- but as Cards coach Steve Wilks noted, the Seahawks aren't the Legion of Boom. On Sunday, Rosen will likely be able to give Cards fans a glimpse or two of the star he could be down the line. He and fellow rookie Christian Kirk should click right away, and hopefully Rosen will remember Larry Fitzgerald still plays for the Cardinals.
But while the Seahawks aren't the same team they were a couple years back, they still have QB Russell Wilson, along with young running back Chris Carson, who will look to carve up a Cardinals defense that has struggled (an understatement) against the run this season. The likely return of wide receiver Doug Baldwin from injury isn't going to help the Cards' cause, either. Rosen will likely have to wait at least one more week to earn his first NFL victory. Seahawks 27, Cardinals 17
WWE superstar Daniel Bryan
I hope it goes very poorly for the Cardinals. I’m just going to be honest. To be fair, the Seahawks haven’t been that great this year... (but) I have a feeling that it’s going to be the first NFL game where a team scores a hundred points. But my prediction every year is the Seahawks will go undefeated and win the Super Bowl, so I’ve been known to be wrong a few times. Seahawks 100, Cardinals 0
