What We Saw 2023: Week 7

Cardinals @ Seahawks

Final Score: Seahawks 20, Cardinals 10

Writer: Jason Wolf (J_Wolf_Picks on Twitter)

Geno Smith set the tone from the beginning as he started the game seven for seven with a touchdown in the first quarter. Smith threw his second touchdown of the day on an excellent throw (but even more spectacular catch) to rookie WR Jake Bobo, making what is a solid contender for catch of the year in the process. Smith and the Seahawks moved the ball day with ease but shot themselves in the foot with three turnovers (two fumbles and an interception), making this game much closer than it needed to be. The Seahawks were able to ride their ground game and defense to cruise to victory in what was a pretty uneventful second half. Watching this game was like watching a lion play and toy with a mouse for two hours before finally deciding to put it out of its misery; only eating it out of pity and a desire to get along about its day.

Three Up

• Jaxon Smith-Njigba – With DK Metcalf sitting this one out, JSN stepped into the lead role nicely. It wasn’t a given that he would assume #1 duties over Tyler Lockett given his inconsistencies so far but this performance was a big step in that direction. Geno was looking Smith-Njigba’s way early and often and JSN delivered with 60+ yards and his first career TD. If Metcalf (or Lockett) misses any time, JSN will be locked in for the lion’s share of receiver targets.
• Jake Bobo – He made one of the best catches of the year on his insane toe-tapping touchdown and stepped up nicely in Metcalf’s absence. Bobo made a few nice plays and showed that he is a seriously talented piece waiting to see more snaps in a crowded and talented WR room.
• Emari Demercado – Not the prototypical every down back but that didn’t stop the Cardinals from using him as such. Usually when a smaller guy gets as many carries as Emari Demercado did, their efficiency drops heavily but that didn’t happen for him as he stayed fresh all game. The rest of the RBs saw just one carry as Demercado dominated the rushing work and saw some action in the passing game as well. With James Conner on the shelf for a few more weeks, Demercado looks like the clear back to roster in Arizona.

Three Down

• Tyler Lockett – With no DK Metcalf, it would be have been fair to assume Lockett would be in for a big day against the woeful Cardinals. That didn’t happen as JSN saw more targets and operated as the de facto #1 option in the receiving game. Lockett’s targets were mostly of the short variety without any of his signature shots down the field. With Lockett failing to gain separation as he did in years past and his aDOT seemingly on the decrease, Lockett’s stock is heading downward.
• Rondale Moore – The Cardinals’ coaching staff is nowhere near creative enough to get the best out of Rondale Moore. Even though the designed touches they do call for him are effective, they don’t do it enough (or in varied enough ways) to take full advantage of his talents. It’s clear that he’s one of the top playmakers of the team yet they are not scheming up ways to get him the ball in space. Until that changes, it’s hard to see consistent returns from Moore.
• Entire Cardinals offense as long as Dobbs is starting – Dobbs’ arm talent is medicore and his accuracy isn’t the best. With questionable offensive line play, he is being asked to do too much. Even Kyler Murray would struggle to make this team click on offense so expecting Dobbs to provide the opportunities for this offensively challenged roster is a tall order. The ceiling (however low it is) won’t be unlocked until Kyler comes back.

Arizona Cardinals

Quarterback

Joshua Dobbs: 19/33, 146 Yards | 7 Carries, 43 Yards, TD

Joshua Dobbs isn’t exactly being put in a situation to succeed. Surrounded by middling (or worse) offensive talent and operating behind a subpar offensive line in the NFL is a tough place to be as a quarterback but that’s where he finds himself. Facing consistent pressure, Dobbs’ limitations as a quarterback were on full display. Giving credit where its due, when Dobbs was given time to work under center, he was fairly accurate and showed a good handle of the offense. However when facing any amount of pressure (which was most of the time), he was inaccurate and made questionable throws. There were multiple plays throughout the game where Dobbs inability to deliver the ball under pressure cost his team important first downs and opportunities. Dobbs did often make plays with his legs though, fighting admirably to pick up tough extra yards and picking up several first downs.

