Seahawks at Cardinals First Quarter Notes

This isn't comprehensive. Instead it's a selection of plays described in differing amounts of detail.

1-10-ARI 17 (7:42) 34-T.Hightower right end pushed ob at ARZ 20 for 3 yards (36-L.Milloy). PENALTY on SEA-36-L.Milloy, Horse Collar Tackle, 15 yards, enforced at ARZ 20.

The first year after the horse-collar tackle penalty was instituted, 2005, only two horse-collar penalties were enforced. This created a bit of a stir, because why create a penalty if it's so rarely enforced?

So that players would not commit the foul. Duh. Sometimes human logic really discourages me.

Moving on. In 2006, because people were angered at the infrequency of infraction, the penalty was expanded. It now includes both tackling by pulling down the back of the ball carrier's shoulder pads and pulling down the back of the ball carrier's jersey collar.

Lawyer Milloy did neither.

1-10-SEA 40 (6:02) 34-T.Hightower left tackle to SEA 39 for 1 yard (59-A.Curry).

Tim Hightower spun through Aaron Curry's initial tackle attempt, which was high and about Hightower's shoulder pads, but Curry grabbed a handful of jersey and was able drag Hightower down from behind.

No flags were thrown.

2-9-SEA 39 (5:19) (Shotgun) 3-D.Anderson pass incomplete short left to 36-L.Stephens-Howling.

Chris Clemons spun through Levi Brown and pressured Anderson from the interior. Brown recovered to clear Clemons but Anderson was already out of the pocket drifting left. Derek Anderson locked on to outlet receiver Larod Stephens-Howling but Lofa Tatupu had him covered and Junior Siavii pressured the throw away.

3-9-SEA 39 (5:13) (Shotgun) 3-D.Anderson pass incomplete short left to 80-E.Doucet.

Love this play. Seahawks rush three. Cardinals block with seven. Numbers, baby.

Clemons and Raheem Brock draw double teams with their edge rush. Brandon Mebane uses an arm over to get past center Lyle Sendlein and pressure up the right "A" gap. That forces the hurried pass attempt by Anderson. It sails high, tumbles off Early Doucet's outstretched fingers and almost straight to Jordan Babineaux. Babs stabs at it but just misses the pick.

Punt.

1-10-SEA 10 (5:00) 8-M.Hasselbeck sacked at SEA 4 for -6 yards (93-C.Campbell).

Not a pretty play here. Calais Campbell sinks a shoulder into Chester Pitts and works right through him, but Pitts hustles to recover and is able to ride Campbell down into the turf using Campbell's momentum. It's accidental jujitsu. Campbell grabs at Matt Hasselbeck on his way down and that desperation grab, somehow, drops Hasselbeck for a sack.

2-16-SEA 4 (4:35) 24-M.Lynch left tackle to SEA 3 for -1 yards (92-D.Williams).

Dan Williams rides Stacy Andrews all the way to Marshawn Lynch and then disengages to tackle.

3-17-SEA 3 (3:50) (Shotgun) 8-M.Hasselbeck pass incomplete short right to 11-D.Butler.

Ben Obomanu pulls coverage deep and Deon Butler settles into a short curl on the right. There is almost no chance targeting Butler can result in a first down, but a completion would keep Jon Ryan from punting of his own end zone. For whatever reason, route confusion maybe, Hasselbeck sails it feet above a jumping Butler and the pass continues out of bounds incomplete.

Ryan's first punt lands past the Cardinals 30 yard line. Crazy good.

Ryan's second punt following the penalty is short and flat and returned 11 yards to the Seahawks 33. Oof.

1-10-SEA 33 (3:36) 34-T.Hightower up the middle to SEA 31 for 2 yards (94-J.Siavii)

Craig Terrill is blown into next week by a double team and blockers are streaming into the second level. Basically, things look real bad, like week seven bad. Siavii cuts and tackles Hightower after two. Here's to individual effort and a saving tackle.

2-8-SEA 31 (3:00) Direct snap to 80-E.Doucet. 80-E.Doucet right end to SEA 29 for 2 yards (51-L.Tatupu).

Cards break in an Early-Cat formation. Yuck yuck. Clemons is allowed to pass into the back field. He overpursues Doucet. Douce passes Clemons and begins scrambling up field. Mebane fights off his blocker and contains Doucet, forcing him to cut wide right and allowing Seattle's defenders time to rally. He lunges for a tackle but misses, but Tatupu is there to end the play. Good having you back Bane.

3-6-SEA 29 (2:10) (Shotgun) 3-D.Anderson sacked at SEA 38 for -9 yards (59-A.Curry).

Curry is in at tackle. Seattle runs stunts on the right and Brock swerves inside and is arrested by blockers. It doesn't work, you see. Clemons wraps around left end and pressures Anderson into scrambling right. That's a big mistake, because his receivers are all breaking left. Finally, and to little fanfare, Curry breaks free from the pile and closes and eventually forces Anderson out for the sack.

It's a pretty ugly play, really. Anderson puts himself in a no win position and then, instead of taking advantage of being out of the pocket and throwing it away, scrambles into a sack. Good for Curry, I guess. Someone will surely mistake this for an achievement.

Seattle got the ball back, but the ensuing drive didn't start out too exciting. Two passes were completed because of good timing and Mike Williams long arms and huge hands. One run of three on second and four was accomplished though Lynch was dodging a nose tackle in the back field. Both Spencer and Pitts passed him on and engaged second level blockers.