The Seattle Seahawks visit the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, September 20, 2026, and the betting market has quietly drifted toward the home team. Seattle opened as a 4.5-point road favorite. That spread now sits at 3.5 after the Seahawks ruled out starting quarterback Sam Darnold. Both teams are 1-0, and the number has moved against the side taking most of the tickets. That combination is worth a closer look before kickoff.
Last Updated: Sunday, September 20, 2026
Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals — Time & How to Watch
| Where | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ |
| When | Sunday, September 20 – 4:25 PM ET |
| TV | FOX |
Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals Betting Preview
Seattle arrives as the defending Super Bowl champion, 1-0 after a 13-10 win over New England in the opener. It was not comfortable. Darnold left five plays in, and the offense managed 13 points. Jaxon Smith-Njigba carried the passing game with 122 receiving yards, including a 45-yard touchdown. The defense did the rest, holding the Patriots to 10 points.
Arizona is also 1-0 after a 26-14 win at the Los Angeles Chargers in Mike LaFleur’s head-coaching debut. Jacoby Brissett did not turn the ball over. Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love opened the scoring, and Tyler Allgeier handled the larger workload. Chad Ryland made four field goals. The defense produced three sacks of Justin Herbert, a blocked punt, and three fourth-down stops after halftime. The blemish was discipline: eight penalties for 111 yards.
The quarterback news is the headline. Seattle has ruled Darnold out with a glute injury and will start Drew Lock, with Jalen Milroe as the backup. Lock went 16 of 22 for 187 yards and a touchdown in relief last week. Safety Ty Okada is also out, while guard Anthony Bradford and safety Nick Emmanwori are questionable. Receiver Tory Horton is cleared to play.
Arizona has its own attrition. Cornerback Garrett Williams is out with an Achilles injury, and six players are listed as questionable, including guards Isaac Seumalo and Isaiah Adams. History leans one way. Seattle has won nine straight in this series, most recently 44-22 at Lumen Field in November 2025. For the fuller market picture, see our Seahawks vs. Cardinals odds and public betting breakdown.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | -3.5 (-110) | -195 | U 41 (-110) |
| Cardinals | +3.5 (-110) | +165 | O 41 (-110) |
Odds accurate as of Sunday, September 20, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NFL Odds – Futures – Props
Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Seahawks | 63% | 37% | Cardinals |
See the latest NFL Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Seahawks vs. Cardinals Prediction — Is the Short Number Telling the Truth?
Start with the movement. This game opened with Seattle laying 4.5 points at -105. It now sits at 3.5 at -110. That is a full point in Arizona’s direction, and it happened while 63 percent of spread tickets came in on Seattle. When the public leans one way and the number moves the other, the price is usually being set by something other than ticket count. The Darnold ruling is the obvious driver. Lock is a competent bridge, not a replacement for a starter who was on the field for a championship run.
Arizona’s path is built on its defensive front. That group sacked Herbert three times, blocked a punt, and stopped the Chargers on downs three times after halftime. A backup quarterback on the road against pressure is a hard assignment. Seattle also has a question at right guard, where Bradford is questionable and Christian Haynes is the next man up. The Cardinals get the crowd, the travel edge, and a number that keeps them alive on a late field goal.
The case against Arizona is not subtle. Seattle has won this matchup nine straight times, the most recent by 22 points. The Seahawks defense is the best unit on the field, and it held New England to 10. Arizona’s line is banged up at both guard spots, and eight penalties for 111 yards is not a formula that survives against a champion. Still, a live home dog getting more than a field goal, with the number moving toward it, is the side worth taking.
The Pick: Cardinals +3.5 (-110)
Seahawks vs. Cardinals Prediction — Can Two Slow Offenses Reach the Number?
The total opened at 40.5 and has ticked up to 41. That is a small move toward the over, so the market is not sitting still. The argument for the under starts with how both teams won. Seattle’s opener finished 13-10, a game decided by defense and field position. Arizona won by 12 but reached the end zone only twice, settling for four Ryland field goals. Neither offense showed the kind of explosive volume that blows past a number in the low 40s.
The counterargument deserves weight. Arizona put up 26 points on the road against a Chargers defense that is not soft, and Brissett protected the ball all afternoon. Smith-Njigba can turn one snap into seven points, as he did on a 45-yard score last week. On balance, though, a backup quarterback, a strong Seattle defense, and a field-goal-dependent Arizona offense point the same direction.
The Pick: Under 41 (-110)
Final Thoughts and Bonus Angle
One more number stands out. The moneyline split is heavily one-sided, with 93 percent of moneyline tickets on Seattle, yet Arizona is priced at +165. That implies roughly a 38 percent chance of an outright Cardinals win. For a 1-0 home team facing a backup quarterback in a game the market has already shortened by a point, that price is defensible. It is correlated with the spread play, so treat it as an alternative route rather than a second position. Bettors who prefer the cushion should stay on the number.
The broader read is that this game is closer than the series history suggests. Seattle remains the better roster. Arizona is healthier at the position that matters most and is coming off a road win few expected. If Lock plays clean football and Smith-Njigba gets loose, the Seahawks cover comfortably and this analysis looks wrong.
All picks: Cardinals +3.5 (-110) | Under 41 (-110) | Bonus: Cardinals moneyline +165
NFL Seahawks vs. Cardinals FAQ: Sunday September 20, 2026
What time does the Seahawks vs. Cardinals game start?
Kickoff is set for 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, September 20, 2026. That is 1:25 PM local time in Arizona, which does not observe daylight saving time. The game is part of the late Sunday afternoon window in Week 2 of the NFL season.
What channel is the Seahawks vs. Cardinals game on?
The game airs on FOX. Chris Myers handles play-by-play, with Mark Schlereth as analyst and Megan Olivi reporting from the sideline. Radio coverage includes Arizona Sports 98.7 FM locally and Sports USA Media nationally.
Where are the Seahawks and Cardinals playing?
The game is at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the home venue of the Cardinals. Glendale sits in the Phoenix metropolitan area, roughly 15 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix. This is Arizona’s first home game of the 2026 regular season.
Who is starting at quarterback for the Seahawks and Cardinals?
Drew Lock starts for Seattle with Sam Darnold ruled out because of a glute injury. Jacoby Brissett starts for Arizona. Lock replaced Darnold early in Week 1 and completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown against New England.
Who won the last meeting between the Seahawks and Cardinals?
Seattle won the most recent meeting 44-22 at Lumen Field on November 9, 2025. That result extended the Seahawks’ winning streak in the series to nine consecutive games.