Seahawks, Cardinals fight for position in NFC West, which has been the NFL's best division so far

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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The NFC West has not had too much margin for error so far this season.

That's why Thursday night's matchup between the Arizona Cardinals (2-1) and Seattle Seahawks (2-1) feels like such a important moment for a Week 4 game between division rivals, even if it might be way too early to start talking about must-win situations.

The NFC West is led by the San Francisco 49ers (3-0) while the Los Angeles Rams (2-1) are also off to a good start. The nine combined wins is the most for a division so far this season. No other four-team group has more than seven.

“We understand the teams in our division are good teams,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. "I know we’re a good team. You have to win games. They understand the importance of playing at home versus a divisional opponent.

"You don’t want to get knocked down too far, but there is a lot of ball to be played.”

The Seahawks have dominated the series in recent years, winning seven straight since 2021. Seattle is also trending in a better direction this season, winning its past two games while the Cardinals lost to the 49ers 16-15 on Sunday.

Still, the Cardinals have had one of the league's better defenses this season. The Seahawks have noticed.

“That defense is rolling,” Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold said. “They always present issues for an offense, just all the different looks that they can give and what they do in the back end, disguising coverages.”

Only three teams have averaged fewer yards per carry than the Seahawks this season, as they have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game only once. That came in a 31-17 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have allowed the sixth-most rushing yards this season.

The Seahawks have made up for the running problems by being efficient in the passing game. Darnold has completed 70.3% of his passes, good for sixth best in the league, and has only been sacked three times.

Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has been pleased with Darnold's play, but the run game is a concern.

“There’s room for improvement just like many facets of our offense,” Kubiak said. “We can coach better there, we can play better there and it’s something that our guys are putting a big emphasis on.”

The Cardinals got bad news this week when they learned running back James Conner will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury suffered against the 49ers on Sunday.

Quarterback Kyler Murray isn't going to sugarcoat it: That's a tough guy to lose.

“His feel for the game, his leadership, his presence in the huddle and in the locker room — yeah, you can’t really replace that for real,” Murray said.

Conner was a locker room leader but also very productive on the field. He had run for more than 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons. In his absence, second-year player Trey Benson will have an increased role.

Rookie wide receiver Tory Horton, a fifth-round pick in the draft, has burst onto the scene three games into his pro career. Horton, whose college career at Colorado State was cut short because of a knee injury, has returned a punt for a touchdown and caught two other passes for scores, as well as racked up the third-most receiving yards of any Seahawks player.

The 6-foot-2, 196-pound Horton has an intriguing blend of size and speed, and has already put both to good use for a Seattle offense that has been effective operating through the air.

“He’s had a really solid start to the season,” Kubiak said. “I’m proud of Tory. Not surprised with just the kind of kid that he is. The way that his parents raised him. He just has a great attitude."

The Cardinals defense has given up just 17 points per game this season, which is tied for fifth in the league.

A big reason is the front office's investment in revamping the defensive line. Josh Sweat — who signed a $76.4 million, four-year deal in the offseason — and Calais Campbell have both had multiple big moments through three games.

Sweat has two sacks this season, including one that was a strip-sack and led to a touchdown in a win over the Panthers. Campbell also has two sacks and drew a holding call in the end zone against the 49ers that resulted in a safety.

Gannon said he's pleased with the whole defensive front.

“For those guys to impact the game, other guys have to do their job as well," Gannon said. “That’s how I would say that. I’m pleased with where they’re at. I think they’re both going to keep doing it, I really do. We need them."

Seattle’s defense was expected to be a strength under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald, and that’s proven to be the case, especially when it comes to stopping the run. Seahawks opponents have averaged just 3.2 yards per attempt, which is the third-best mark in the league.

“Everyone owns their role. I think that’s the No. 1 thing,” defensive coordinator Aden Durde said. “When you play a run defense, it’s a grimy game.”

The Seahawks have had a number of standout contributors rushing the quarterback, too. Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, a 2024 first-round pick, has already set a career high with 2 1/2 sacks, and nine other players have had at least one tackle for loss.

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AP Sports Writer Andrew Destin in Seattle contributed to this story.

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