Notes

• Dobbs was often just slightly inaccurate enough on multiple throws where his receiver couldn’t bring a ball down or lost the opportunity for extra yardage due to having to compensate for misplacement of the football.
• Dobbs made a questionable decision on a 3rd & long in the first half when he threw into traffic. Marquise Brown made a nice play to get to the ball in an admirable attempt to catch it but did well to just prevent the interception. Easily could have been picked off if not for hustle play from Brown.
• Dobbs made several nice plays with his legs, including a 25 yard touchdown run, the Cardinals’ only TD of the day. On the run, Dobbs faked a handoff and took off,  showing surprising burst and nice power in bouncing off multiple defenders to finish off the score. Dobbs leads the league in QB runs of 20+ yards and this run is a great example of how he does it.
• Doesn’t seem fast or particularly evasive when he’s in and around the pocket but gets the job done when he decides to take off.
• Took four sacks on the day but could have been less if he did a better job of getting the ball out faster.

Missed Opportunities

• Had Trey McBride wide open for a first down but Dobbs didn’t show the necessary anticipation to know that McBride was going to be open in the soft spot of the zone. Instead of first down, Cardinals end up punting and killing the drive.
• Complete lack of situational awareness as the end of the first half was coming to an end and Cardinals were trying to secure a field goal. On 3rd & 12 from the edge of field goal range, Dobbs had two different check down options open for short gains and what would have been a more manageable field goal. Instead he focused too much on getting a first down and held on to the ball for too long, taking an awful sack which knocked them out of field goal range. Cost them a solid shot at three points in a (at that time) one possession game.

Running Back

Emari Demercado: 13 Carries, 58 Yards | 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 17 Yards

Emari Demercado functioned as the Cardinals’ workhorse back, carrying the ball 13 times while the only other RB to record a carry was Damien Williams with just one. Small in stature, Demercado was surprisingly effective at picking up yards in between the tackles and showed impressive toughness when running up the middle / between tackles. Demercado showed nice patience when running behind his blockers and flashed some nice speed on his 19 yard run. Demercado didn’t depreciate as the game went on as smaller backs often do, maintaining his effectiveness as the game went on, which was impressive. He did accrue a decent volume of targets (five) but they were mostly low quality, a result of him solely serving as an emergency dump off option.

Notes

• He wasn’t breaking tackles out there but he showed no fear when running up the middle or taking dump off passes knowing he would be taking a hit from a defender.
• Nice involvement in the passing game but he was never put in space or given a chance to make a play in the passing game.

Damien Williams: 1 Carry, 2 Yards 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Marquise Brown: 7 Targets, 3 Receptions, 49 Yards

Marquise Brown led the team in targets on the day with seven but only managed to haul in three catches. This is mostly due to the fact that Hollywood functions as the big play expert and gets thrown the highest degree of difficulty targets on the team (highest aDOT). Brown definitely didn’t blow up the box score this game but he will look really good in the film review this week as he made two really nice hustle plays. First, he stopped a likely interception when hustling back to the ball on a misplaced Dobbs throw. Second his team almost fumbled the ball but he ran back and recovered it before the Seahawks could jump on it. The fumble call was overturned but the effort is amazing to see from a star WR who at times has had the diva label thrown around him, especially on a team that is losing every week.

Notes

• Only had three receptions but each one was nice in their own right as two were nice receptions made in the middle of the field with Hollywood knowing he would take a clean hit. The third catch came late in the game and Brown showed impressively sticky hands in cleanly coming down with the catch that was almost too low to be caught.
• Not much opportunity given for Hollywood to hit on those deep routes he’s known for due to offensive line play as well as Dobbs’ average arm talent.

