Seattle’s big-play offense outgunned Arizona 23-20 as the Seahawks piled up 384 yards with 317 coming on 18 plays of 10+ yards. Seattle stitched together two lengthy drives, including a 90-yard march highlighted by three explosive plays, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba and company exploited a thinning Cardinals secondary. Arizona’s defense, thin at corner, yielded chunk gains and two scoring drives, while the offense failed to generate a telltale fourth-quarter takeaway or a decisive late-score surge.

For fantasy managers, Smith-Njigba’s second-half surge and Walker III’s workload on the decisive drives stand out, as does Darnold’s efficiency in the late drive. Arizona’s pass rush showed signs with Campbell and Sweat recording sacks, but the unit again missed opportunities for takeaways. Special teams had its moments, but a late field-goal miss and a conservative burn-the-clock approach kept this one in Seattle’s favor.

12 days remain until the Cardinals open the 2025 season in New Orleans. A look at No. 12 across Cardinals history highlights how rarely that number has been a catalyst, with Pharoh Cooper and John Brown among the stronger recent contributors and Colt McCoy’s tenure as a backup quarterback noteworthy in the era. The current No. 12 belongs to Blake Gillikin, the Cardinals’ punter entering his third season, anchoring special teams as the kickoff to game prep for the Saints fades into Week 1.

Cardinals coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root recaps the legacy of No. 12 and teases Rise Up, See Red podcast episodes for deeper dive on this franchise thread. Fantasy readers get a compact narrative: the No. 12 legacy isn’t a fantasy cornerstone, but the current punting situation and historical backups inform depth and positional volatility as the season approaches.

The Arizona Cardinals are gearing up for training camp, which starts on July 22, and one key player to keep an eye on is punter Blake Gillikin.

After signing with the Cardinals in 2023, Gillikin made a significant impact by averaging an impressive 50.6 yards per punt over the last 13 games of the season. He continued to build on his performance in 2024, amassing a career-high net average of 44.2 yards per kick. However, he faced injury issues that limited his playtime, yet he remained a consistent force in the punting game.

As he enters the final year of a two-year contract worth $3.7 million, Gillikin's future with the team may hinge on his ability to maintain his performance while overcoming lingering ankle concerns. The Cardinals have opted not to bring in additional punters for competition, indicating their trust in Gillikin's abilities for the upcoming season.

James Conner's motivational speech before the game inspired the Arizona Cardinals to a narrow 17-15 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Conner's performance was pivotal, as he rushed for 101 yards and made key receptions, including a crucial catch that helped set up the game-winning field goal.

Quarterback Kyler Murray showcased his skills with a 44-yard touchdown run and orchestrated the final drive, leading to a last-second field goal by Chad Ryland. Despite injuries affecting the defense, the Cardinals remain competitive in the NFC West.