6 reasons the Seahawks’ tie with Arizona wasn’t as bad as it looked

You can’t believe what you saw, and you’re pretty sure it wasn’t good…. but it did happen. Yes, the Seahawks tied the Arizona Cardinals, 6-6, on Sunday in a game that featured five quarters but no touchdowns.

To help you get through your Monday morning, Seahawks fans, here are six things to be thankful for:

1. If defense wins championships, the Seahawks seem to be as good as they ever were in preventing points. Their average of 14 points per game is tied with the Minnesota Vikings for best in the NFL. So that’s good.

2. The offense couldn’t be any worse. Eleven first downs, 257 total yards and zero players crossing the goal line is a bad game and a really bad total for a game that went an extra 15 minutes. The Seahawks didn’t even get past midfield until the fourth quarter. So whatever happens next Sunday against the New Orleans Saints has to be an improvement.

3. Russell Wilson’s arm isn’t broken. The Seahawks quarterback had the ball ripped out of his grip when Arizona’s Chandler Jones chopped his arm like he was trying to take down an evergreen. Wilson, still limited by ankle and knee injuries, showed no ill effects from the play and actually finished with 225 yards passing.

4. It wasn’t a loss, and a tie actually helps in those pesky tie-breaking scenarios at the end of the year. And if you still can’t get your mind around the concept, ask any soccer fan about the satisfaction of a well-earned draw.

5. They have two months before they have to play the Cardinals again. The teams meet on Dec. 24 in Seattle, giving the Seahawks the home field advantage and weather (likely cold, wet and maybe snowy) that should allow for better kicking conditions than Arizona. For some reason, Seattle kicker Steven / Stephen Hauschka can’t kick in the desert, as his hooked, potential game-winning 27-yarder was just the latest in his troubles in Phoenix.

6. At least the Seahawks’ kicker isn’t Chandler Catanzaro. On some level you have to feel bad for the guy after drilling one off the post. I’m guessing his dreams were not just haunted by that kick, but by a flying Bobby Wagner coming right at him.

This story was originally published October 24, 2016 at 10:34 AM with the headline "6 reasons the Seahawks’ tie with Arizona wasn’t as bad as it looked."