Rondale Moore: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 2 Yards | 4 Carries, 24 Yards

It seemed like every time a play was dialed up for Rondale Moore, he got a nice positive gain or flashed his dangerous speed. Moore took a carry out of the backfield on the Cardinals first drive and gained 15 yards on a jet sweep in the second quarter. After seeing the success he had on his touches early, I thought we would be seeing a lot more of Rondale Moore in this game but it just never really came. Only getting four low quality targets in the passing game is a coaching miscue and should be rectified immediately as Moore might be their most dangerous offensive weapon.

Notes

• Took a massive hit on one of his catches but did an amazing job to hold on to the ball and secure the first down. Big, clean hit to take for a small guy and he ate it well.

Missed Opportunities

• Only giving 6 touches to Moore is criminal for this team when they are so obviously lacking firepower on offense. The Cardinals’ usage of Moore is a giant missed opportunity nearly every week.

Michael Wilson: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 26 Yards

Michael Wilson had a very quiet day in the box score and in the game. He saw five targets, two of which were low quality and the receptions he did have were pretty routine. Wilson was the target of a noteworthy fake punt pass call. It was noteworthy for how bad the play was, with Wilson being targeted four yards down the field when the Cardinals needed eight.

Trey McBride: 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 29 Yards

Surprisingly, Trey McBride finished second on the Cardinals with six targets, managing to bring in three catches for 30 yards. McBride’s impact in this game could have been much bigger in the box score as he was missed badly by Dobbs on the second play from scrimmage for what could have been a 20+ yard gain. His impact did feel much bigger than just 29 yards though, as every time he touched the ball, he impressed. McBride was seemingly the only Cardinal to make any plays after the catch as well, highlighting his athleticism.

Notes

• Made a wildly athletic play as he did a clean hurdle over a defender on a TE screen that he took for 10+ yards, getting the first down using his athleticism.
• Had another nice catch wiped out by penalty.

Zach Ertz: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 19 Yards

Notes

• Ertz’ age might finally be catching up to him as he seems a step slower and isn’t getting separation like he used to.

Missed Opportunities

• On a 3rd & 9 late in the game, Ertz was open for a first down but Dobbs was slightly off on the throw, forcing Ertz to adjust and he just missed the ball, unable to secure it due to the slight misplacement. Should have been an important, late first down but instead fell incomplete and Dobbs’ inaccuracy came into play again.

Geoff Swaim: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 8 Yards

Seattle Seahawks

Quarterback

Geno Smith: 18/24, 219 Yards, 2 TD, INT | 6 Carries, 10 Yards, Fumble (lost) 

Geno Smith was nearly perfect in the first half. He started the game 7/7 and when given time (nearly all half), he was slinging the ball with pinpoint accuracy, going 11/13 in the first half when facing little to no pressure. Smith had the Seattle offense moving the ball with ease, humming along and picking up chunk gain after chunk gain. Smith’s day could have been massive in the box score, but boneheaded turnovers cost him and the Seahawks a lot of potential offensive production. Smith threw an interception on a particularly poor decision and lost a fumble when he bobbled a direct snap under center. Other than these highly fixable turnovers, Geno was cool, calm, and collected all game, regularly making throws downfield with perfect accuracy and touch. These mistakes might have cost them against a better team but in this game it felt like Geno and the Seahawks always knew they had it in the bag.

Notes

• Smith looked unstoppable operating out of play-action, routinely hitting big plays out the PA, including the wide open TD to Smith-Njigba.
• A couple questionable decisions put a sliver of doubt in Geno’s ability to get it done against better defenses and/or teams with better offenses. Smith could have had another interception if it wasn’t for the defender dropping the easy INT on a super iffy throw.
• Displayed truly perfect touch on multiple throws including the 32 yarder to Jake Bobo as well as the TD throw to Bobo in the corner of the endzone.
• Rarely ever takes off running on the ground but is able to manipulate the pocket and extend plays beautifully.

