DK Metcalf is one of the most freakishly impressive athletes in the NFL, as he showed by running down Budda Baker to prevent a pick-six on Sunday.
Seattle's second-year star is also quickly becoming one of the league's better wideouts – except when he faces Patrick Peterson.
Dating back to Week 16 of last year, Metcalf has played six games against non-Peterson cornerbacks and averaged 4.7 catches and 96.2 yards per contest. However, against the Cardinals, he has only caught two passes for 23 yards combined in two games, and Peterson has mostly shadowed him during that time.
According to NextGenStats, Peterson tracked Metcalf on 42 of his 49 routes Sunday and allowed just one catch for six yards on four targets. Peterson's toe-tapping interception in the end zone also came on a play in which he was guarding Metcalf.
Metcalf did not have a catch and was only targeted once when Peterson guarded him last year in Seattle.
It has been a nice few games for Peterson after a slow start, as he also did a solid job on Amari Cooper in Dallas. Peterson is allowing a passer rating of 71.6 this season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Other numbers of note following the Week 7 win over the Seahawks:
- The Cardinals' offensive line can make a legitimate argument that it is among the best in the NFL. The group is now No. 1 in the NFL in ESPN's pass-block win rate after a dominant showing against the Seahawks. It is No. 2 in run-block win rate, behind only the Packers. Darren wrote on Monday about the huge drop in sack yardage this season, and how that has really helped the offense.|
- On the play in which he caught Baker, Metcalf hit a top speed of a jaw-dropping 22.64 mph. Baker didn't look like he was running very fast because of the way Metcalf was making up ground, but he actually clocked the 17th-fastest speed of any ballcarrier this season at 21.27 mph.
- Here's a great Kyler Murray nugget from Cardinals media relations manager Mike Helm: No NFL player has ever thrown for 4,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 in the same season. Murray is currently on pace for 4,222 yards passing and 999 rushing.
- When the Seahawks lined up for their final offensive play in overtime, their game-winning chance sat at 62.9%, according to EdjSports. When Isaiah Simmons intercepted Russell Wilson, that number dropped to 19.9%. The 43% swing was the fourth-biggest of any play from Week 7.
- The Cardinals dropped one spot in Football Outsiders’ team efficiency rankings, to No. 11. All four NFC West teams are bunched together between No. 7 and No. 11. The race for the division title could be a doozy, although Seattle is the favorite because it is currently in first and has the easiest remaining strength of schedule.
- The Cardinals are also No. 11 in offensive efficiency. After the poor outing against the Panthers they were down to No. 25, but the past three weeks have been very impressive. The defense remains at No. 9 after it bounced back in the second half against Wilson. The Cardinals' playoff odds are now being placed at 65.5%.