The Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks might have gone different direction as of late, but Sunday's NFC West matchup will never lack the fireworks present in every rivalry game.
For the first time this season, the Cardinals and the Seahawks face off in what could be an emotionally-charged ballgame at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
Arizona has been the hottest team in American football, winning 9 of their first 10 games - including six consecutive victories against formidable competitions.
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (1,611 passing yards with 11 TDs) had been the driving force behind the team's resurgence this season until another ACL injury ended his campaign prematurely.
Lucky for the Cardinals, backup signal-caller Drew Stanton rose up to the challenge solidly as he threw 306 yards with 2 TDs and 2 interceptions in a 14-6 win over the Detroit Lions last week.
Then again, the upcoming clash with the Seahawks presents a far difficult test for the Cards because of the offensive weapons (Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson) Seattle has. Therefore, Arizona's vaunted defense has no choice but to step once against.
"We're definitely one of the best in the game," Pro Bowl cornerback Peterson said of Cards' improvement as a strong defensive team. "I believe we have caught our stride. The last two games, we didn't give up over 200 yards passing with three or four interceptions. That's something we're hoping for the rest of the season."
Meanwhile, it has been an up-and-down season for the defending Super Bowl champion. Coming off a 24-20 loss at the hands of the Kansas City Royals, the Seahawks are facing a much harder road towards postseason qualification with five of their last six regular-season games coming against playoff contenders.
Russell Wilson has already passed for 1,626 yards with 13 touchdowns this season, though the Seahawks passing offense (191.8 passing yards per game) remains at the bottom three in the league.
Like the Cardinals, the Seahawks will rely on their elite defensive unit led by reigning defensive player of the year Richard Sherman, who could see in action as a wide receiver soon as suggested by head coach Pete Carroll.
Live Stream, TV Schedule, Stats & Results
Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinal showdown will start at 4:05 p.m EST live on Fox Sports. The match can also be watched on mobile via Fox Sports Go or Sports Stream, while game stats, play-by-play and recaps will be available on ESPN NFL.
