DeMarcus Lawrence returned two fumbles for touchdowns, both forced by Tyrice Knight, as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the visiting Arizona Cardinals 44-22 Sunday afternoon.
Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III combined to rush for 150 yards for the Seahawks (7-2), who won their fourth consecutive game and remained tied with the Los Angeles Rams for first place in the NFC West.
Sam Darnold completed 10 of 12 passes for 178 yards with a touchdown as Seattle relied on the running game after building a 35-0 lead. Jaxon Smith-Njigba made five catches for 93 yards, including a 43-yarder for a touchdown on the game’s opening drive.
Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett was 22-of-44 passing for 258 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked five times. Tight end Trey McBride made nine catches for 127 yards and a TD for the Cardinals (3-6).
On Arizona’s initial drive, Knight hit Brissett just before the quarterback’s hand started coming forward on a pass play, with Lawrence scooping up the fumble and returning it 34 yards for a score.
Seattle’s George Holani scored on a 9-yard run late in the first, making it 21-0.
Knight, filling in for the injured Ernest Jones IV, sacked Brissett on a nearly identical play on Arizona’s next possession, with Lawrence recovering and scoring from 22 yards.
A 6-yard TD run by Charbonnet increased the lead to 35-0 with 8:33 left in the second quarter.
The Cardinals got on the board on a 4-yard run by wide receiver Greg Dortch out of the wildcat formation.
Seattle’s Jason Myers kicked the first of his three goals to make it 38-7 at the half.
Brissett hit McBride with a 15-yard scoring strike and Marvin Harrison Jr. from 9 yards in the second half.
Myers added a 32 and 34 yard field goal in the second half to round out Seattle’s scoring.
It was the Seahawks’ ninth straight victory against Arizona and gave them a sweep of the season after a 23-20 victory in Week 4 at Glendale, Ariz.
