SEAHAWKS AT CARDINALS

• 2:05 p.m. Sunday
• State Farm Stadium
• Line: Cardinals -2 (For more details see BetMGM.com)

The three biggest things to watch for Sunday when the Cardinals play the Seahawks at State Farm Stadium.:

More Than Three This Time Around

No, the Cardinals didn't have Deandre Hopkins the first time they played the Seahawks. But that was no reason for the offense to generate only three points in that game (the one touchdown the Cards got came on Chris Banjo's fumble recovery on a botched Seattle punt). The Seahawks did start playing better on defense beginning with that game, but the Cardinals have also started playing much better on offense, scoring 28 and 26 points the last two games. A first-quarter TD wouldn't be bad – the last time the Cardinals had one in the first quarter happened to be against the Seahawks in Week 17 last year, although it came on defense on a Zach Allen fumble return 12 seconds into the game – but however it gets done, the offense has got to way to do consistent scoring damage.

Control The Award Winners

So the Cardinals are the first team to play the Seahawks since QB Geno Smith was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month, RB Kenneth Walker was named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Month and CB Tariq Woolen was named NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month. Yes, the Seahawks are hot. The Cardinals did a nice job on Smith the first time around, although Walker had a big game with 97 yards. The Cards didn't hold up against the run in Minnesota and need to get back to where they were playing when they saw the Seahawks the first time. Will Woolen take some snaps against Hopkins? I am guessing Hopkins would like to try that matchup, even as well as Woolen has been playing.

Time To Give One Back

The Cardinals need a win in the NFC West after losing their first two tries. They need to find a way to split with the Seahawks. And they want to start making some headway on playing the Seahawks at State Farm Stadium, a team that has had far too much success as a visitor (while the Cardinals have built a pretty good record of late in Seattle, despite three weeks ago.) The Cardinals found their bearings in their last home game; this is a chance to add to that as well as get off to a needed start on this crucial three-game NFC West stretch.