GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks could have been shell-shocked, giving up a 14-point lead during the latter half of the fourth quarter and turning their comfortable advantage into a tie game with 33 seconds left.
It looked like they might need overtime to make amends.
Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jason Myers had other ideas.
Darnold hit Smith-Njigba for a 22-yard gain in a last-minute response, Myers made a 52-yard field goal as time expired, and the Seahawks withstood a late rally by Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to beat Arizona 23-20 on Thursday night.
“I had no doubt we were going to go down there and score, honestly,” Smith-Njigba said. “We just needed one play, a couple plays and Jason’s going to go down there and seal the deal.”
Seattle has won eight straight over Arizona, its NFC West rival.
The Cardinals trailed 20-6 midway through the fourth. Murray threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. that cut the deficit to 20-13 with 5:50 left.
After Myers missed a 53-yard field-goal attempt, Murray put together another drive and found Emari Demercado for a 7-yard touchdown with 33 seconds left.
But the Seahawks (3-1) weren’t done. A penalty on the ensuing kickoff — Chad Ryland’s kick landed short of the landing zone — gave Seattle good field position at the 40. Darnold then hit Smith-Njigba for the big gain that moved Seattle into field-goal range.
Two plays later, Myers calmly knocked the 52-yarder through, making up for his miss just a few minutes before.
“I’ve seen this guy play golf — he’s a stud,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said. “He’s got ice in his veins. We knew he was going to make that kick.”
Said Myers: “I didn’t try to change anything — just stay true to my routine. That’s what I prepare for during the offseason and all week. Just trusting it and letting it rip.”
Darnold had another efficient outing, completing 18 of 26 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown. Kenneth Walker III ran for 81 yards and Zach Charbonnet added his second rushing touchdown of the season. The Seahawks’ defense sacked Kyler Murray six times.
“Sam’s playing out of his mind right now,” Macdonald said. “You see him, and he’s such a cool customer.”
Charbonnet scored on a 1-yard run late in the second quarter, using a second effort to fall into the end zone and give the Seahawks a 14-3 lead heading into halftime. The Cardinals (2-2) jogged to the locker room amid scattered boos from the home crowd.
Arizona has struggled on offense most of the season and Thursday was a slog until the fourth quarter. The Cardinals have dropped two straight.
“We’ve got to show up and be ready to go,” Murray said. “It’s just taking too long. Obviously, the resilience of the team, you love to see it. You feel like you give yourself a chance to win the game at the end.
“But it’s just too late.”
Murray completed 27 of 41 passes for 200 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, though at least one wasn’t his fault.
Harrison had a rough start to the game before making his touchdown grab in the fourth quarter. Last year’s No. 4 overall pick bobbled a ball on a slant route in the second quarter, essentially tossing it to Seattle’s Ernest Jones IV, who grabbed it for an interception.
It was the second straight walk-off loss for the Cardinals, who fell 16-15 to the 49ers on a last-second field goal just five days earlier. It was the first time since at least 1988 that the Cardinals have lost two games in a row on the final play of regulation, according to Sportradar.
“I appreciate the resiliency, that’s there,” coach Jonathan Gannon said. “No one has their head down. Everyone believes we can win. But we’re not doing enough, all three phases, to win these games. That’s very clear.”
The Seahawks took a 7-3 lead late in the first quarter on Darnold’s 16-yard touchdown pass to AJ Barner.
Arizona took a 3-0 lead on Ryland’s 33-yard field goal with 4:37 left in the first quarter. The Cardinals grabbed the early advantage partially because of a strange play a few minutes earlier that included turnovers by both teams.
Murray threw a ball that was intercepted by Seattle’s Coby Bryant, but Bryant fumbled a few seconds later and the ball was recovered by Arizona’s Trey Benson at essentially the same spot where the play started.
Injuries
Seahawks: Safety Nick Emmanwori (ankle) was inactive. … Edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence (thigh) left the game in the second quarter and didn’t return.
Cardinals: CB Will Johnson (groin) missed his second straight game. WR Zay Jones (concussion) and OL Will Hernandez (knee) were inactive. … WR Simi Fehoko (concussion) left in the second half. … DL Darius Robinson (chest) left in the second half.
Up next
Seahawks: Host Tampa Bay on Sunday, Oct. 5.
Cardinals: Host Tennessee on Oct. 5.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
