As well as the Seattle Seahawks have played in away games this season, they’re hoping the road to the NFC championship goes through their own CenturyLink Field.
After clinching a playoff berth with a 30-24 victory at the Carolina Panthers last Sunday to go a franchise-record 7-1 on the road, the Seahawks return home for their final two regular-season games with a chance to earn the No. 1 seed in the conference playoffs.
The Seahawks (11-3) will play host to the Arizona Cardinals (4-9-1) this Sunday before meeting the San Francisco 49ers (11-3) in the last week of the regular season.
If Seattle wins its final two games, it will be the NFC West champs and, at worst, the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
“To come out of it where we are right now and be one of the highest NFC seeds, after all that’s happened so far, that’s a good accomplishment for us,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who earned his 100th regular-season victory last Sunday.
Against Carolina, Russell Wilson completed 20 of 26 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns, Chris Carson rushed for 133 yards and two scores, and Tyler Lockett had eight catches for 120 yards.
“It’s championship football time,” Wilson said. “You have to capitalize on your moments.”
Lockett had just eight catches for 107 yards in his previous four games combined after dealing with a severe leg bruise and an illness.
“You can see how Russ maneuvers and makes stuff happen because he and Tyler were just phenomenal together,” Carroll said. “And it’s really been a while. Tyler’s been working his way back, and you could see it. … He came through in great fashion, so it’s great to have him back because we are going to need him to finish up.”
The Seahawks won 27-10 at Arizona in Week 4, their lone victory by more than a touchdown this season, as Carson rushed for 104 yards.
The Cardinals snapped a six-game losing streak last Sunday, defeating the visiting Cleveland Browns 38-24 as Kenyan Drake rushed for 137 yards and four touchdowns.
“You have no idea,” Cardinals veteran receiver Larry Fitzgerald said of the team’s atmosphere before the win. “It was like going to a funeral every day. To be able to see the guys compete and fight hard against a good Browns team that still has playoff aspirations, it shows you a lot of character and resolve with the men you have in this locker room.”
Quarterback Kyler Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in this spring’s NFL draft, competed 19 of 25 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown with one interception.
The Cardinals took a 14-0 lead before Cleveland rallied within 21-17 in the third quarter. Arizona responded with two straight touchdowns.
“It was the first game we’ve played all year where it was just start to finish,” Cardinals offensive lineman Justin Pugh said. “We had a lot of good drives, Kenyan played a monster game, Kyler made all the plays we needed him to make. So it was a full game for us, which was good.”