Running Back

Kenneth Walker: 26 Carries, 105 Yards | 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 6 Yards

Every time I watch Kenneth Walker play, I am impressed by his truly elite combination of power and speed. It is not often guys come along with his ability to both shed tackles like nothing and routinely beat guys to the edge. His lateral speed and insanely quick cuts are a joy to watch from the running back position. Watching him do his cut-and-go thing reminds me of how Adrian Peterson used to run as he was bouncing off attempted tacklers and eating up yards on the ground all game. He routinely showed excellent vision and patience in running behind his blockers and waiting for the holes to develop. When he does find the lane, he hits it hard and is rarely ever brought down on first contact.

Notes

• Not used much in the passing game with only three targets and I often wonder why as he always shows soft hands for a RB and can absolutely make guys miss in the open field.
• Seahawks gave Walker two chances to punch in a touchdown from 1st & goal but he was stuffed within the two yard line twice by the Cardinals before Seattle threw on first down. Though he didn’t get the TD, the Seahawks always give him first crack at the short touchdowns which is always a promising sign.
• Insane lateral speed + power combo. Flashed this in particular on a beautiful 9 yard gain late in the third quarter where he bounced off defenders and lowered his shoulder, completely running through a defender in the second level.
• One of the best running backs in the league at making effective cuts/change of directions in the backfield.
• Dropped one pass out of the backfield when he tried to make his move before he secured the ball…usually great hands but this one was just a mental error. Not much room for YAC anyway on this one so not super impactful.

Deejay Dallas: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 0 Yards | Fumble (lost)

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 63 Yard, TD

With Seahawks’ star WR DK Metcalf inactive for this game, Jaxon Smith-Njigba stepped in seamlessly to the lead receiver role as he led the team in targets, yards, and secured one of Geno Smith’s two touchdowns on the day. JSN was Geno Smith’s favorite target in the first half as he did the vast majority of his damage and caught several balls in the intermediate parts of the field. JSN scored the first touchdown of his career on a seam route up the middle off a play action fake to Kenneth Walker. JSN did his job perfectly but the play was made easier by the looming threat of the run game with Walker.

Notes

• Three out of four of JSN’s receptions went for over 10 yards, displaying his expertise in getting open in the second and third levels of the field.
• Game script was perfect for him this week with no Metcalf and being fed early. Will be interesting to see if Seahawks prioritize JSN touches over Lockett moving forward with Metcalf coming back. JSN looks easily the more explosive player so it should be no time at all before he officially leapfrogs Lockett in the pecking order.

Tyler Lockett: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 38 Yards

Surprisingly it was Jaxon Smith-Njigba and not Tyler Lockett who operated as the de facto #1 against the Cardinals. Lockett worked in more of a possession receiver role which is unusual to see out of him as he is often the Seahawks’ big play guy with a high aDOT. Not so much in this one as Lockett hauled in four receptions for 38 yards, averaging less than 10 yards per catch. Lockett just doesn’t seem to be as quick anymore as he is not gaining the same separation from defenders like he used to. Lockett didn’t light up the box score but a few of his catches did get the Seahawks some timely first downs so the trust between Geno and Lockett is still fully there.

Jake Bobo: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 61 Yards, TD

Rookie WR Jake Bobo doubled his career catches in this game, going from four on the season to catching four against the Cardinals. You can’t talk about Bobo without mentioning his sick high-pointing, toe-tapping touchdown catch which is surely a catch of the year contender. Geno Smith did place the ball perfectly but Bobo made a 10/10 catch to actually secure it for a touchdown. Bobo is a beast, measuring at 6″4 and 205 pounds, and he uses every bit of his size to his advantage, using his leverage against DB’s to box them out of plays and position himself advantageously over them. Bobo made some noise in his first “start” of his career, and if training camp hype is to be believed, this performance isn’t a fluke.

Notes

• Excellent release off the LOS on his 32 yard reception in the early first quarter. Made a quick move and gained enough separation from the DB to get himself open.

Colby Parkinson: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 26 Yards

Noah Fant: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 25 Yards